Chicken Coop Has No Floor
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- Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
- While taking the floor out of the mobile chicken coop has been good, there is room for improvement.
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NOTES:
I have some metal grates that I am thinking about putting down on the floor. The chicken manure can still fall through onto pasture but I can lock the hens in the coop if need be.
After one night of my wife and I crating up our 80 hens, I went to the lumberyard and got some one inch deck boards and cut them into one inch by one inch pieces with the table saw, and spaced them one inch apart on the floor. It took a whole day to do it but was well worth it. Its very sturdy and it was the most cost effective in terms of materials.
I used wire closet shelving. Poop drops through it. Hens have no problem walking on it. Can occasionally either spray it down with water or take a room to it.
I built a coop/tractor on a trailer with the welded steel grate. It works great (hah. Get it?) and I can steam/sanitize/pressure wash as needed.
Chadwick Horn come on you never steam/sanitize/pressure wash it.
What was the dimensions on the holes?
How about covering the floor with "chain Link Fencing". Has large holes, cheap, and could be rolled up, plus it would be strong enough for you to walk on.
Could chickens walk on it? Maybe something I’m between chain link fence and 1/2 hardware mesh. Like 1” if they make it
We pucked up used chain link fence off craigs list fkr 20.00 where people were replacing with privacy fence. Its very strong will help with larger predators and will last a long time. We have not used it for this purpose but use it for many things around the property and think it would work for your application.
Look at P Allen Smith. He has a moveable chicken coop on larger scale like yourself. He also had the same idea as yourself about the manure. He is very knowledgeable and the design was practical
We use 1/2" hardware cloth for our floor. There are no shavings, it's stronger than traditional "chicken wire", it is semi-supportive to walk on, clean up time is less than when using a solid floor and the birds can be locked up at night. Win, win...
That's what I used on mine. It worked ok, but the poop didn't fall through as reliably as I'd like.
use 1x1! works great. poo falls through.
We use 2x2 inch weld mesh, great stuff.
1x1 welded mesh is even better because it doesn't allow racoon paws to fit through as easily.
What about taken the plywood you had for the floor and have it hinged in a way to flip it down or up in the different situations. Down on the floor, up and attached with a door hinges then hook/eyes to lock the plywood in place. Example flip all them down at night and up during the day. You get the security for at night or movIng the coop around. I am all about using what you got.
you can always close the side sides, front and back of the coop but most important is sanitation in your chicken coop, you should scrap all that poop out more frequently.
Expanded metal is expensive where I live and chicken wire can be a bit flimsy. We used the 1x1 hardware cloth. Good for predators and you can still walk on it. For cleaning the chicken coop we use a floor scraper and a pressure washer a few times of year! Works great to get all nooks and crannies that don't have hardware cloth on them. Hope this helps! 👍
Hello. My coop is built similar to yours, i use 1×1 wire mesh for the floor. Poop goes through and it doesnt hurt their feet especially if their free ranging.
Thanks Anthony
Yes 1x1 welded wire would be the best option. I used it to cover my greenhouse/ chicken coop. We have walked on the top of the greenhouse for winter plastic application. Blessings!
John Suscovich even inch by half inch wire works perfect and will last longer.
I agree. We have 1 inch hardware cloth on the floor of our Chickshaw, the Justin Rhodes design. It mostly goes right through without a problem.
I agree with chicken wire. But then what about winter conditions??
I need that shirt you’re wearing!
For secureing wire be it hardware cloth or chicken wire I use 1" kreg pocket hole screws backed up by a 3/16th fender washer screwed into wood frame about $9.00 for a 100 count of washers and screws combined
2x4 horse panel strong enough to walk on, galvanised for longevity, birds can't fall through and most important poop can fall right through.
Working smarter, not harder!
If you need to walk on it, I suggest 4- or 6-gauge 4"-mesh cattle panel covered with 1" or 2'x4" mesh welded wire (mesh size dependent on bird size - like whether chicks will ever be involved and what type of predators you have). That's more or less what I have because of heavy predator pressure. I actually use hardware cloth over 6-gauge cattle panel because of egg-stealing, and chicken-loving sneaky predators and rodents.
If humans aren't going to walk on it, and predator pressure is low, then 1" or 2'x4" mesh is great.
IBTW - don't use staples; I use lathe screws when working with wire - they are easier to remove when necessary. I also use a grinder to cut the wire and clean up edges with a flush cutter. Far fewer scratches and much faster going, imo.
