What to use on the bottom if my coop

[Lisa2013]

I am getting 20 meat chickens they will be in the garage, can you all give me some ideas for what to use on the bottom? The last time I did this I used pine shavings but it smelled so bad and the flys where everywhere? Thank you

 

[iwiw60]

I am getting 20 meat chickens they will be in the garage, can you all give me some ideas for what to use on the bottom? The last time I did this I used pine shavings but it smelled so bad and the flys where everywhere? Thank you

No matter what type of bedding you use, if the area is not kept cleaned of poop you will have problems. As for flies which are always bad in the summertime get yourself some fly traps to help.

 

[emma p]

Pine shaving are good because they are not to expensive and you can get rid of them quickly. I have pine in my coop and just take of a layer of them about every week and after a while just put some new ones in.

 

[Lisa2013]

I read something about lime can I put that in with pine shaving.??

 

[emma p]

I think that is to keep away flies? I get mine that are for horses and they seem to keep away flies. If you have lemon balm you could put some of that in there to naturally keep away flies.

 

[punk-a-doodle]

Personally, I like poop boards under perches with scoopable Sweet PDZ (scoop daily) with sand for the ground. I'd only use sand in covered areas though, I just do dirt and a rake if they are perching in an outdoor run.

 

[slingshotandLAR]

I use pine shavings...

I use linoleum tiles on the floor of the coops, nothing sticks. Super easy to clean. Another thing is make sure the coop is water tight, moisture is what makes them smell. If you don't have one build or buy a nipple waterer the birds can't spill it and they always have clean water.

 

[DelcoChix]

Pine shavings are the easiest to keep clean...and you definitely have to stay on top of it. Meaties are good at two things: Putting things into their bodies, and then eliminating things out of their bodies== a LOT of poop!

A poop board is a wonderful thing...but won't work with meat chickens (Cornish X) since they don't...can't perch. And clean shavings are a necessity for a couple of reasons, besides the smell...the added 'padding' helps prevent the broilers from getting terribly 'burned' on their breasts. Since they don't have as many feathers and spend most of their time the last 2-3 weeks plopped down on their bellies the shavings help prevent rubbing irritation. Then since they poop a LOT, the flies are attracted...keeping the poop to a minimum helps a little in lowering the fly count along with keeping the odor down.

We usually add a thin layer of shavings every day or two, and then strip their brooder, and then grow out pen, and replenish at least once a week. We also have vanilla car air fresheners hanging around (supposed to keep flies away...not 100% sold on that, but smells nicer in the coop) along with the traditional fly tape--which helps get rid of flies, but doesn't help prevent them.
We're also trying the pennies in a bag of water this summer to see if it really works as other chicken folks swear...can't hurt.

This is my dd's 6th year with the 4-H market bird project at our county fair so we have to deal with the meatie by-products every August...someday we'll figure it out!