What's the best flooring material for coops or hutches??

[petunias212]

We're currently using hay as my husband thinks it's a great insulator for our cold missouri weather - any suggestions as to the best flooring material to use in a coop? wood shavings, hay, dirt, sand, etc...Thanks.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

I use sand over a wood floor that has been painted, but I am in FL so never really that cold here. Do you have the walls insulated? That would make a difference on temp inside also.

 

[spell]

i'm new to this but....
i used pine shavings on wood floor this yr. --deep!
we stayed at freezing and below for at least a month with snow on the ground for almost 2.
no insulation. no light. the girls are no worse for the wear...other than being a little peeved about all the snow.
i'm in the nc mountains

 

[Silkie-Feet]

my floors are concrete, during winter i put down 4-5 inches of straw. during the summer i take out all straw and sweep floors 5 times a week.

 

[mestaske]

Silkie-Feet
Today 1:15 pmmy floors are concrete, during winter i put down 4-5 inches of straw. during the summer i take out all straw and sweep floors 5 times a week.


Wow, that is crazy.

I would say straw or wood shavings.

 

[Chicken_Lover_2010]

I am still in processes of building my coop but I'm up here is Michigan and it's gets pretty cold too. I am putting cement flooring in but I found this rubber matting for livestock to put on top of it. I can't remember what it is called but Tractor Supply carries it. My friend has it for their horses and it keeps the floor warmer then if it was just cement. Anyway hope that helps.

 

[Chicken_Lover_2010]

Oh and straw on top of the rubber mat... LOL sry forgot to put that.

 

[Judy]

Really, anything that puffs up and has air spaces for insulation. Hay is fine. So is straw and so are pine shavings. And probably a bunch of other materials I'm not familiar with.

 

[jason736]

I'm in wisconsin and use 3 to 4 inches of pine shavings. The key is to turn the shavings once a day to keep them loose. I've found that best, even to 17 below. ddawn it hit though; anything puffy will work.