What to do with this nasty floor?!

[CluckinOnTheYakus]

I'm really envious of your dirt floor! Would love to have one in my coop as I do deep litter but the lay of our land didn't allow for it. That being said, I'm not envious of your flooding problem. I've had that situation before and it's not fun.

Fix your flooding issue first. We used sandbags against our tractor that was flooding and that is a great beginning as it at least keeps the water out. For a permanent fix you'll probably need to dig a drainage ditch or do something similar. You can get empty sandbags at a store like Home Depot and then buy the sand and fill them yourself.

Once your flooding issue is resolved, my thought would be to next predator proof the coop with an apron of hardware cloth or something similar to prevent predators from digging in. The prettiest coop in the world isn't worth a flat nickle if your birds get eaten.

Finally, I'd go with deep litter as deep litter and dirt floored coops are a marriage made in chicken heaven! Keep adding organic material to what's in there, anything you can get your hands on. Straw, pine shavings, mulch, sawdust, leaves, leaves, did I mention leaves?, shredded paper, peat moss, etc. The crawly critters and microbes in the soil will work with the poo and the litter to create the most beautiful compost you've ever seen. The chickens love it as the deep litter brings bugs from the soil and they get a little snack. There is no odor with property done deep litter and - should you smell something - that's your signal to add more organic matter.

Word of caution - if you go with deep litter, do not get DE - Diatomaceous Earth - anywhere near the coop. The DE will kill the bugs, critters, microbes that are necessary for deep litter to break down and you'll be left with a fetid, stinking mess. Same thing goes for any pesticide. You need and want those critters for Deep Litter to work.

Best of luck with your coop and enjoy your chickens.

Hmmmm. I might have to take some pics later, there is so much fence so close around the coop, especially on the side that is flooding, that I'm not sure about a drainage ditch, I have about 1 -2 feet to work with. Also, the roof slopes to the back side, which is where the flooding occurs. Honestly tho, I wouldnt say it floods bad, just enough to dampen the dirt on the back side. The floor used to be solid packed dirt and I had no problem, but like I said, in the several years I had no chickens, critters like gophers/moles/other diggers really softened the floor back up, that coupled with the rain earlier this year really did me no favors.

The sand bags sound like a good idea tho, and I have a big pallet of old bricks that we laid around the perimeter of the yard when it was built, maybe I could use those and some dirt or sand bags to make a little retaining wall type structure to divert the water around the coop (since the bricks are free, and hey... who doesnt like FREE?! This girl sure does

) I really have thought about catching the rain water that runs off the coop roof to use to water the chickens, but havent looked into the laws regarding that here (which, btw, I think is really stupid there are laws against collecting rain water, but that is a whole 'nother rant). The boyfriend talks about it occasionally but that's about as far as we've gotten. I really feel like if i get something started, with the way the dirt washes down the hill towards the coop, it will probably remedy itself in no time as the dirt builds up. Thankfully the little "retaining walls" i have made from railroad ties do channel most of the water around the coop. I think it really is the run off from the roof that causes most of the issue now that I thinkabout it and I guess the easiest cheapest fix for that would be a gutter, but I need it to rain so I can observe lol. Who knows when that will be!

Thank you for clearing up the DE issue, I read where someone said to use it to get rid of mites in deep litter but I definitely don't wanna get rid of the little mini eco system that is going to power my floor lol.

Thanks again everyone for all the feedback and suggestions!!

Love this forum and the BYC community yall rock!

 

[sophiaw00]

First off, I think your coop is adorable!! A coat of paint and it would be even more adorable! Mine just looks so trashy to me lol. I think that is what I might do to mine next year, give it a fresh coat of paint and see if I can't frame around the door and the window. And you pretty much answered all of my questions that I had about the deep litter lol. That really was my thinking when I put all of that hay and the shavings in the coop, was that they would just sort of decompose eventually, really all it sounds like I need to do is to add more litter to the floor!! I have a bunch of grass clippings that I think I will haul down there tonight and toss on the floor. And there are PLENTY of leaves I could rake up and use as well. I might also go get some hay too because it smells so fresh. I think most of my floor has compacted and everything is just dusty now since it has been so dry. I think a new layer is all I need to rejuvenate everything, I remember how nice it was when we put the hay and shavings down earlier this year and now it just feels so nasty.

And unfortunately I don't have a Gordman's but we do have a dollar store that usually carries a lot of little cute things like that, I will have to go shopping!!

I forgot to add something. If you find an area that is really moist on the top layer, you'll want to fix it. You can flip it if you want, or what I usually do every two or three days, I throw a layer of wood chips on that area (right under the waterer for me, but I dont have the ability to put it in the run). The wood chips are absorbent so it prevents mold build-up. You don't want to put DE in the litter because it will kill the bugs that you NEED for deep litter, and also don't put in a poop board, you'll want the feces in the mix and if you do it right, there will be no smell other than an earthy one.

