Best run topping for hard surface - wood chips ?

[littlecoopnextdoor]

Can you remove some of those patio stones where the run will be? It will be a much better situation for drainage, and the health of your chickens feet to not be on the blocks. Is there a reason you want to do it on the patio and not on the ground? Uneven ground is easy to work with, you just have to level it a bit with a shovel when you create a brick base etc to sit on. No matter what you do, you need to make sure it's predator proof at ground level. Welcome to BYC!

 

[RoyalChick]

I am on a steep slope. It works fine. Definitely better to have dirt rather than pavers under foot.

 

[NatJ]

Yeah, sorry. I have a yard, but it is very uneven so the coop/run would sit on it properly. So yeah, it would have be on patio! Attached a picture of the patio.

I don't see a problem.

The stones will make sure no predator can dig under. So you should not have to lock the hens in their coop, but can leave the pop door open all the time. As long as the structure cannot be knocked over (by wind or a predator) it should be nice and safe

Standing on bare stone all day could be bad for the chickens' feet, but a nice layer of wood chips should solve that nicely.

I initially decided on putting a sublayer ground sheet on the patio before topping with about 2" of hardwood chips. However upon more research, it seems most people use hardwood chippings ontop of soil, and change yearly.

Basically, what is the best topping to use for my situation? I am happy to clean out the pen more regularly if thats all that is needed, but if there is a better option for a topping to use on a patio, please let me know!

Wood chips are probably as good as anything else, and better than some other choices.

Either the chips will slowly compost, or they will not. No problem either way. If they get stinky, replace some or all of them. If the chips get thrown out through the sides of the run or break down into a smaller amount, add more until it's back at the level you want. When to add more, how much to add, and when to replace it can seem confusing at first, but after you deal with it for a while it will start to seem obvious.

I have bought a new coop/run which should be arriving in the next few days, and have been doing my research as to the best topping for the run. Its 250cm long and 75cm wide (the run).

That's definitely on the small side for a run, but probably OK for two hens.
(Conversion for those of us used to inches & feet: that's about 8 feet by about 2 1/2 feet.)

 

[SueT]

Yes, I have to agree with Nat J after all. You only have 2 hens, the patio will work with wood chips, you don’t need anything else.

 

[RoyalChick]

I am sure it will work. But once you see the joy a chicken gets from scratching a big hole in dirt you will want to get them off the pavers!

 

[perkolator]

I have a yard, but it is very uneven so the coop/run would sit on it properly. So yeah, it would have be on patio! Attached a picture of the patio.

Uneven terrain is not a problem for coops - simply use blocks/piers to level out the structure so it's level. At ground level, provide anti-dig apron so predators can't dig into it. On the ground inside the perimeter, add wood chips (which will level out with chicken activity)