Chicken Run Advice (pictures inside)

[Chickenshht]

My partner and I are building our run. We have flattened an area about 500sq feet of previously wooded area. I’ve removed the larger foliage and as you can see in the pictures there are tons of weeds and rocks of varying sizes. We plan to eventually put wood chips/hog fuel down but am wondering if they will be OK here during the dry season without the hog fuel and are their any weeds etc I should be concerned about? I have 15 chickens (sadly two of my chicks are boys apparently) I know my coop and run are oversized (chicken math and all)

 

[Tre3hugger]

Nothing In that run stands out hazardous to me. I think your girls will really enjoy it.

 

[Chickenshht]

Nothing In that run stands out hazardous to me. I think your girls will really enjoy it.

Thank you!! They’re about 6 weeks time to start going outside I think the weather is mild here !

 

[aart]

I know my coop and run are oversized

Never!!

hog fuel

Interesting colloquialism...never heard wood chippings called that before.

are their any weeds etc I should be concerned about?

Hard to say if there's anything that may be toxic, probably not enough to be concerned about.
They will tear up most any new foliage that regrows, tho if tree saplings come up you may have to cut them back.
Will there be a roof, solid or mesh, on the run?

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!

 

[Tre3hugger]

They should be ready for outside at 6 weeks in mild t emps. If you're worried provide them a huddle box.

 

[Chickenshht]

Never!!

Interesting colloquialism...never heard wood chippings called that before.

Hard to say if there's anything that may be toxic, probably not enough to be concerned about.
They will tear up most any new foliage that regrows, tho if tree saplings come up you may have to cut them back.
Will there be a roof, solid or mesh, on the run?

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!
View attachment 2145603

Hah I live on Vancouver Island in British Columbia; current lows are 10-11C or 50 Fahrenheit there won’t be a roof on the run but it’s got great tree cover (I’ll post a pic) I have 4 foot high 1” chicken wire to fence it in with and we’re going to put 2x6 around the bottom of fencing and we are putting 18” of 1/4” hardware cloth stapled around the perimeter of the coop backfilled with road base. I plan to run pink flagged string over the run criss-crossed to deter hawks.
I built the coop and run with careful consideration to chicken math, but I only have 5 laying spots so I think I would need more if I expanded the flock.

 

[Tre3hugger]

I built the coop and run with careful consideration to chicken math, but I only have 5 laying spots so I think I would need more if I expanded the flock.

3-4 hens can share each nesting box...i'm a chicken math enabler.

 

[barn206]

Looks great! If you decide to predator proof with a roof, take into consideration the Weight of the snow load during the winter months
Good luck!

 

[aart]

but I only have 5 laying spots so I think I would need more if I expanded the flock.

5 nests would accommodate about 20 birds.
Putting a fake egg in each nest will help 'spread the love'.
12" of roost length per bird.
How big is the coop?
Do you get much snow there?
4' high fence might keep the birds in, especially if the top edge is floppy and you keep trees away from run walls, the chicken wire may not keep predators out.

 

[Chickenshht]

Looks great! If you decide to predator proof with a roof, take into consideration the Weight of the snow load during the winter months
Good luck!

Luckily here we get very little snow most years none at all but absolutely will have to consider it regardless for those times we do I hadn’t even thought about that ! Thank you