Can I use woodchips in an uncovered run?

[Worriesandwonders]

I've been trying to find a good bedding for my chicken coop run, but it is uncovered. Im thinking my best options are pea gravel or wood chips, but I don't want to use peagravel due to the heaviness and the fact that the chickens wouldn't be able to scratch as easily. I'm thinking it might also get compacted and it will be harder to rake and flip. Any thoughts?

 

[aart]

Yep, wood chippings are the bomb.
Best if you have space to store a huge pile from the tree trimmers.

 

[Worriesandwonders]

Yep, wood chippings are the bomb.
Best if you have space to store a huge pile from the tree trimmers.

I definitely have space on the farm to store them. And they are fine with getting rained on? They don't get muddy or sloppy?

 

[aart]

And they are fine with getting rained on? They don't get muddy or sloppy?

They shouldn't unless you have a lot of water running thru or puddling the area.

 

[rosemarythyme]

They're fine being rained on. Both aart and I have unroofed runs. Depending on what woods you have in the chip mix, they can even sit in mud and remain intact. My chips sit out in a boggy area and are around 3 years old and even the chips on the bottom of the pile are still perfectly usable.

 

[DatCampG]

Yep, wood chippings are the bomb.
Best if you have space to store a huge pile from the tree trimmers.

When I first built a chicken run it was uncovered but had wire on top. When it rained it cleaned the area. I liked that. The red tail hawks and buzzards were an issue, then I covered it with tin. Where I live --I can not use wood chips. It would attract termites. The run is just earth in the Summer and I put hay down in the Winter now.

 

[Callender Girl]

Isn't it funny how something OBVIOUS doesn't click for the longest time? I've been thinking about what to do with my uncovered runs, and can't believe I didn't consider wood chips.

I have wood mulch in my foundation planting beds, ideally covering up the landscaping fabric underneath and making a pretty background for the few surviving flowers. The girls take great joy in scratching into the mulch, searching for crickets and other critters while uncovering the fabric and watching me sigh deeply in defeat as they destroy everything.