The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Andt on April 24, 2012, 09:13:13 pm

Title: Coop flooring.
Post by: Andt on April 24, 2012, 09:13:13 pm

I have bought my hens a lovely new shed for them to live in, this will give them a bit more room if they want to stay inside on rainy or wintery days.

As with most sheds the flooring is sheet chipboard and not the best if it gets wet, I want to put some covering over the floor to protect it but nothing that will provide a home for red mites. I have some rolls of felt that I could use, I also have some bitumen that I can use to glue the felt down. The felt would then be covered with sawdust.

Do you think this would cause any problems, does anyone have any other suggestions?

Title: Re: Coop flooring.
Post by: little blue on April 24, 2012, 09:17:45 pm

Lino?
Felt will be rough and they might peck it. 

Ours is tiled, (freecycle bathroom tiles) stole the idea from the gorilla cage at Twycross zoo :)

Title: Re: Coop flooring.
Post by: deepinthewoods on April 24, 2012, 09:23:57 pm

as above, lino, cut to run up the sides for a foot or so, cos its so easy to clean. i wouldnt stick it down tho, in case you need to do a deep clean for mites etc.

Title: Re: Coop flooring.
Post by: manian on April 24, 2012, 09:25:13 pm

we use lino too
Mx

Title: Re: Coop flooring.
Post by: Railway Chickens on April 24, 2012, 10:38:35 pm

I also used which is easy to remove and clean  but if you have a wooden shed there are going to plenty of other places for the mites to live!

Title: Re: Coop flooring.
Post by: OhLaLa on April 25, 2012, 11:03:44 am

I wouldn't put anything down - mites will get into the tinyest crevice no matter how much you think it has been firmly attached. I suggest you treat the floor with a creosote type sealer. This can then be reapplied as and when and will kill mites when you do it. Once dry and aired the birds can move in. Put a nice dry layer of woodchip on top that can be cleaned out properly.

 :farmer:  :chook:

Title: Re: Coop flooring.
Post by: chrismahon on April 25, 2012, 08:11:04 pm

We paint ours with oil based primer and 'one-coat' white gloss. It's quite poo resistant but a bit slippery for the first few weeks until it gets scuffed and poo'd on.

Creosote type coating is probably best but rather toxic in hot weather when the fumes are driven off. Perhaps just a bitumen sealing coat Andt.

Title: Re: Coop flooring.
Post by: Linzntom on April 25, 2012, 08:49:34 pm

I have lino floor tiles but am really regretting it as they keep coming unstuck and a lot of gunk gets stuck to the sticky bits... am considering ceramic floor tiles and grouting them down if I can find some cheap.....

Linz

Title: Re: Coop flooring.
Post by: little blue on April 25, 2012, 10:32:04 pm

ask on your local freecycle / freegle group....