broken concrete floor in old chicken house?

[ComputerChicken]

First post on this great site -- hello everyone!

We are renovating a 100-year-old chicken house on our property: it used to hold some 200 chickens back in the day, but has been used only for storage for the last 60+ years. Because we're only starting with 6 chickens, we'll be renovating and using just a section of this house, and adding a run on the outside.

Our question: The old concrete floors have broken up over time: in some places, not so bad (first photo); in other places, pretty bad (second photo). We're planning to use the deep-litter method once everything is in place, so all the floor will be covered, but we want to make sure it's predator-proof (probably still is) and ok for dampness (no idea).

Might anyone have recommendations for what to do with this floor? Try to patch with concrete (re-doing sections) as best we can? Clean well and add a first layer of shavings? A beautiful newly poured floor is probably out of the question, but we want to fix this up well enough for the ladies to be safe and comfortable.

Thanks!

 

[Percheron chick]

I honestly wouldn't worry about it. You could line the floor with linoleum , put down rubber mats or stall skins (horse products) or even throw down some plywood pained in Blackjack to speed thing up when it comes time to clean. Your predator breeches are more apt to come from under the doors, the gaps in the footings, through the rafters... not up through the floor.

 

[ComputerChicken]

Thanks a bunch! The rubber mats might be just right, great idea. I'll also look into stall skins (never heard of them, google here I come ).

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!!! If your coop has a concrete foundation, the broken up floor won't be a problem. If not, predators could tunnel. in. My coop also has an old concrete floor, but a concrete perimeter foundation. Stall mats work great over it, and make shoveling it out easier. You could pull out the badly broken up sections, and just have a dirt floor there. I chose to cover mine with stall mats, both for ease of cleanup, and to keep the dampness at bay. Mary

 

[ComputerChicken]

Thanks for the welcome!

The foundation looks ok to me, so like you say, dampness and cleaning are probably more the main issues. It sounds like the stall mats make things easier and we're looking into getting some. Thanks again!