Will this coop fly?

[bigoledude]

I'm wondering if I could get-away with NOT USING sand, shavings or, anything spread-out on the floor of the coop? I was planning on having a removable 6-inch slat all along the bottom of 3 of the walls of the coop. Whenever I would want to hose out the floor of the coop, Say, every other day, I would slide the slats out and hose from any of 3 directions if need be. Then, slide the slats back on.

My plan was to use exterior plywood, covered with Linoleum on the floor. Thinking this would hose out really clean and easy. Even considering putting a slight "VEE" in the middle of the floor to have the crud directed in a particular direction, onto a small pile of grass clippings or such, to be thrown in the compost pile later.

I don't know if the hens need firmer traction in order to lift-off to the nest-boxes or the perch? I'd hate to see them slip-sliding-away every time they attempt a launch!

I'm old, my wheels are shot and, hauling stuff to cover the floors with, just might be the "limiting-factor" as to whether or not I will be able to raise those Javas and Silver Penciled Rocks.

 

[JROOSTER]

Sounds like your on the right track, but I can say with 100% accuracy that the coop will not fly without wings and a tail!!

 

[terrilhb]

 

[jjthink]

Seems birds do best with a soft non-slippery landing when they get down off a perch.

Wouldn't all that wet slimy poo be dreadful in hot sticky humid Louisiana weather unless it were sent straight to compost? And the floor would be wet and slippery. from hosing. Seems like pooper scooping would be less labor intensive. Wondering how many birds you have or have in mind...
JJ

 

[elmo]

I use plastic boot trays under the roosts and I dump them out and hose them off every morning. However, with a plastic tray it's quite easy to shake off the excess moisture and stand it on one end to dry. If you were hosing down the coop floor as frequently as every other day, I'd imagine it would get soggy around the edges of (and perhaps seep under) the flooring, and certainly there would be spots on the floor that remain damp.

When you add moisture to chicken droppings, they begin to stink. I compost our chicken manure, and noticed the stuff in my composter looked too dry. So I added some water. The next day coming around the garage to the chicken coop, I could smell the composter. Stunk to high heaven until it dried back out again. Aside from the smell, there's the bacterial growth to consider. Bacteria grow better in moist environments than dry ones.

You could try it and see how you like it, I guess. Once the floor dries out, you could always put more conventional bedding down if you found you didn't like the other approach.

 

[bigoledude]

JROO wrote;

Sounds like your on the right track, but I can say with 100% accuracy that the coop will not fly without wings and a tail!!

I do have wings and a tail. But, I think I built it too heavy and not streamlined enough. Cinder block coops just ain't aerodynamic enough to get the lift I'm looking for though. Might try railroad ties next! LOL

jjthink

I never jjthought about landings! GoodLordaMighty, a face-plant skidding into a wall with every dismount from the perch.

Wouldn't all that wet slimy poo be dreadful in hot sticky humid Louisiana weather unless it were sent straight to compost? And the floor would be wet and slippery. from hosing. Seems like pooper scooping would be less labor intensive. Wondering how many birds you have or have in mind...
JJ

You must have lived here at one time. You describe our conditions so well. I start sweating just reading your description and, can actually smell that "slimy, dreadful, hot-n-sticky, humid, wet and slippery, POO". All those adjectives! jj you write well. Now, I think I am gonna start looking for a home elsewhere! This one stinks. LOL

The set-up will be 2 tractor rigs, with about 12 birds in each one.

If I use a deep layer of sand, I could do the kitty-litter scooper thing, I guess. Maybe lay something under the perch under the drop-zone, that I could slide out, hose off and replace after cleaning. I shouldn't have to haul sand very often huh?​

 

[jjthink]

That cracked me up

Your eggcellent humor will serve you well

JJ

 

[gsim]

It may not fly, but it surely wont stink either.

Most find that the deep litter method works best for several reasons. If you do a properly executed poop board, have adequate ventilation, and have a covered rainy day perch, and proper ventilation, you will find that your coop cleaning chores will be limited to once a year, guaranteed. For proof, see 'My BYC Page' Roost and poop board design are most important. Place roost 12" from wall, and then make poop board 24" deep and at least equal to roost. I used linoleum over OSB, but am switching to formica or sheet metal. You can find old formica tops when people do remodeling of a kitchen. Perfect width and the chooks do not care what color it is.

Gerry

 

[Judy]

Funny thread.

I'm old and my wheels are shot, too. If I had to clean the coop every few days or even every couple of weeks....

It's not much drier here than where you are. We're all of 200' above sea level and there is a swamp a couple hundred yards away from my coop. But if you have dirt hauled in so the coop is raised a foot or so above ground level, at least here, the dirt stays dry and drains well. So put hay and pine shavings on the dirt floor, which my son rakes out and composts once or twice a year. Rest of the time, a few handfuls of litter thrown on the poop keeps odor and ammonia at zero. I've had several flocks over the years, always on dirt, and would not have any other type of floor.

I also have a very open air coop. It's not 3 sided but about that airish with openings all around below the roof and parts of walls made of hardware cloth. You might want to check out hot weather coops. Chickens do fine well below freezing but really suffer in the heat, 100 degrees being the danger of death line. Shade and lots of breeze are necessities in summer.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=163417&p=1

You might also want to check out the deep litter threads on the FAQ page. (There are quite a few methods that people use that they call deep litter.)

 

[wannabchick]

Quote:
I do keep reading, plastic boot trays
Could you please send me the link..of what exactly you use..

Thank u so much