Desolate Run

[mjljohana]

When we fenced in our 50’x 50’ chicken run, the ground was luscious with lots of beautiful grass. It’s now the middle of August and there’s not one green blade to be seen. What can we give our chickens to peck at or what can we do that will encourage foraging on dirt?

 

[SmiYa0126]

I add grass clippings, pile in old mulch, rotting logs, they love it!

 

[Missyschix13]

When we fenced in our 50’x 50’ chicken run, the ground was luscious with lots of beautiful grass. It’s now the middle of August and there’s not one green blade to be seen. What can we give our chickens to peck at or what can we do that will encourage foraging on dirt?

I agree @SmiYa0126. Everyone asked me why I put an old tire in my run. I find them hanging out on it all the time! And the bugs collect under it and inside the tire. So they find little treats. I have the base from an old rocking horse. But I'm thinking about that rotting log....just found one of those in the over growth. Now I'm gonna throw that in there too!

 

[3KillerBs]

Here's a useful thread for you: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[aart]

Here's a useful thread for you: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

Good ideas here^^^.

But....you'll also likely want some bedding in there or it will start to stink.
Coarse wood chippings from tree trimmers make for excellent run bedding IME.
Can be hard to find and you'll need a place to store the large pile that they usually dump.

 

[SmiYa0126]

Definitely! Bedding is a must, love mulch

 

[CaliforniaMountainChicks]

I like to imitate the forest floor in my run. A bonus is that after some time you can harvest the lower layers of your run material for your garden. My run was just plain dirt and then on top I’ve been adding wood chips, mulch, straw, bedding from their coop, leaves, pine needles, greens from the garden, chopped up branches from trees I prune, etc. The chickens love this because it gives them lots of stuff to scratch around in and attracts bugs.
You can also check out my thread on putting plants in the chicken run since you have a nice large space: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...icken-run-a-mini-forest-for-chickens.1540569/