Best coop floor for Arizona desert - deep litter doesn’t seem to be working

[DesertPollos]

Good evening ! I have 10 total hens. At one time, I had 16. I live in Tucson Arizona and I’ve had all sorts of predator problems , with coyotes coming in the yard, bobcat and many many hawks . I’m gearing up for the summer ahead , predicting many diamondback rattlers in the yard and many pack rats, etc. Do any other desert dwellers have coop and summer keeping techniques to share that have worked well. I want to change the flooring of the coop. Right now it sits right on top of the dirt, as I thought the ground in the foothills would be too rocky for digging things , but I am seeing holes and dirt piles on the floor of the coop. What is the easiest and coolest flooring that can also keep out snakes , etc? Is a concrete slab going to be too hot? So many questions ... sorry - help! I’ve worked hard to keep these girls alive and I want to keep improving on my method of keeping them safe and comfortable.

 

[cavemanrich]

Jump over to this tread. There are many peeps that can help you out there.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/arizona-chickens.31227/page-7563
Just post your question there.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

 

[aart]

Right now it sits right on top of the dirt, as I thought the ground in the foothills would be too rocky for digging things , but I am seeing holes and dirt piles on the floor of the coop. What is the easiest and coolest flooring that can also keep out snakes , etc?

Some pics of your coop and run would be helpful.

1/2" Hardware Cloth on run walls and an apron might help.

Good examples of anti-dig apron installation.
If rodents are prolific, burying the apron ~12" would be good.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wire-around-coop.1110498/#post-17093528
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/new-coop-project.1169916/page-2#post-18481208

 

[springvalley123]

Careful! one time I saw a small, growing pile of dirt around a few concrete pavers I was using to keep a chick waterer on. Turned out there was a small rattlesnake under the waterer!

 

[CaroleW]

If your concrete floor is not in the sun it should stay cooler.

When we rebuilt an abandoned coop we poured a concrete foundation and had a couple courses of CMU (concrete block). Then stick framed above that. The floor inside is dirt with thick layer of straw. The roost is up about 3 feet over a sheet vinyl covered shelf with multiple windows above the roost area covered in hardware cloth.

Our other coop under the roof of the Pole Barn has about 2 foot high metal roofing panels as the lowest part of the outside wall (no real foundation & metal not really sunk into ground) with variety of hardware cloth/metal lathe panels above the metal roof panel siding. These give lots of breeze so in winter with clear tarp like material we block much of the prevailing wind. Floor is just dirt with thick layer of straw. There is a roost house up about 36" above the floor inside this coop.

No predators have gotten in either of these coops yet. The neighbors lost most of thier flock to racoons and others lost a few birds to hawks/owls. I have found one drowned pak rat or mouse in the 2nd coop. Both coops have large secured covered runs since there are lots of owls/hawks here.

Predators I know are here include skunks, racoon, javelina, coyote, snakes, hawks/owls. Pest include lots of rabbits, moles/voles?, cats & rats.

 

[CaroleW]

Feed is in rodent proof metal trash cans with lids. I do leave feed in a hanging feeder which is probably why I found the drowned mouse/pack rat a month ago (mid winter).