Chicken Question-What to use under the roost?

[Marsha Cassada]

I thought I'd start a new topic for my question, and get some ideas from more experienced chicken owners.

This is the first time I've had any floor but dirt in a chicken house and it's a lot more trouble! With dirt, you just rake it up every day and once in a while put more dirt in. With a floor, it's not that easy.

The first day I tried raking, then took a broom and bucket of water to sweep it clean. That wasn't going to work on a daily basis! So I put a layer of hay down under the roosts. But hay is too expensive and hard to get to use like that.

So, what is a good absorbant material to use? I want to be able to put it on the compost.

Wood shavings? Do they compost well? I've never used them for anything personally, but when I have seen them used in trailers they seem to fly around and are messy. I don't want to use them if there are other options.

I might be able to get straw.

Has anyone used pine needles? Are they toxic to chickens?

btw, I called Strombergs to order leg bands. I was told there was a huge increase in demand for leg bands, and the customers ordering small numbers of chicks has increased tremendously. I see this as a good sign! Someone asked the question on the Forum about what are we doing to survive, and it seems to me that many people are thinking seriously about it, and chickens seem like one of the answers.

 

[circlesinthesand]

The people on the backyard chicken site swear by 'poop boards' They take something easy to clean, a linoleum covered piece of plywood in some cases, lids to plastic storage containers in other cases, etc. and place it directly under the roosts then pull them out and hose them off and reinsert It's one of the features I'm considering for my future coop

 

[Riverrose28]

I use stall shavings, but sometimes when I run out I have raked up hay pieces from the barn floor and used them.

 

[disneyhorse]

That's a good idea!

My friend uses the pelleted shavings, with some water to un-pellet them. Then rakes. Easy to compost, says it breaks down faster than the larger chip shavings.

But the poop board eliminates the need to buy or compost anything!

 

[MountainWoman]

I use shavings but we operate our own sawmill and shavings are free so I have no idea of the cost but they work well and the chickens love digging in them.

 

[KanoasDestiny]

I am so glad you asked this question! We are building our coop next week and I was going to ask what we should use as flooring in their coop/roost area. I want to put them in a spot that used to have pine trees, so there are alot of pine needles in the soil. I was also worried that this could be dangerous. I can hardly wait to see more replies.

 

[jacks'thunder]

I use straw in booth my coops. One has a wood floor and one is dirt. Love the poop board idea!

 

[susanne]

We use pine shavings or pellets/sawdust.

Straw is fine, but hay is not recommended, as it molds too quickly and will damage their lungs.

Cedar should absolutely be avoided if you have any chicks, as it is toxic and will kill them. I guess the older ones have more resistance, but I would still be worried.

 

[Miniv]

Our coop has linoleum over a wood flooring. Have had good luck raking out the poop with that.

 

[Riverrose28]

Thanks for that info Susanne, I had no idea about the hay! I usually use the pine shavings, like I use in the stalls, but have put down some hay from time to time, but now I won't really appreciate that advice. I do try to clean/strip my hen house at least twice a week. Think I should do it more often in this heat? I don't use cedar at all anywhere, but that is good info also. Good thread guys!

 

[Sonya]

I used shavings too like some other folks....my floor was stall mats in the enclosed area/roost area. My hen boxes I used these little pieces of rubber carpet like stuff, they actually came with the nesting boxes when I bought them.

 

[Sterling]

When I ordered my chicken coop to have it made I made sure they put the linoleum floor inside and also in the nesting boxes. (Thats what they use on the poop boards). You can either hose it down or what I do is put either shavings, hay or straw and when I'm ready to clean it, it all slides right out using my stall fork and sometimes if I need to a broom for the sandy stuff. Other than that its a snap to clean..

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I think I am seeing that needs vary with the part of the country. Hay won't mold here, so I think it might be a good choice for me if I can find some cheap cowhay. Our floor is wood but has two coats of industrial enamel floor paint, so is very smooth.

The dirt floor in our NM adobe house was ideal, but I can see that dirt wouldn't work very well in wetter areas. I don't think it would work for us here in OK, as our chicken set-up is at the base of a mountain. That's why we had to use raised beds for the garden. When it's dry, it's very dry. But when it's wet it is a swamp.

Our very first little urban chicken house had a wire floor and sat up on concrete blocks. I just raked out from under it. But that was also in NM, so dirt was easy.

