Sand/Gravel/Woodchips?

[Vickers58]

What is the best type of ground cover in a run? We laid down sod... then when that got all gunky and soggy we layed down mulch... and well this just seems like its a mess.

What works best?

My husband wants to try pea gravel or sand.... Please help!

Here is a picture of my sweet Henry collecting our morning egg from Richard ... you can see what our ground cover is now.

 

[cosbackyard]

People seem to like sand for the run.
I just collect leaves each year and use them as deep litter, stirring occasionally. So far that works great.

 

[Going Quackers]

That is a small area, frankly i'd go to gravel. I have some sand in my chicken run, it;s mainly dirt but chickens aren't water hogs like ducks, gravel with sand underneath for drainage would be my choice.

My ducks penned area is 1/3 of an acre, they mainly free range, so the muddy areas are just that mud, but i am seriously considering adding some gravel this year I am tired of slipping... but they love mud lol

Straight sand? not so sold on that for wet areas... do you have Storey's guide to ducks he has some info on materials... because mine are not genuinely penned not been something i have taken much notice of but did skim by that section.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I like the river rock I have bought bags of it at Lowes for under 4.00 and it's round so no cutting tender feet, Use landscaping material under for drainage that way they can't bury the rocks in the dirt or mud eventually. I'm talking small rock not pea gravel .

 

[sherrik9]

What is the best type of ground cover in a run? We laid down sod... then when that got all gunky and soggy we layed down mulch... and well this just seems like its a mess.

What works best?

My husband wants to try pea gravel or sand.... Please help!

For me sand is the answer. I have it in both outdoor runs and have put it in the barn also. Clean up is easy and no smell.

 

[Valntyn]

We have pond rocks/pea pebble/whatever it's called in our large outdoor section. I really like it, but it seems to me a lot of 'gunk' collects underneath. My husband wants to try sand, and I think it's a great idea, but I'm wondering which will work better:

A-Laying sand over the rock,
B-Laying the rock over sand, or
C-getting rid of the rock entirely and just having sand?

Any thoughts? (Hopefully this doesn't feel like hijacking the thread... similar situation, thought information could help both of us.

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