Is it bad to have a wire bottom for a coop? I saw a feed store with a wire bottom and they had chicks in it. I thought it had to be a solid bottom.
Some ppl use wire on the bottoms so the droppings can be washed out easily. I've read that if they are going to spend much time in the coop that it's not really good on the bottoms of their feet. This is especially true with smaller chicks and breeds. Just what i've read. Hope this helps. Welcome to BYC
I raise bantams and they are all on wire (hardware cloth). They are housed in large off the ground pens. Been raising them for 8 years and never had a problem with legs or feet. Most of mine are on wire from 2 weeks old to adult i find this keeps them much cleaner than a solid bottom. It also keeps chicks from eating their own droppings this aids in preventing cocci in chicks. I don't know about standards but for bantams it's perfectly okay.
oegblady, do you give your bantams small areas where they can get off the wire to give their feet a rest if it's bothering them? That was suggested to me when I proposed making a brooder for the juveniles, and putting in a wire floor.
Chickens like to scratch so much - what would they scratch if they were on wire? I would think the wire would get covered with wet poo.
I dont think the wire would be completely covered. But I think It would be an easier way to clean the cage if I didn't have to scrape the boards and also the coci is a problem. I am paranoid about my rabbits getting that and I am a clean freak so I will be cleaning out the chicken cages pretty often. I cant wait, I ordered them today!
I have a wire floor in one of my coops. I just rotate the chickens on and off the wire floor. I let them out just about every day anyway. I have never had a problem with the wire floor. Darin
