Flooring in basement for older chicks

[doublenegative]

I am just starting to raise some baby chicks. I am starting them off in boxes with heat lamps and all seems easy enough. But we are getting 25-26 and we don't have big enough boxes to allow them to stay in them without getting cramped as they grow. So we figured we'd convert a room in our basement thats about 10x10 to let them grow and feather out.

Now the issue is it is a cement floor, but the way it drains and our septic setup means we can't really spray it clean without flooding our basement. My wife and I were thinking maybe buy a sheet of that green fake grass stuff from Lowes to cover the floor in the room and up the walls a ways so we can drag that outside and hose it down and move it back in for cleaning.

So I was curious is anyone has done anything similar and can tell us if this is a good idea, is the fake grass green stuff is safe enough for the chicks, or if they have any other ideas to use in that room. Thanks.

 

[sherrydeanne]

If you put pine shavings down, you can just mop the floor when you're finished. It really won't get *that* dirty. No idea about the rug, but a big piece of vinyl could work.

 

[Darin115]

If your area is 10x10 you can go to Lowes and buy a roll of black plastic to fit the area. Just lay it down and then cover it with pine shavings. Make sure none of the plasic sticks up so the chicks can peck and eat it.

When you are ready to move them out you can just pull up the plastic by the corners making a bag and take it outside and dump it. You can then sweep up and shavings that spilled out as you were removing it. The plastic will keep the water and poo from leaking onto the floor. You can then mop it with clorox water to sanitize it. I think you will find it clean because of the plastic.

Darin

 

[doublenegative]

Sounds like a plan! I wasn't sure if they would ruin the plastic, but the shaving on top sounds good and I can buy the thick plastic to try and plan ahead. Sweeping and mopping don't seem too hard at all!

Thanks!