Best wishes!
I would attach hog panel to the bottom of the coupe. Really strong big holes for the manure but small enough to keep the birds in
Poultry netting is cheap but doesn't give enough support for humans, especially if you have others helping. I've tried big gauge industrial diamond lath but the holes are a bit too small. 1/4" hardware cloth has small holes, too and is a bit weak and won't hold up great over time. 1x1 or 2x2" wire is much better & thicker, and you can try to source it coated with plastic for longevity & cleaning ease. Another idea is to try cattle or hog panel. Or to be really cheap, concrete floor reinforcing wire, but w/ 6" holes the chooks may escape, and it rusts fast. A final idea is to unroll plastic snow-fencing or plastic construction-zone perimeter fencing in their coop on the floor the night before you want to move them--or morning if you wake before them!
A wire mess over the top as you suggested should do the job. River cottage Australia did a small chicken tractor and only had a wire mess bottom as you will end up with.
It's all about finding the time to do it now.
Overlay floor with 2x4 galvanized wire cattle panel. As close as your floor joists are you could actually walk on the the wire. Cost in my area for 5'x16' panel is in the $50 to $60 range. Cut to fit with bolt cutters or grinder.
Here is a suggestion. Get 5/4x6x8' deck boards and rip them in 1/2 or 2x2x8' and space them 2" apart then screw them to the deck. You can get in there and shovel the poop whenever and still be able to walk on the deck to work the birds. Be interesting to see what you do.
Use some 2x4 welded wire mesh. Plenty big enough to let the poo through but small enough to keep birds in and predators out.
I vote for slats
Plastic pallet floor. Poo still makes it through and you can pressure wash it. Not so hard on their feet and no rusting.
Hi couldn't find this in previous videos. Do you have a place for chickens can dust themselves on pasture?
So in the interest of being lazy. You could always cover the floor in mesh wire. Poop falls through and contains the chickens. You also could always automate the door to the coop so it will open and close with a photo sensor. Just a thought. Love the channel BTW.
i use an old 6x4 trailor, the coop hangs over each side (chikens sleep there) with chciken wire under neath
Have you checked out hog confinement flooring? There are several different types available. Plastic and plastic covered mesh etc. do t know if the cost would be prohibitive but would last a very long time.
how bout using hog panel fence on bottom, topped with regular house/yard fence then topped with chicken wire. 3 layer deal with recycled materials? keep up the good work my friend love all the videos
Rabbit wire/hardware cloth is what we use
1" Hardware Cloth is the thing to use. Don't use 1/2" or 1/4" because the poop will not fall through. Use staples sparingly because you'll eventually need to replace the hardware cloth.
I use lathe screws instead of staples - easier to swap out.
Kirsten Whitworth do you think the screws will rust? Or did you use galvanized screws?
They haven't rusted in several years; I'd have to go see if they are galvanized. I've used them for many years in both Texas and Washington State. I have used lathe screws to make hardware cloth covers over cement mixing tubs so I could catch water under gosling and duckling waterers - so they were constantly wet - without a sign of rust. I use them to put up poly film to winterize my aviary in the PNW; again no rust - I even save the screws and laths to reuse each winter. In Texas I used them to build a 54' x 10' chicken run that was exposed to Texas sun and rain - no rust. I don't like staples because I don't' have a pneumatic stapler, and my slap stapler misfires and bends staples all the time. Probably my technique, but it feels like a waste of money to me. I only use the stapler to tack wire in place if it's high off the ground. I don't have anyone to help me on my microfarm, so I try to do things quickly and cheaply.
Kirsten Whitworth thanks for the reply. My concern was the poop deteriorating the screwheads. I used standard sheetrock screws in my duck coop and they were not reusable.
The lathe screws seemed to hold up very well to 52 goslings' and ducklings' poop for a couple of months last year, though I did clean every day. I am now using the 3 frames I made to sift dirt and compost; the screw heads still look new.
The screws aren't very expensive - try a few and see.
5x5 cm in 5mm concrete mesh. It's not good for walking on assuch but it will increase stability and your bigger predators won't be able to reach the chickens
You should use some 4x4 welded wire mesh that is used in construction. I do this when I am pouring concrete in deep beams and I want the concrete to go through but don't need the guys falling into the beam when working.
