Added new pics of chicken pen!

[ptkds]

I added a page with pics of our chicken pen! It still needs some finishing work, but the chickens love it (except for 1 who keeps escaping!).
Just view my page!

How do I add it to the Chicken Coop page?

 

[Eggs4Sale]

Kiss your grass there goodbye!

 

[Mahonri]

Nice big run... get some sand in there quick.

 

[ptkds]

I'm still kinda new to all of this.
Why put sand in there? I thought the chickens liked the grass?

 

[Luna_Chick66]

Quote:
Because chickens like to scratch the ground and dust bathe.

 

[chaoschicken]

Looks very nice.

Sand is great after the chickens decimate the grass. Do they love to kill it. It's also a great dust bath option, less muddy and grit!

I can't wait to sand my soon to be no grass run.

 

[bigoakhunter]

That will be a very big run for them to enjoy. A friend of mine also does the dog pen style enclosure. He buys them from craiglist. They seem to work good for him.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Some of my chickens have dug up all their grass and others still have plenty in their runs. It depends on the chickens.

My banty Cochins and my Silkies only walk the fence line and never disturb the grass in the middle. I have to constantly keep it cut.

Now the standard Cochins had theirs to dirt in about 2 weeks but my Barnevelders and Wheaten Marans never touch their grass to eat it or scratch it but they do walk all over it and keep it pushed down so I don't mow theirs.

 

[mandelyn]

The sand also drains better after rain, and you can rake it, treat it a little like cat litter, to keep the smell down. I don't know if you've heard, but chickens crap A LOT. You don't even want to know how many flies hang around if you don't keep on top of it. The sand helps a lot compared to hard packed dirt or clay that's left after grass is gone.