Any tips on keeping the run clean?

[Jiffyrocks]

I finished my coop and put the chickies in there. They are almost 6 weeks old. When I'm off I let them free range the whole yard but I like to keep them in the run when I'm working. (At least until they are big enough to not escape the yard) With that said, they poop a lot. In the run. It's grass now, I'm sure it'll be dirt eventually. But how do I keep it some what clean? I enjoying going out and hanging out with them and don't always want to worry about their poopy feet- not to mention how unpleasant that is for them. Anything I can do? The run is covered so I don't think rain will help. I was thinking of hosing it down nightly. Idk. Any tips?

 

[SmartChicken123]

What I personally do is that once I see the grass is kind of getting stepped on and it's dying, I just move the run to a different part of my yard. The grass should grow back pretty quck so you won't have any dirt spots. Hope this helps!

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Put deep litter method in the search, or DLM. Make compost

Gary

 

[Jiffyrocks]

The coop and run is too heavy to move, sadly.

And I don't think I can do DLM in the run, it says the doors have to be 12" from the ground and they aren't.

 

[SmartChicken123]

Is there anyway you could take the roof off the run?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

The coop and run is too heavy to move, sadly.

And I don't think I can do DLM in the run, it says the doors have to be 12" from the ground and they aren't.

Does your door open into or out of the run - or are you talking about the door the chickens use to go into/out of the run? Can you post photos of the run? While it is true that DLM creates added "height" to the "floor" of the run, 12 inches is not an absolute necessity. DLM doesn't work in every situation due to the variances in run construction, but it may be entirely possible to come up with an approach that would allow you to employ the method to your run, and it certainly helps with avoiding mud.
Alternatively, you can use a different substrate such as sand, or a better draining materiel

 

[Jiffyrocks]

Door opens out.

I still need to touch up the detail (waiting for my next day off)
but here is a pic to help understand

 

[ChickenMammX4]

The coop and run is too heavy to move, sadly.

And I don't think I can do DLM in the run, it says the doors have to be 12" from the ground and they aren't.

We do the DLM in our run and our walk-in door is ground level (pop door up a short ramp).
It has works great for us. We clean it out once a year (spring) and that beautiful compost goes into the garden.

 

[Folly's place]

x2 on the deep litter in the run. Any amount of shavings will be a huge improvement over poo in dirt, so don't worry about the 12" thing. Just spread some shavings, add more as needed, and shovel it out once in a while. Mary

 

[aart]

Door opens out.

I still need to touch up the detail (waiting for my next day off)
but here is a pic to help understand

You can just put a board across the bottom of doorway inside run.
Like OGM says, it doesn't need to be 12" deep to work.

Here's a great description of contents and how to manage organic 'bedding' in a run or coop...and there's a great video of what it looks like.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1037998/muddy-run-help-please#post_16017992