 

[rubyviewminis]

I just wanted to add that we use a poop board and it is such a money and work saver. My husband made a 2 X 4 perch (sanded the edges for the girls) and a 26 " plywood poop board with 1 X 2 trim boards on the edge. Then I put a bag of Sweet PDZ on it and every morning or when I have time I use a metal kitty pooper scooper and scoop in a bucket. No flies, no smell, no mess. We have a ramp up to it since I have large breeds and they mill around in the PDZ when *getting ready for bed* in the evenings which helps "believe it or not" clean their feet. I figured if any was knocked on the floor it would help the floor litter. None has been. I also use a very thin layer of shavings (is this starting to sound like I have a few horses?) and sprinkle a 50/50 mix of PDZ and DE over that in a very thin layer. The OSB floor is still clean, and hardly any of the PDZ on the board has been used. It goes a long way. In winter I will go with the deep litter method (I didn't know it was a method until lately) which started with leftover shavings from the horse trailer to keep it warmer in the hen house.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Love your set up! I guess the little building is part chicken house/part storage?

 

[Bess Kelly]

Gosh, I have been considering getting a few hens again (been 12 yrs now) and with that am trying to decide where and how I want to house/fence them. I can assure you that I was not planning on anything as grand as some of the pictures that I have seen on here for the chickens ....

...... Kudos to the great digs but, I'm thinking adequate, airy, clean, etc., for safe closure at night, etc. but, free range planned and also some "work" for them in and around fruit trees, greenouse and such. I basically took claim to a portion of a smaller 3/4=/- acre pasture nearer to the house and barn -- and between two other larger pastures -- where I am planning to plant some fruit trees, build a small greenhouse and do some raised and container gardening. There is now about a 75x75 fenced turnout for a horse and room for a temp hot-wired area with good grass for a couple hr turn-out, and room for my "garden/orchard" area.

So far I have gotten the greenhouse laid out/marked.....two of 4 semi-dwarf fruit trees setting where I "think" I want them.....a henhouse with run marked out.....and I'm just looking at it all and thinking of all the hmmmm, what ifs, etc. before I dig holes, set poles and so on. Material is 90% on site just tooooooo hot (98-103 past 7 days) to do more. Besides, I want to feel ok with where I set all this up.

At my last farm we had a great "orchard" type set up, fenced off, adjacent to the old barn and gated to a grassey areaa between the old barn new barn, stallion barn. I was what I looked out to from the back porch of the house. I often watched the chickens wander there and at the front of the old barn (another grass paddocked area with huge trees) and we used the grassy area for mares waiting to foal, newly foaled, visiting mares, etc., when the fruit wasn't a concern (falling ripe, etc) which was mainly in the fall. I supposed I intend to "somewhat" replicate that. Hmmmm...maybe I can do a couple upgrades.

 

[rubyviewminis]

Sounds nice

I got that bully barn as a closeout for almost nothing. We fixed it up and I told my husband if we decide to not have chickens in the future it and the run would make a great garden shed and garden area. We have since put on a little white deck, and put white metal roof panels on the first two sections to shade and cover the backside. He wouldn't make the chicksters a little roof over their little chicken door, I thought it would be cute lol. Lots of this stuff was leftovers. I learned an awful lot of new ways to keep chickens on that site. It's been about 12 years since we had them too. I took two shade cloths with bound edges and grommetts from the mini shade and covered the back of the run which gives them afternoon shade. We completed the small mini shade properly. I also filled the run with 4 inches of sand I had leftover from putting in the horse pens and round pen. The clay here is so bad when wet. So the sand and pea gravel have been life savers for us to walk on and also to keep the horses out of the mud in winter and spring. The first abscesses I ever had were here because of the clay mud.

Its been hovering at 98 to 100 here since Friday now. They tell us next week will be the same. It's so dry here too! Annual precipitation is 9" and all in winter and spring. sucks pond water.

 

[Katiean]

I don't use anything except a neighbor with a shovel. I just have someone come out to clean my roost to use for their garden.

 

[Bess Kelly]

Katien, love the "neighbor & shovel" !

Few yrs back I used to BE the neighbor & shovel......took manure to an older gentleman down the road and dumped in his garden spot. Come Spring he plowed a large garden which was a grand thing! All the veggies you could want. In exchange, I was given full access to any produce he planted -- even grape vines & fruit trees. He would come and stand around the paddocks and pet the minis, with much love & appreciation for their attention.

Alas, he was in a vehicle accident and after healing the broken leg still gives him issues, so he no longer gardens. I still take him some fresh pie or cake or dishes of things I make and know he adores. Nice, nice man.

Best trade I ever made for manure. LOL