Base rock for run and coop?

[Baxter's Chickens]

We are thinking of using sand in our coop and run but we have some extra brown base rock that we used for pathways. The size ranges from fine sand to 1/2" gravel.

Do you think that this would work for the run and or the coop?
Thanks!

 

[Chicken.Lytle]

I plan on digging out my run a little and adding a lot of sand. I will line the edges with logs to hold back the sand. I also plan to use sand inside the coop. A kitchen sieve is doing a good job with the brooder cage so far....

 

[Baxter's Chickens]

Are you putting the sand on top of dirt? We have dirt in the run now, I don't know if I have to take it all out or just dig out a couple of inches.

 

[johny]

Lay the rock in a deep layer under where the walls of the run will be.
Mine was all sand.
But the hens dig like crazy and are getting underneath the frame of the run wall.
There is no risk of escape because the ground outside in underlayed with 1/4 inch welded wire to prevent predators from getting in.
But the birds still dig so much that some of the sand outside the run has collapsed inward and exposed the predator wire.

So now, every time they find a new place to scratch out a big hole at the edge of the run, I fill it in with fist sized rocks. Eventually I figure the entire perimeter will be underlayed by rock that they can not scratch or dig through.

 

[patandchickens]

Baxter's Chickens :

We are thinking of using sand in our coop and run but we have some extra brown base rock that we used for pathways. The size ranges from fine sand to 1/2" gravel.

Do you think that this would work for the run and or the coop?
Thanks!

If it is relatively-rounded, sure. If it is very sharp pieces, it'd be better not to use it, or if you DO then at least cover it with quite a lot of sand so that any pieces they unearth will be isolated rather than "scratching in a bed of sharp-cornered gravel".

Gravel of this size will NOT keep hens from digging dustbaths perilously close to the edge of your run. If they do that, either use the previous poster's strategy of putting LARGE rocks in the holes as they form; or proactively lay a rank of pavers or bricks or concrete rubble or fist-sized rocks around the inside of the run fence, they needn't be so close they're touching and it needn't be as wide as you'd do if you were digproofing against predators, you just want to create obstacles to confine their dusthole digging to further from the fence.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​