I also suggest keeping a scrap bin in your kitchen (an old sour cream container, tupaware, or small bucket would work) and throw all your scraps into it. Chickens can eat pretty much anything (the only thing I can think of that is toxic is avacado) so just throw everything in there - lettuce, carrots, coffee grinds, bread crusts, meat scraps, etc, and then throw it into the coop whenever you feel like it. I like to put it under the roost so that they turn the poop for me. Whatever they don't find and eat will help in the process.

 

[NatureChica]

Ahh, sorry, that wasn't clear as you didn't quote them, thought it was aimed at the OP.

Proper quoting on my phone is a definite learning process.
Sorry!

 

[CluckinOnTheYakus]

I forgot to add something. If you find an area that is really moist on the top layer, you'll want to fix it. You can flip it if you want, or what I usually do every two or three days, I throw a layer of wood chips on that area (right under the waterer for me, but I dont have the ability to put it in the run). The wood chips are absorbent so it prevents mold build-up. You don't want to put DE in the litter because it will kill the bugs that you NEED for deep litter, and also don't put in a poop board, you'll want the feces in the mix and if you do it right, there will be no smell other than an earthy one.

I also suggest keeping a scrap bin in your kitchen (an old sour cream container, tupaware, or small bucket would work) and throw all your scraps into it. Chickens can eat pretty much anything (the only thing I can think of that is toxic is avacado) so just throw everything in there - lettuce, carrots, coffee grinds, bread crusts, meat scraps, etc, and then throw it into the coop whenever you feel like it. I like to put it under the roost so that they turn the poop for me. Whatever they don't find and eat will help in the process.

I don't think that they are able to make much mess with the poultry nipples, so hopefully the moisture from the top side won't be a big issue for me... at least not until the ducks get bigger lol. I keep an old coffee can in the kitchen and scrape anything and everything possibly edible into it lol. There is something at our house that will eat any leftovers of any shape form or fashion that we have. I also raise mice for our snake so between the dogs, bunny, chickens, and mice we throw little away lol. I have been putting our scraps in a shallow rubber pan, but I will start throwing them into the floor for them to stir around!! They hate eating out of that pan anyways!

I did not know that avacado was toxic to chickens! I'm about 99.9% positive that I have fed it to mine before

WHOOPS!

I love everyone's ingenious ways of getting the chickens to do things for you, like stirring the poop and litter lol!! I really do love chickens, they are awesome. I would take a box of baby chicks over a puppy or kitten any day. I really had forgotten how much I love chickens since I havent had any in so long. I have a special needs son and there for a while he was so demanding I had little time to appreciate other things in life, but now that he is older, I have so much more time for stuff like the chickens!!

 

[DianaMallory]

I moved and left a coop behind and when I went in the last time the floor was all falling in and I had used sand which I will never do again. The problem with sand is it was to heavy for me to deal with. And the smell was unhealthy. I was wondering what I was going to do with this coop if I move back there. My husband was unemployed when we built it and we pieced it together. But I used pressed wood plywood, even with water proof painting it, the last time I seen it every thing was falling apart. One side of the coop was put together wrong and water got in under the wall when it would rain. So that would be were I would have to start first if I was going to restore it.
Stop your water leaks first. And then remove all the old flooring, I would dig a drain and put a pipe up in the middle of the floor then add gravel and as many bags of quick-crete as it would take to make a nice solid foundation. Then throw a coat of paint on the concrete, and yes I would still use the deep litter method. But I would make sure my drain was screened over so the litter didn't escape, and make it predator proof. Rats like drain pipes.
And yes I highly recommend a poop board! It saves so much on clean up. If you use Sweet PDZ on it the odors stay way down, even if you don't scoop all the time. I only change my board, and litter spring and fall.
My new coop I just finished painting inside and putting new tile in it only because I was given the tile. Peel and sticks. But I just did my fall cleaning and this is what my new coop looks like inside after 2 years and a good cleaning.
I could scrub and scrub my old coop and it would never look this good, no poop board, mold growing up the walls ugg. Now yes I just finished cleaning it today so it looks really clean and tidy. With this coop I adjusted all the mistakes I made with my old coop. But still made mistakes. But the one thing I am trying to stress here is the poop board. I won't have another coop without one, even if all I can afford is sand for it or nothing at all. I can take it out and rinse it off. But you really need to fix your water problem first! And go from there. If it means putting your coop up on stilts and putting another wood floor in it. Word of advise if you use wood flooring paint both sides of it before installing it!

