Poultry House Flooring

[XtremeRooster]

This is the poultry house slat flooring I put in my coop it comes in 2'x4' sheets has 7/8" square holes and is 1" thick. The panels interlock and are fastened down by screws on 1ft. centers. It can be pressure washed and has UV inhibitors. I put 1/2" square hardware cloth underneath it to keep vermin out. In my hot humid climate I think it will work good. It is what most poultry houses around here are using now.

I purchased it from Southwest Agri Products of Texas for approximately $13.00 a sheet which is half of what the chinese junk is selling for and this is made in USA in Texas. This flooring also works great in dog kennels they make it in black and white but the black has a higher UV resistant rating.

//xtremeroosters//

 

[JackE]

Is that floor system easily removeable? I believe it would work out OK by itself, but I think you made a mistake putting hardware cloth underneath it. I understand your idea as far as keeping rodents out. You are going to have tons of crap get hung up in between the floor and the hardware cloth. That, is going to be a P.I.T.A.
Jack

 

[XtremeRooster]

Poop slide into bucket under roost and pressure washer, piece of cake. 3 screws per panel it pops right up. Same flooring most commercial chicken houses are using. They simply pressure was it off and I believe mine will get cleaned more often than theirs.

 

[aart]

Jack got a good point as poop won't easily fall thru 1/2" hardware cloth.
But.
If you've got a poop board under roosts, that'll take care of most of it.

 

[XtremeRooster]

My current coop has 1/2" hardware cloth floor 3" above a removable poop pan and I would estimate 98% of my chickens poop falls right into the pan. I remove the pan and empty it twice a week and sprinkle some de in the pan. My hardware cloth flooring also slides out the side and I hose it off once a week and it keeps my coop clean. I pressure was it once a month and have not had any problems with poop that the pressure washer will not remove.

I don't know maybe northern chickens have bigger poops?

 

[aart]

.......I don't know maybe northern chickens have bigger poops?

I've just read more than several stories where folks had a problem with mesh bottomed coops....but if you can remove the hardware cloth panels to clean any cling-ons regularly, sounds like you've got it covered....maintenance accessibility can make or break successful functionality.

 

[Krazzy]

wow, that looks sweet. i may use that for my next coop. thanks for the info.

 

[JackE]

My current coop has 1/2" hardware cloth floor 3" above a removable poop pan and I would estimate 98% of my chickens poop falls right into the pan. I remove the pan and empty it twice a week and sprinkle some de in the pan. My hardware cloth flooring also slides out the side and I hose it off once a week and it keeps my coop clean. I pressure was it once a month and have not had any problems with poop that the pressure washer will not remove.

I don't know maybe northern chickens have bigger poops?

98% huh. I guess maybe northern chickens DO have bigger turds. Because 98% of what I've seen my birds put out would not easily go through 1/2" hardware cloth, unless pushed through.(And I ain't doing that) I bet the flys love all the crap laying in that pan.
As far as ease of maintenance goes, for my coop, a pressure washer equals me, using a jet pack to get to work. I don't even use a regular hose in there. I shovel everything out twice a year, (If I'm feeling real ambitious, I'll broom sweep it), add more shavings as needed, letting the chickens do the work of turning over the bedding. THAT is ease of maintenance.
Jack

 

[aart]

Simple Design = Simple Maintenance

 

[XtremeRooster]

wow, that looks sweet. i may use that for my next coop. thanks for the info.

Considering Georgia is the United States leading producer of chickens I figured there must be some things commercial chicken farmers have figured out. That is what the poultry flooring is made for, ease of cleaning. My friend has two completely automated chicken houses they have the same slat flooring. The poop falls through and a bobcat drives under the floor and scoops up the poop. The houses are controlled by computer two operators run the whole show. Of course they lay a chicken completely out of her eggs in 90 days then its on to Tyson in Claxton for chicken pot pie. The eggs are sold, the poop is sold, and the dead chickens go in the alligator pond, very little is wasted.