What’s an ideal material for a coop that is on the ground with no floor?Q

[Arrowen]

I’m in New Zealand where the average temperature is from 10-25 degrees Celsius or 50-74 degrees Fahrenheit I think. I’m building a new coop. Question one: Is it ok not to build a floor but have it right on the ground? There are no real predators here. Question 2: If I didn’t build a floor, what materials would be good on the ground to make it work well for the hens? It is well drained.

Most of the year they roost in the walnut trees. They also have the whole orchard to free range in, which would be about quarter of an acre. There are 30 hens and 5 roosters. (Two of the roosters are the white leghorns in the picture). Would love some feedback before I start. Thanks

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

In my big shed we use gravel. In winter it gets topped with hay, but you wouldn't need to do that.

You could do deep litter. You could also do sand. It all depends on what type of maintenance you wanna do, and how wet or dry your area is.

 

[Kiki]

Here is a good read:

Here in southern Oregon it has been rainy for the last few weeks on and off. My run is sooooo muddy. I actually slipped once! Anyhow, what is the most practical cost efficient way to fix this problem during these rainy months?

In the spring hubby and I plan on building a fully covered run. At this moment in time the expenses are not feasible. Suggestions!?

When creating a bird habitat, think of where the wild fowl live....in the forest. Recreate that floor and you'll start to see and smell a huge difference in where your chickens live and they will be healthier and more content. Leaves, twigs, bark, small amounts of straw or hay~small, mind you, pine needles and cones, wood chips, etc. As deep as you can build it. No more mud, no more bad smells or flies. The litter pack acts like a big sponge, wicking moisture down, leaving the top springy and dryer. It keeps the soil under the run from becoming too compacted, thus allowing the rains to take the excess nitrogen of the manure down to the worms that will ascend under the litter for that nutrition. Try to avoid too much of any one material unless it would be leaves...that's mostly what you will find decaying on the forest floor. A lot of people want to use wood shavings but they are expensive and all one particle size, not letting air into the pile. Wood chips would be a better option than shavings, if you can get them as they have varying particle size and contain leaf matter.

You create food, activity and healthier footing for your chickens in one, cheap, easy to maintain move. You can then throw lawn clippings, garden refuse, kitchen scraps, weeds, etc. into that litter pack and what the chickens don't eat they will bury and the worms will consume it. They will be living on a living compost pile instead of a slick, muddy, poopy moonscape filled with little pools of putrid water.

And you can do the same thing in your coop:

 

[Arrowen]

Here is a good read:

Thanks Texas Kiki, this is exactly what I want to do. Makes so much more sense to me. Great read. Thanks again.

 

[Arrowen]

In my big shed we use gravel. In winter it gets topped with hay, but you wouldn't need to do that.

You could do deep litter. You could also do sand. It all depends on what type of maintenance you wanna do, and how wet or dry your area is.

Thanks oldhenlikesdogs. Love the deep litter idea.

 

[Alaskan]

I have several dirt floor coops.

My only pointers/suggestions would be

1. Use wood that isn't prone to rot

2. Make sure the interior floor of the coop is higher than outside ground, so in heavy rain it will never flood (so coop is on a slight rise of ground, everything slopes away)

3. Realize that chickens dig! Plan to add sand or whatever to the inside on occasion.

 

[Arrowen]

I have several dirt floor coops.

My only pointers/suggestions would be

1. Use wood that isn't prone to rot

2. Make sure the interior floor of the coop is higher than outside ground, so in heavy rain it will never flood (so coop is on a slight rise of ground, everything slopes away)

3. Realize that chickens dig! Plan to add sand or whatever to the inside on occasion.

Thanks Alaskan theses are very useful pointers thanks so much. Good to know this is what you’ve done.

 

[caliclucker]

Would this method still work in a small coop that has a hardware cloth floor? Should I just pile the "forest floor" on top of it? I have plenty of this substrate to use under my pecans and oak trees.

 

[Alaskan]

Would this method still work in a small coop that has a hardware cloth floor? Should I just pile the "forest floor" on top of it? I have plenty of this substrate to use under my pecans and oak trees.

I would... and as deep as you can... since you don't want the chickens having to walk on wire.

 

[123RedBeard]

I'd put down a layer or two of cement blocks ... over here we have solid 8"X16"X4" thick blocks (they also make 8" thick blocks) ... then set/build your coop walls on top of those ... then fill in a few inches of whatever your gonna use for bedding, so you end up with a raised floor area like @Alaskan mentioned in point two, of post #6 ...