Do you use bedding in your run or leave it bare dirt?

[ChickenMammX4]

For those of you that keep your chicks confined most of the time, what percentage of you keep a solid  cover over your run?  I notice a lot of people say to do it but I have noticed the majority of coop designs I see do not have the runs covered.  I am talking about a solid roof type covering not just chicken wire/hardware cloth.  I had originally planned to only have chicken wire over the run but I don't want to have to do it over again, I don't want to just throw a tarp over it. So if some type of solid cover is definitely the way to go then I might was well do it correctly from the beginning.  The few coops I have spotted in my area do not have a roof, just some type of netting over the run.

Our run has a solid roof, without it, the run would be a mud hole. We do get high winds but it's built solid and we haven't had any problems. We don't free range due to all the predators and this way the hens can be out in all types of weather.

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

I leave it bare dirt but once I move there run and coop there over 30 feet long by 11 feet wide run will be the deep litter method

 

[crazyhen]

I do the leaf litter in the fall, I also add a pile of wood ash in one corner for them to dust in. You can rake up the litter in the summer and have some wonderful garden bed soil. It will be wonderful magic soil amendment for gardens or flower plants.

 

[flyin-lowe]

Quote:
Originally Posted by ChickenMammX4


Our run has a solid roof, without it, the run would be a mud hole. We do get high winds but it's built solid and we haven't had any problems. We don't free range due to all the predators and this way the hens can be out in all types of weather.



It looks like your post are buried, is that correct? If so did you cement them in or just backfill? Thanks

 

[ChickenMammX4]

It looks like your post are buried, is that correct?  If so did you cement them in or just backfill?  Thanks

They are just backfilled.

 

[aart]

Quote: How deep did you go with posts?

 

[ChickenMammX4]

How deep did you go with posts?

24"

 

[ducks4you]

There are so many posts about using the "deep litter method" inside of the coop, that it gives the impression that you do not have to clean up after your birds. PLEASE don't believe this. During the winter I do not bed my chicken's run, which is 12 adult birds (5 roosters are 6mo's) in a 12 x 30ft run with the coop inside of it. Sometimes I will put down straw so that there is an outside area without mud.
You have to clean up after your birds. The winter can be easier because the poo freezes and you can scoop it up with a gloved hand, small shovel or a cat litter scoop. I use a painter's bucket that sprung a leak and fill it, then empty it into the wheelbarrow with the rest of my soiled horse stall bedding.
Outside in the summer I use a bag mower and empty those into the run. The birds love it, BUT, every few weeks I rake and roll it and remove the leftovers and the poo, then compost. You need to keep any wood from being burned from the ammonia. That is why we paint the insides of the coop and lay down a piece of vinyl for the floor, to prevent early wood rot. It helps to have a small garden wheelbarrow that you can push through the door to the run.
There is no outside bedding that prevents cleanup.

 

[ShrekDawg]

But don't a lot of people let it compost inside the run? Not saying there's no clean up and I'm sure there's a lot of people doing it wrong so I am trying to understand it more cause to me it does seem kinda gross to just completely leave poo in it but from what I've seen recently it seems like people do do that and let the chickens do all the work of turning it and and it composts fine/turns into a forest floor/mini environment if it's left alone long enough? Or not?

 

[enola]

The deeper the litter the better. I am not sure that there is a wrong way to do deep litter. As long as your run is deeply bedded, is able to drain if the weather is wet, and does not stink, you are doing it right. Any time your deep litter has a bad smell, just add more dry litter and let the chickens stir it up.