my new coop is set to go

coopsettogo · **Joined:** Wed May 11, 2011 11:22 am **Posts:** 5

Hello my new coop is set to go but not sure what to use on the floor wether to leave the dirt that is there or top it with a nice dirt like white or light brown. The dirt that is there is that blackygrey dirt the blackens your feet even with shoes on.

purefeather · **Joined:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:36 pm **Posts:** 736

How about throwing some hay down on the ground or even some sand.

coopsettogo · **Joined:** Wed May 11, 2011 11:22 am **Posts:** 5

Would I have to change the hay regularly?

purefeather · **Joined:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:36 pm **Posts:** 736

Depends on a couple of things, how often they turn it over ( a good thing ),and how wet it get's ( not so good ). The good thing about hay or straw ( straw is good , no seeds or very little seed ) is that you can use it in the vegie garden or mulch the fruit trees after it has served it purpose. Of course you could throw new straw or hay over the old stuff to encourage worm activity and hence more frenzied activity in the coop.
Sorry I should have asked first up, by coop do you mean hen house or chook run , if it's inside then of course it shouldn't get too wet, which means it will need to be replaced when it becomes so fouled that it can't be turned over by your chooks.

coopsettogo · **Joined:** Wed May 11, 2011 11:22 am **Posts:** 5

Oh sorry yes its a chook run it has a metal shed and then the wire run bit on the front. May be I could use the hay in the shed and new sand on the out side area. Will they still lay egg in the layboxes if there is hay on the floor of the shed?

chooksinthehouse · **Joined:** Sun Jun 05, 2011 10:00 am **Posts:** 2

I used white sand on the floor of my coops and keeps them clean and looks good

purefeather · **Joined:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:36 pm **Posts:** 736

If the chooks have been laying in the nest boxes then there's a good chance that they will continue to do so, if in doubt you could substitute the hay with some form of chaff (more expensive), they love turning the chaff over thinking that there will be a bit of grain just under the next scratch.

coopsettogo · **Joined:** Wed May 11, 2011 11:22 am **Posts:** 5

I don't mind the extra cost really just as long as they are happy. Would you recommend the boxes be elevated off the ground? sorry for all the questions just trying to get it right

coopmad · **Joined:** Mon Jun 06, 2011 12:37 pm **Posts:** 1

They should still lay in the boxes mine did after I added hay to the floor and I use 1 level of bricks under my boxes just to stop water or white ants eating the boxes

purefeather · **Joined:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:36 pm **Posts:** 736

Yes Coopmad is correct,elevate the nestboxes, trying to keep them lower than the perches.

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