Grow Your Own Magazine

We are finally putting together the shed I bought a while ago for the hens - 8 x 6 footer so they should have plenty space.

I have painted the floor with ducksback to help protect it but what do others put down before the shavings/straw to act as a barrier? Is there a requirement for this or is it not worth the bother?

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

Can you help a friend raise money for British Heart Foundation please. He is climbing Machu Pichu later in the year and needs to make all the dosh he can for a good cause. www.justgiving.com/simonquinn2010

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

Make sure there is plenty of ventilation to the UNDERSIDE of the floor, so that it doesn't get 'rising damp' from the ground. If the space below is big enough to peer into readily, that is a useful rat deterrent.
Not sure what is the best for the inside, depends what the floor actually IS (plywood is a common option) but I'd be tempted to use something like Creocote.....

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Flowers come in too many colours to see the world in black-and-white.

I think the best idea I've heard (thanks to our new MOM Unca Snadge, I think!) is a piece of Lino, so you can just pull it out, scrape it clean and put it back. Or two, so you can have one in the coop and one in the wash, so to speak!

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my coop is a convereted playhouse & it already had some cushion floor, i treated the floor and relaid the cushion floor then I put cardboard ontop then layers of newspaper then I use horsey stuff who's name i cant rememebr but it smells nice. Not had any problems its easy to clean out and I didnt get any problems with mite etc

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The love of gardening is a seed once sown never dies ...

The floor is made of compressed shaving stuff - like giant woodchips. I have put it on a base of breezeblocks all laid close together to stop mr ratty burrowing from underneath and I am going to put featherboards round the bottom once it is built to stop said mr ratty going in the vent spaces.

Being a bit skint at the moment, lino is out of the question for now but I could put some in next month.

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

Can you help a friend raise money for British Heart Foundation please. He is climbing Machu Pichu later in the year and needs to make all the dosh he can for a good cause. www.justgiving.com/simonquinn2010

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

My shed floor has got damp and needs replacing as soon as weather allows me a whole decent day to get on with it. That and creocoating shed inside and out.

Am definitely going to be raising it on breezeblocks this time - didn't when we first put it up and now paying price Thankfully have a proper rodent bait box now so that is going down run as soon as I have right bait.

OH seems to think Marine ply is good, but I've heard that can be expensive.

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Walking Hadrians Wall in May in aid of Bone Cancer Research Trust.
http://www.justgiving.com/skeletontrek
Brad's story, and our inspiration for the Skeleton Trek
http://www.bonecancerresearch.org.uk...leymills.shtml

I went to a dunelms recently and picked up some table protectors, very cheap at £1.50 for an off cut. also try freecycle as people are always getting rid of stuff like that but dont think to put it on there becuase its used. Ideal though for a shed floor and chicken coop!

Been asking for lino on freecycle for months - since I got the shed

I think it is going to have to take the brunt of it for a month or so till I save up for the lino.

Thanks for the tips folks.

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

Can you help a friend raise money for British Heart Foundation please. He is climbing Machu Pichu later in the year and needs to make all the dosh he can for a good cause. www.justgiving.com/simonquinn2010

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

You could try your local B&Q or equivalent, or carpet shops - see if they have any off-cuts - it's not like you need yards of it.

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That floor sounds like Sterling Board, which is excellent stuff. I'd still treat it with a creosote substitute, and I'd rather see underneath, and KNOW there are no rats living there, than put up barriers, and not be completely sure the .... dear little things.... haven't got by!
Long term, I would go for a concrete slab, then blocks to lift the shed (and a piece of DPM on top of each) with plenty of air getting to the underside of the floor (blocks at the edges, and maybe just one in the middle if the edge ones are too far apart).
If your floor is resting on concrete blocks that are on the earth, there WILL eventually be wet rot getting in (Sterling board is pretty resistant, but it has limits).

