What could I use inside the coop?

[youngbaedong]

I found 2 boards of wood in my shed. Do you think I can install that for the flooring in my coop?

 

[mandelyn]

Moisture is an issue coming from somewhere. Try elevating the floor above ground level. If the wood you found are sheets of plywood, you'll need support boards below it.

I haven't replaced my sand in over a year. Though I would never use sand for ducks, just because it doesn't get much time to dry out. It really only works for chickens. For ducks you want to keep all their water outside (or put their indoor drinking water over hardware cloth that covers a tote... what I did was buy a short and wide storage tote, cut the plastic lid center out of it, and bolted on hardware cloth. That way the water they splash falls into the tote instead of onto the floor)

Sprinkling in Sweet PDZ helps with odor a lot. But keeping it dry is the main thing. If you're picking up poo everyday, then it must be a moisture issue.

Here's a photo of my duck water catcher... wood frame to fit the tote bottom and hardware cloth over it. I used pine bedding that required a new thin layer daily, and a clean out every week. I've since gotten out of ducks because of the time and mess.



With ducks mold typically happens with the food they mix with their water, so it must be kept clean. With chickens, unless the ducks have access to the chicken area... it's usually an outside water issue from rain coming in or bad drainage from the floor.

The sand needs to be sifted every once in awhile, or raked. Food grade DE (diatomacous earth, also at tractor supply) helps dry things out too. You can try mixing that with the sweet PDZ stall refresher and stirring it all in. While you rake the edges, look to see where water is an issue along the walls. Or if part of the floor seems wetter than other areas.

If you do find mold on the wall, spray it with Tilex mold and mildew killer (for showers). Leave the chickens outside when you spray it, leave them out until the odor is reduced. Later on clean the area with a rag and water, and spray it again. Start with a clean slate so that the next time it rains you can more easily see where the issue is. I have a leaky seam on the side of the shed, it will leak with a heavy rain so I spray the area with the Tilex and mold doesn't get a foot hold. We sealed all the seams but it still finds a way in. Also have a drip in the ceiling, I stir the wet sand around so that it can dry. If it has a chance to dry there isn't an issue.

 

[youngbaedong]

Moisture is an issue coming from somewhere. Try elevating the floor above ground level. If the wood you found are sheets of plywood, you'll need support boards below it...

Oh wow that's a good idea! I have the ducks waterer inside their coop, and I've never thought of doing that. I might have to build that in the chicken and duck coops.
Yes, I found a board of plywood in my shed I found at least two of them.

I'm debating if I should build a new coop for them because I was going to build a bigger run for them. I added the numbers and I realized that to build a run it's kind of the same price as building a coop.

I know I'm tight on cash but I would like to fix this problem by building a new coop or adding an extra run. I want to do this before the cold front hits Texas. When a cold front hits here it gets really cold, especially for the animals.

I was thinking of building one that has a run on the bottom and the coop is on the top, so I wouldn't have a drainage problem.

I'm new to owning chickens and ducks so I don't really know what good coops to use for them.

 

[aart]

Before you do anything....really, I cannot stress this more....find out where that water is coming from.
(maybe you already did and I missed it)

If it's leaking into the coop from outside, either up top or under the walls, putting a floor in might only hide the problem.

You don't want water under a wooden floor, it'll grow all kinds of yucky under there.
and if it's coming from up top somewhere, it'll just ruin your new floor.

 

[youngbaedong]

Before you do anything....really, I cannot stress this more....find out where that water is coming from.
(maybe you already did and I missed it)

If it's leaking into the coop from outside, either up top or under the walls, putting a floor in might only hide the problem.

You don't want water under a wooden floor, it'll grow all kinds of yucky under there.
and if it's coming from up top somewhere, it'll just ruin your new floor.

So yesterday I did some testing and I added their waterer to the side where there was no water. I found out the reason there's a lot of water on the ground is because of their waterer. My guess is that the ducks and roosters spill the water :/

 

[aart]

So yesterday I did some testing and I added their waterer to the side where there was no water. I found out the reason there's a lot of water on the ground is because of their waterer. My guess is that the ducks and roosters spill the water

Well, that's good....better than a leaky roof or ground water leaking inside under the walls......the waterer problem you can figure out!!

Good Job!

I cant remember...do you have a run? Put the waterers out in the run? Ducks are messy with water.

 

[youngbaedong]

Well, that's good....better than a leaky roof or ground water leaking inside under the walls......the waterer problem you can figure out!!

Good Job!

I cant remember...do  you have a run?  Put the waterers out in the run? Ducks are messy with water.

Yes I do but it's a really tiny run. I've seen people have posted runs here that are bigger and spaceous.

I was going to buy material to make a new coop and run, but I noticed that I have an unused dog kennel in the back that we built 3 years ago. I might convert it into a run for them, and move the coops so they can come and go

I'm just glad I figured out that it was the waterer so yes I'm going to be putting it outside the coop from now on

 

[youngbaedong]

I measured my coops and they're:
W: 4 7/8
L: 7 1/8
H: 3 11