New Coop, what type of base...

[Richard_in_HERTS]

Hello Forum,

I'm looking for opinions on what type of base to use for my new coop.

I live on the edge of a Hertfordshire town in the middle of the “Green Belt” and next to a 1 acre site that is due for development but is currently vacant and has been for 20+ years, there are several farms/allotments close by.

I first kept chickens in 2003, bought a commercial coop and eight POLs, built a wire run and everything seemed good in the garden; it was late May. By mid June the Chooks are all laying and this was when the first brown rats appeared form the site next door, they seemed to get braver every day and by the end of June they would be running around in broad daylight eating the chicken mash and generally showing off.

I was working out how to build a new run and wire the base when I let the Chickens out very early one morning, about 5.30am; then returned upstairs to get washed etc. By the time I was thinking of leaving the house at 6.00, a fox had taken all but one of my chickens.

I re-homed the survivor and sold the coop to a friend in Yorkshire.

I would like to have another go as now I see that there are several different commercial coops that have built in runs suitable for 3 birds or so. I will keep the coop in one location and not move it around.

Example

The Limefield Coop (Red Roof) on Crocodile Trading



So my question finally after this long introduction is:

a) Should I dig out the base and wire mesh it and use topsoil/sawdust/woodchip as a base, probably edged with bricks to prevent tunnelling

or

b) make a base of paving slabs and use sawdust/woodchip. Which would probably help with cleaning.

or

c) fit a base of marine ply to the whole run and mount on a slab base to keep it off the ground.

Thanks for your interest here!

Richard

[Eco-Chic]

Hi Richard,

Welcome to the Roost.

I'm a newbie Chook carer and my coop and run is on earth with pavers around the outside of the coop and run. Apparently the fox doesn't think to dig under the pavers (I hope this is true).

When the chooks aren't free ranging I allow my dogs the run of the garden and again, I hope, they will scare off the fox.

Prior to getting the chooks I know there have been rats in the garden. I'm considering whether I should get rat poison or whether I can leave it up to the JRs.

[Snadger]

Welcome to the vine Richard. I have five coops and three runs. The run that has paving flags for a base is much easier to clean out and not much chance of 'Charlie' digging through paving flags! A coop with an elevated floor (2 foot off the ground) is also warmer and less chance of rats or foxes gettting in! (Easier on the back for cleaning purposes also!)

[MaureenHall]

Hi Richard and welcome to chookaholics anonymous sorry to hear about your previous experiences of rats and Mr Fox!

I'd go for your option B, but I'd also consider letting the chooks out into the garden to "stretch their legs" a bit when you're there to supervise. Forget sawdust, it'll get too cloggy and won't compost down very quick, go for something like Hemcore or something similar. Good luck, and keep us posted (with the obligatory pictures of course )

[Hilary B]

My preference would be for a slab/concrete base, with something they can scratch about it on top (your preference from hemcore, straw, shavings......). Coop/house up off the base (enough that a rat underneath is easy to spot/shoot). Feed mainly in spill-resistant feeders out in the run (you may prefer to remove these at night) and water in whatever container works for you (also in the run).
Give them some free-time when you can watch for trouble.