Marine ply is pricey, look out for Sterling Board (or OSB) which is cheaper and pretty near as good, if treated right.
The key with any wood based product is that if it can get wet, it needs to be able to get dry again!
DO NOT underestimate the ability of moisture from the soil to rise through concrete (of any kind and in any form).

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Flowers come in too many colours to see the world in black-and-white.

That's why the underside and topside of the floor have all been treated to two coats of ducksback waterproof preservative.

(can't put down bait for any ratties as TRex does all the work required there)

__________________
Happy Gardening,
Shirley

Can you help a friend raise money for British Heart Foundation please. He is climbing Machu Pichu later in the year and needs to make all the dosh he can for a good cause. www.justgiving.com/simonquinn2010

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

I think we have it sussed. Madmax just called me to say he got a 4 x 3m sheet of damp proof membrane from Wickes. This should be enough to put between the shed and the blocks then to put under the bedding inside.

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

Can you help a friend raise money for British Heart Foundation please. He is climbing Machu Pichu later in the year and needs to make all the dosh he can for a good cause. www.justgiving.com/simonquinn2010

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

Thats a good idea.....

__________________
Walking Hadrians Wall in May in aid of Bone Cancer Research Trust.
http://www.justgiving.com/skeletontrek
Brad's story, and our inspiration for the Skeleton Trek
http://www.bonecancerresearch.org.uk...leymills.shtml

Do not put the membrane inside under the bedding as this will provide a hidey hole for red mite. Outside is fine. There should be nothing inside the house except a layer of shavings (or whatever you want to use) to absorb a bit of wet from the poo).

I have always had lino in the smaller coops so that it can come out and be scrubbed then put back over mite treatment once every couple of months. Is that really such a bad idea? I am concerned that they will wreck the floor if I don't put some type of barrier under the easibed.

__________________
Happy Gardening,
Shirley

Can you help a friend raise money for British Heart Foundation please. He is climbing Machu Pichu later in the year and needs to make all the dosh he can for a good cause. www.justgiving.com/simonquinn2010

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

If you are happy taking it in and out then fine. It just sounds rather a faff that's all. If the birds roost on perches then there is no need to have anything on the floor at all. I just chuck a few handfuls of shavings down to absorb any wet poo. Each house is cleaned out twice a week with everything scraped up using a child's plastic spade and a trowel, straight into a bucket and then more shavings chucked down. Quick and clean and done in 5 mins per house.

I have a piece of solid rubber matting in my girls house. I like it because I just lift the whole thing out complete with shavings and poo, give the remainder of shavings a sweep up, then disinfect, leave to dry and replace with a dusting of red mite powder. I have read everyones comments about red mite and am keeping a keen eye open for any signs.

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Bernie aka DDL

Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

If you waterproof top AND bottom, make sure it stays 110% waterproof, because not-quite-waterproof is EXACTLY the conditions that lead to rot! Water WILL find a way in to any nearly-waterproof situation, and then it can't evaporate away. Ever gone for a walk in intermittent rain wearing a waterproof with a small hole? By the time you get home you are wetter than if you hadn't worn a waterproof at all, because you don't dry off when the rain stops for a while!
That is why I described ways to let air get to the underside!

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Flowers come in too many colours to see the world in black-and-white.

Didn't bother with the damp-proofing under the shed. The blooming thing was so cheap it doesn't seem worth the bother - it is looking very jerry built despite our best efforts to ensure everything being level. I guess the hens won't mind though

__________________
Happy Gardening,
Shirley

Can you help a friend raise money for British Heart Foundation please. He is climbing Machu Pichu later in the year and needs to make all the dosh he can for a good cause. www.justgiving.com/simonquinn2010

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

Photos please

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Bernie aka DDL

Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

Willdo once we have tidied up the run and re-fenced it all Give me about another 3 months Suffering badly today

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

Can you help a friend raise money for British Heart Foundation please. He is climbing Machu Pichu later in the year and needs to make all the dosh he can for a good cause. www.justgiving.com/simonquinn2010

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk