what makes a good floor

HennyPenny · **Joined:** Sat Jan 02, 2010 12:48 pm **Posts:** 18

Hi all,

We have a small flock of three birds who are allowed to range in a closed off area every day but at night they are locked up in their coop. The coop has no fllor and over time the birds have dug away at the dromana gravel (I think they like it in their crop).

Well I better replace the fllor but what with? Dromana gravel is hard to find. I don't like pea straw as it get's very wet and messy. What have peple used for flooring of out door coops?

Cheers

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

Hi, HennyPenny,

The Dromana gravel sounds like yummy grit for your chookies.

I use a layer of clean river sand, and on top of that toxic free, animal friendly wood shavings, organic sugar cane mulch and or straw depending on the season. I never use hay as it gets mouldy and carries bacteria harmful especially in winter and can give chookies respiratory infections.

buffy the sussex · **Posted:** Sun May 27, 2012 6:14 pm

I was going to use hay for mine!!! :oops:

there is sugarcane everywhere here in cairns!!!
and it's cheap from my favourite shop-Bunnings

Thanks!
Philip

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

You need to wear gloves and wear a mask when laying the sugar cane according to the packaging.

It is really wet in Victoria and hay remains damp and gets mouldy so hay is not a good choice of litter if you want healthy chookies over the winter. You really need to use more absorbent litter like using sand as a base, then layering it with toxic free pet wood shavings, then the sugar cane mulch.

buffy the sussex · **Posted:** Sun May 27, 2012 6:35 pm

ok, I loved the pics of your auracana's soo MUCH!
so I am thinking of them being the two larger chooks for my new cage...
can they come in a bantam size?
and what is their temperment?
(I also found out that Petite means 'little' does poulet mean chicken?)

thanks
Philip

buffy the sussex · **Posted:** Sun May 27, 2012 6:37 pm

OOPs!! forgot to do this at the top (OFF TOPIC)

:oops:

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

HennyPenny,

Thank you, kindly

Philip, my Araucana's were very photogenic.

Yes "Petite Poulet" translates as "Little Chicken", my mum calls me her "little chick"

Araucanas come in both standard and bantam, the standards are not very big at all. They are very independent birds, have lots of personality, very loyal, frugal eaters who like to forage. Best of all lay blue to green eggs! Their eggs have a milder taste than other breed's eggs. I love the Lavender ones the best their colour reminds me of my Nanna's hair rinse :-D

I have a breed profile on them in CHICKENS
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=18473

buffy the sussex · **Posted:** Tue May 29, 2012 3:43 pm

OFF TOPIC
thanks Petite Poulet, I will try and track down the bantam size

(I still want another chicken like sherbet)
(also, can someone go onto BUFFYTHESUSSEX on the gallery and tell me what breed she is... she is white)
that is all i know

also
my chooks floor is nothing, they like grass

thanks,

Philip

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

Philip, the standard Araucana's aren't very big at all.

It get's really muddy down here in winter that'w why we use litter in the coops/runs/pens.

wickedwings · **Posted:** Tue May 29, 2012 9:15 pm

A carpenter or concreter!

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