What to line bottom of coop with

[HungryWolf]

I have this chicken coop and we have 5 week old chicks and they will go outside in a week

but the chicken coop is on dirt and im wondering

Should we get some Hay and line the ground with it? or is the hard dirt fine?

 

[HungryWolf]

Oh and we also have some bark if we need to line with that

 

[HungryWolf]

it says i have 10 views so alot of viewers arent voting

Please vote if you are viewing

 

[HungryWolf]

Also to the person who clicked other

Please state below why you picked other and what the other is

I know i should have added sand and sawdust to that list i just didnt because i felt sand would be hard to find

 

[LisaCammie]

I use straw. (did you mean "straw" instead of "hay"?) It turns to a nice mulch after a few months. The hens love spreading it and scratching through it. They get excited when they see me coming into the coop with a fresh bale in my arms. They get a lot of exercise and find a lot of bugs and worms when they dig through the straw. I live in NC and straw works well for me where I live. It doesn't work in all areas.

Good luck!

 

[HungryWolf]

Do you think it work in California

 

[Kisska]

Does the coop itself have pine shavings in it? I had the same question when I started my little chicken farm =) What to put in the little run under the coop?? I started with straw but they scratch so much and it made a huge mess in the first 3 days that I had them locked up in the coop to get used to it. After I started letting them out in my yard I cleaned out their little run that's attached to the coop and left it clean. I do have grass growing there but my chickens roam my yard freely all day long and they are not even interested in pecking at the grass in the coop run. I also like to keep their water and feed outside of their coop in the little run. So the straw made a mess in the food and water. Now that I don't have anything it stays clean. It also is easier to clean as I just spray the grass with the hose if they poop there. So I vote plain ground =)

 

[Kisska]

There is a video of a guy who puts grass after mowing in his little run. It does look comfy and fun for the chickens! =)

 

[HungryWolf]

No offence but i dont think grass would be a very good idea

 

[Judy]

Grass is fine -- unless they eat too much and get an impacted crop. Trouble is, occasionally one will get an impacted crop from straw or hay as well -- and gobs of people use both.