Best ground cover / mulch for perimeter of run

[LovieG]

Hi, I’m making a bed around the perimeter of my chicken coop and run (not for the inside). My chickens don’t free-range so they won’t be walking in it but they’ll be close to it. We have think grass in our yard and I’m doing this so I don’t have to get the lawn mower so close to the edge of the coop - and just to make it look pretty. I have edging and landscape fabric already laid out but am looking for suggestions of what to use or not to use for mulch. I don’t want anything to attract bugs so thinking of going with small rocks/pebbles but am open to suggestions.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Rock has the advantage of allowing rapid drainage through it, important if you didn't locate your coop upon a hill. Its also relatively low maintenance, of only moderate expense, and may (depending upon size) perform somewhat as a deterrent addition to the wire you set around the coop to discourage digging/burrowing animals. Small rocks will tend to migrate, larger rocks will be less prone.

Flip side is that it will eventually fill with dirt, straw, wood chips, whatever and seed, forming a growing base above your landscape cloth. and larger rocks have the potential of ending up in the mower blade, or the edger blade, where they can be the source of some annoyance.

 

[Folly's place]

Landscape fabric was a fail here, and it's a pain to remove or manage after it's overgrown. Mulch is good, and shrubs and trees will shade the coop and run, a very good thing. Use native, easy to grow plants that you like, and that aren't toxic for the birds to eat.
Your run bedding will spill over into this area as more mulch, so make it an asset, not something else to make 'pristene'.
Mary

 

[LovieG]

Landscape fabric was a fail here, and it's a pain to remove or manage after it's overgrown. Mulch is good, and shrubs and trees will shade the coop and run, a very good thing. Use native, easy to grow plants that you like, and that aren't toxic for the birds to eat.
Your run bedding will spill over into this area as more mulch, so make it an asset, not something else to make 'pristene'.
Mary

Landscape fabric was a fail here, and it's a pain to remove or manage after it's overgrown. Mulch is good, and shrubs and trees will shade the coop and run, a very good thing. Use native, easy to grow plants that you like, and that aren't toxic for the birds to eat.
Your run bedding will spill over into this area as more mulch, so make it an asset, not something else to make 'pristene'.
Mary

Thanks for the advice! The coop is under a huge oak tree with plenty of shade, so fortunately I won’t need to add anything for shading. Basically just something to keep the very thick grass from growing around it. I always laugh when people tell me not to use landscape fabric. I’ve used it for over 20 years and never regretted it. To each his own I guess.

 

[LovieG]

Rock has the advantage of allowing rapid drainage through it, important if you didn't locate your coop upon a hill. Its also relatively low maintenance, of only moderate expense, and may (depending upon size) perform somewhat as a deterrent addition to the wire you set around the coop to discourage digging/burrowing animals. Small rocks will tend to migrate, larger rocks will be less prone.

Flip side is that it will eventually fill with dirt, straw, wood chips, whatever and seed, forming a growing base above your landscape cloth. and larger rocks have the potential of ending up in the mower blade, or the edger blade, where they can be the source of some annoyance.

Thank you! I was leaning towards pea gravel so I think this will be what I go with. I appreciate the advice.