Wire Run Floor

[JoePa]

I know there is quite a discussion as to what material is best to cover the ground of a chicken run - cleaning the run is a job that needs to be periodically done - has anyone ever built a wire floor over the entire run - maybe a foot off the ground so that any poop would fall to the ground underneath - it would be similar to a poop tray that is used in many coops under the roost - with such an arrangement you just have to periodically scrap the poop from under the wire floor and dispose of it - the chickens don't have to walk on it at all - do you think that it would be hard for the chickens to walk on such a wire floor? - any thoughts on this matter - thanks

 

[Desert Rooster]

After a while it will cause injuries to their feet like bumble foot

 

[welasharon]

Sand works great and it is fine on their feet. They love to scratch about in it and dust bathe. The poop just seems to disappear.

 

[JoePa]

Quote:
Thanks for the quick response - I have a wire floor under the roost in the coop - when they get off the roost they could land on the wire floor - if they happen to drop straight down -do you think that this could be a problem? - I've seen pictures where people built a wire floor over a poop pit so that it is easy to remove the poop under the roost - what do you think of such an arrangement?

 

[jason_boivin]

I think it would be fine. The chickens have other places to go, other than standing on wire 24/7.

 

[hennyannie]

A friend of mine has a completely wire coop. I dont know if she has had problems like the ones mentioned. I did notice that the builder (her grandpa many years ago) had made these little board walk ways in the floor, but most of the poop fell through the wire anyway. I have a raised hutch that my chicks sleep in at night, the floor is hardware cloth. I put a rubber mat down because they seemed to be uncomfortable walking on it at first.