 

[CluckinOnTheYakus]

I moved and left a coop behind and when I went in the last time the floor was all falling in and I had used sand which I will never do again. The problem with sand is it was to heavy for me to deal with. And the smell was unhealthy. I was wondering what I was going to do with this coop if I move back there. My husband was unemployed when we built it and we pieced it together. But I used pressed wood plywood, even with water proof painting it, the last time I seen it every thing was falling apart. One side of the coop was put together wrong and water got in under the wall when it would rain. So that would be were I would have to start first if I was going to restore it.
Stop your water leaks first. And then remove all the old flooring, I would dig a drain and put a pipe up in the middle of the floor then add gravel and as many bags of quick-crete as it would take to make a nice solid foundation. Then throw a coat of paint on the concrete, and yes I would still use the deep litter method. But I would make sure my drain was screened over so the litter didn't escape, and make it predator proof. Rats like drain pipes.
And yes I highly recommend a poop board! It saves so much on clean up. If you use Sweet PDZ on it the odors stay way down, even if you don't scoop all the time. I only change my board, and litter spring and fall.
My new coop I just finished painting inside and putting new tile in it only because I was given the tile. Peel and sticks. But I just did my fall cleaning and this is what my new coop looks like inside after 2 years and a good cleaning.
I could scrub and scrub my old coop and it would never look this good, no poop board, mold growing up the walls ugg. Now yes I just finished cleaning it today so it looks really clean and tidy. With this coop I adjusted all the mistakes I made with my old coop. But still made mistakes. But the one thing I am try to stress here is the poop board. I won't have another coop without one, even if all I can afford is sand for it or nothing at all. I can take it out and rinse it off. But you really need to fix your water problem first! And go from there. If it means putting your coop up on stilts and putting another wood floor in it. Word of advise if you use wood flooring paint both sides of it before installing it!

omg your coop is super cute I'm majorly peanut butter and jelly!!! My coop never did actually have a floor, always been dirt, and unfortunately, all four corner posts are firmly cemented several feet into the ground. Afraid even a tornado wouldn't be able to move that thing. And I had no idea my leak was such an issue until today

lol!! Never really thought much of it because it never bothered the chickens. in fact nothing about my coop bothered me until I found this forum and all the adorable coops yall have! I will try to figure out a way to get the water issue under control. I'll take pics later tonight of what I have to work with, maybe after looking at it yall will have more suggestions!?

 

[DianaMallory]

Thank you but that is my new coop and yes I had more money this time around. If you go to my page there are pics of my old coop. Which by the way doesn't look like that now. the windows are gone and in my new coop. The run is here also. If I get a chance I will take some pics of it and show you. I used mostly scraps of lumber and the frame was made from old metal cart racks someone gave me. You know the cart racks at the grocery store? Hey when you don't have it to spend you do what you have to do.
FYI your coop is cute. A little fixing here and there and a little paint goes a long way if your after cute.

 

[DianaMallory]

omg your coop is super cute I'm majorly peanut butter and jelly!!! My coop never did actually have a floor, always been dirt, and unfortunately, all four corner posts are firmly cemented several feet into the ground. Afraid even a tornado wouldn't be able to move that thing. And I had no idea my leak was such an issue until today

lol!! Never really thought much of it because it never bothered the chickens. in fact nothing about my coop bothered me until I found this forum and all the adorable coops yall have! I will try to figure out a way to get the water issue under control. I'll take pics later tonight of what I have to work with, maybe after looking at it yall will have more suggestions!?

My water issue was a health hazard for my girls. And once the sand got wet omg the smell was awful!

 

[CluckinOnTheYakus]

How funny!! The back side of mine was actually parts of shelving from like a lumber department or something, very sturdy beams that just kinda fit together like a refrigerator rack does. My dad got them from one of his buddies that collects junk lol. The rest of it was just old lumber I think we had laying around. I do believe a bit of scrubbing and a coat of paint is in order...as well as maybe some trim around the windows. Sounds like I have a spring project!! I doubt it will get done before winter!

 

[CluckinOnTheYakus]

Well, since its going to be a while before we get any real rain to speak of, and since there really is only one spot that seems to be the flooding culprit I went ahead and put some straw and also a bunch of grass clippings on the coop floor yesterday. Looks so much better and my feet aren't a ridiculously dusty mess when I go in there now! I got some shavings for the floor too but I figured I would add them later. The ladies were super excited about their new floor last night and immediately took to rearranging it lol. I even gave the babies some straw which I think they appreciated.


Heres my haul from yesterday, straw, shavings, and some grass clippings.

^^^This is my hole, this was pretty much the only place where water is coming into the coop. I am going to try to get some dirt and bricks and cover it, maybe a little bit of concrete too just for good measure.

Here is the back side of the coop. The hole in the previous pic is at the corner closest to the camera. not much room for a drainage ditch to be dug, these railroad ties were more to keep the pig that was in this pen previously from rooting the bottom part of the wire up. I think they probably help divert some water, but the ones up the hill a little do a better job than these. Please excuse my trash, there was a big spider web back there and I didn't want to disturb him, but I don't do spiders, so the trash stays until the spider is gone lol.


tada, fresh floor!




Here are my sweet babies!! Just love the buff orpingtons, they are so sweet, the others are a little skittish. Really hoping those with the black and white spots are going to be mottled javas (probably not, but one can hope right?!)


Thanks for all the help everyone!! I am definitely gonna do the deep litter, hope I don't screw nothin' up!