Bare soil okay?

[QuailMan6666]

Is it okay to use bare soil as the flooring for a chicken run? And can I scatter some wood shavings and sweet PDZ on the dirt?

 

[springvalley123]

Lots of people here in Arizona just have bare ground. THey can scratch, make dust baths, etc. My hens loved it when I put a bit of straw down, mainly they pecked at the seeds in it. Unless you need to keep moisture down, like an uncovered run in a rainy climate, you should be good.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

This question gave me confused face, lol. Don't most runs have bare ground? My coop has plywood floor but the run is just soil and woodchips. It's even uncovered in a rainy climate.... No issues at all as it's a large space and woodchips help drainage. I do have a covered area for dry dust baths...

 

[rosemarythyme]

It depends - drainage, climate, soil type all matter. If my run didn't have litter, it wouldn't be "bare dirt" - it'd be a mud pit. So definitely not optional in many set ups.

 

[aart]

Is it okay to use bare soil as the flooring for a chicken run? And can I scatter some wood shavings and sweet PDZ on the dirt?

Don't bother with PDZ on the bare ground.
I've always used coarse wood chippings, breaks down the poop to reduce/eliminate odors.

Depend on your cleaning regimes, the shape and size of your run, how many chickens will in the space....
...and yes, climate matters, so...
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!