I would use the largest mesh possible. Extruded metal would be solid but would build up poo for sure. I used 1"x1" and still get poop build up. I know their is 1"'x2" mesh out there. That would be my choice. I just went back to bedding and made design changes to make it easier to clean. Thanks for sharing.
Extend the exterior walls down to just above the ground and have the smaller walls on hinges so you can flip them up when making a big move. That way you can lock them in at night and the poop will still drop through. As for the balancing act. Keep a few 2x10 hung on the wall and lay them across the floor when you need to get in there. Good luck. 🍀
Do predators like raccoons dig underground and get into the tractor if there's no floor?
We originally used chicken wire. The problem with the wire is that over time it starts to rust and break. We ended up ripping it all out and replaced it with pallet wood. The gap between slats is ruffly 1.5-2 inches. The only problem we have found is that you can't put too much weight on one slat. However, they work great for chickens. Here is a like to a photo of the finished product.
instagram.com/p/BQjFZIiBZzn/?taken-by=nature_nine_farms
You could put down chicken wire on the under side and on top to kep them protected
Yeah that is a good idea
Bad idea John
What about using chain link fence over the floor first, and then smaller chicken wire/mesh on top of that? I don't think just chicken wire/mesh alone would support a human walking on it (I wouldn't trust it anyways), but chain link fence is strong stuff.
Lmao the end got me
You could put hardware cloth down. that would allow you lock the birds up. It would still be dangerous to walk around in there though.
Hey John the floor of my coop is joists with 2x4 welded wire fencing. Stapled every 6" so it's sturdy to walk on and the poop goes through. In the winter I lay straw over it and it will last a few weeks then drops through. That gives the poop carbon to help decompose also.
Why not create a coop that’s more like the chicken tractors where there is no floor? Surely there’s a way to design something large enough to accommodate the coop without a floor but where it could be moved...
Why not use the tractor product description for the coop. But you will need a hydraulic or jack mechanism to raise the coop and wheel it off the litter. Get rid of the skid beams and reinforce the perimeter. Thay way the coop will stick to the floor or pasture...so no intruders... what do you think??
Put a garden fence on the bottom is strong but the poo goes thru
Would there be an issue with the hens being too cold in the winter months having a non-solid floor? Wondering if laying enough straw or shavings would provide enough warmth against cold air from below. Also, I'd be afraid predators like snakes would would have easier access.
Build skids on the bottom... to close it up on the bottom ... or .... 🤔 .... make a low trailer as a tractor ... u only have to pull it one length at a time ... may need a tractor to pull it ...ad a guard down... too
I would use 1x4 sheep fencing. Cheap and strong.
Add chicken wire to keep them in! While you build a better design! Build something light weight to move easily and use the ground as the flooring, while you move it thru put your pasture!
chicken wire floor or extend the external walls to ground level but could make things difficult on uneven ground. best of luck.
If I use 1x1 hardware cloth, will it hurt my birds feet? Or will they just roost and hardly touch the mesh?
My daughter loves your shirt in this video! Where did you get it?
I'm in Alabama we have alot of predatory birds do u have any problem from hawks eagles whatever getting your free range egglayers
Put Hardwarecloth on the floor.
I'm thinking about putting 1/2 hardware cloth on my floors
Let me know how that goes. I think that is too small though and will get clogged easily
Put wire 10mmx10mm
chicken wire, I guess solves also a predator potencial problem.
Use 1x1 welded wire
put 1x1 wire mesh
I would use red brand light weight fencing. It has 2”x4” holes. It will keep raccoons, possums, skunks, etc our but not rats, mice, or other rodents. The holes should be large enough to not clog with droppings. And will be plenty strong to walk on. Good luck. Show us what you come up with.
Field fencing
Ditto. Used chain link
Work smarter. Not harder! Install Hardware cloth on the floor.
You are cool
Metal wire
Check out the chicken tractor I designed and husband built. I just put videos up for fun. Lol We have built 2 very different tractors. One that a bear couldn't brake in ( takes a big tractor to move it) and the other one I can move by myself with my gator. I use both . The easy movable one I put my older girls in and the hard to move coop I use for my chicks until they get to laying age and then move them to the easier movable chicken tractor.
So your floorless design is flawed, so you ant a floored design that is flawless?
I would use chicken wire
I don't think its a good idea to keep your chickens in a coop without a floor.
Your shirt lol is so you
👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
If you don’t want to clean you shouldn’t own chickens
Oh, please! Give your poor birds a FLOOR! You need one under your feet, Sir! Don't you?