# Flooring?



## mollycat79

We currently have dirt on the floor of our chicken house. We have palm trees and a banana tree. I've been using the dried leaves on the floor. Is this ok. Can't get wood shavings etc


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## CharlieEcho

*Straw;*

I'm not familiar with either palm trees or banana trees. Is there any place near to get straw? I wouldn't think leaves would hurt the chickens. It's better than nothing I'd think.

My favorite straw hat is made of palm. I love it and it's afterall like straw.


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## Energyvet

Could use sand. It works very well. Easy to scoop poo too.


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## Tony-O

mollycat79 said:


> We currently have dirt on the floor of our chicken house. We have palm trees and a banana tree. I've been using the dried leaves on the floor. Is this ok. Can't get wood shavings etc


What kind of palms do you have? Some have thorns along the leaf stem, so I'd cut the leaf stems off first.  They could hurt their feet on them. The rest of the palm leaf should be fine. Banana leaves are fine too. Myself, I'd cut everything into pieces so they can scratch in them easier, but it isn't necessary.


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## mollycat79

Yeah they are palms without thorns and the thin leaves so once I trim the dried leaves off the stem it kinda dries and breaks down a bit like straw. I've padded corners and crammed some non-go spaces with banana leaves.


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## Energyvet

I like sand. But in the tropics you might worry about sand fleas and such. I like sand a lot.


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## mollycat79

Decided today to put outdoor thick floor tiles and gravel. We had large square tiles and a few smaller rectangle tiles so I put them straight on the dirt floor and in between the smaller ones I put gravel. At the back of my chook shed where the chickens don't go I'm putting a layer of more gravel. Just not sure if to put hay/dried leaves over pavers or just leave as is for easy cleaning. Chooks seem to roost mostly and only stand on the pavers to eat and drink from food bowls etc.


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## rob

im going to try sand in the summer. at the moment its a bit waterlogged so ive got wood chip down.


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## Energyvet

I'm going to put sand in the coop in Spring too. Might do it before hand if the weather stays nice. Sand is just so easy to keep clean. Helps with water absorption and easy source of grit. Great substrate! Love it in my small coop.


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## tinsletown

rob said:


> im going to try sand in the summer. at the moment its a bit waterlogged so ive got wood chip down.


I use sand on the floor of my henhouse and its just great, so easy to rake up droppings and then sprinkle new sand each day. Just buy it from the local hardware shop, it's in a bag and costs about $5.00 (I'm in aust)


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## lreed87

I am going to buy sand soon, can't wait!


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## fuzziebutt

Hi lreed and welcome to the forum!! What a handsome feller you have with you!!


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## TheBackyardDonnellys17

Wow! That's so adorable! One of my buff orpingtons LOVES to climb on my back and roost their. Her name is Stella. She's always the first one to the door when I'm out checking for eggs.


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## Nuttz

Ya I did a nice deep litter in my run check it out on YouTube 



 or


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## Bee

Excellent deep litter! So exciting to see the younger generation doing chickens and really managing the flock, developing methods for feeding and coop/run habitat. Great vid and good looking setup. Kudos!


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## Jim

Good job Nuttz!


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## Nuttz

Thanks for the comments


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