Underneath the coop

[Lulu-vt]

Under my coop is just dirt. It’s about 24” high and I’m just now finishing closing it in with HC. Once I do that, it will be harder for me to access. Do I/should I put something on the ground? Like wood chips, lime, DE?
Now is the time for me to do it so suggestions are welcome.

 

[Logar]

I wouldn’t put anything down. It would just encourage rodents to nest there with bedding and it shouldn’t smell as there are no chickens under it. Have you thought about making a small access door just incase you ever need to get under the coop for anything?

 

[Lulu-vt]

@Logar i have plans down the road to finish out a trap door to clean the coop. It’s on the floor and when the hatch is lifted the bedding will fall to the ground. I plan on being able to put a sled under to pull it out.
My access will be at that point.
I just have to mull it around my brain for a bit to figure out how that will work!!

 

[aart]

I wouldn’t put anything down. It would just encourage rodents to nest there with bedding and it shouldn’t smell as there are no chickens under it. Have you thought about making a small access door just incase you ever need to get under the coop for anything?

Ditto Dat^^^

@Logar i have plans down the road to finish out a trap door to clean the coop. It’s on the floor and when the hatch is lifted the bedding will fall to the ground. I plan on being able to put a sled under to pull it out.
My access will be at that point.
I just have to mull it around my brain for a bit to figure out how that will work!!

I would not do that hatch on the floor of coop.
If you feel you really need a clean out door, put it at floor level in a wall of the coop.

 

[Lulu-vt]

Ditto Dat^^^


I would not do that hatch on the floor of coop.
If you feel you really need a clean out door, put it at floor level in a wall of the coop.

I’ve already built the coop. The hatch is in the floor. It fit better between the floor joists. I had already built the wall and the joists are 16” apart. It was too much trouble to rebuild the wall with the hatch on the side. I wish I had done it initially but I just couldn’t wrap my brain around it at the time.

 

[aart]

I’ve already built the coop. The hatch is in the floor. It fit better between the floor joists. I had already built the wall and the joists are 16” apart. It was too much trouble to rebuild the wall with the hatch on the side. I wish I had done it initially but I just couldn’t wrap my brain around it at the time.

Well, you don't need to use that hatch.
There are other ways to clean the coop, I don't have a cleanout door at all, lots of people don't. Twice a year I shovel all the coop bedding into old feed bags then drag out out to the woods and dump it.
Just sayin', there are lots of ways to do things and sometimes you have to change course if ideas don't pan out.

 

[LaFleche]

A hatch door on the coop floor for cleaning purposes will only make sense for a properly elevated coop where one would be able to position a wheel barrow or similar underneath to catch the old bedding.

 

[Lulu-vt]

A hatch door on the coop floor for cleaning purposes will only make sense for a properly elevated coop where one would be able to position a wheel barrow or similar underneath to catch the old bedding.

We have a wood sled that we use to pull our wood from woodpile to house. It is perfect to catch chicken shavings.

 

[aart]

We have a wood sled that we use to pull our wood from woodpile to house. It is perfect to catch chicken shavings.

Then you'll need to make an access door sized to fit that sled in the under coop surround.

 

[Lulu-vt]

Then you'll need to make an access door sized to fit that sled in the under coop surround.

Umm. Yup. There was never a question regarding my hatch door. I was actually just asking about bedding, like or DE under the coop instead of just dirt.