Chicken run- best material for floor that's proven????

[al6517]

Quote:
My coop & runs are in concrete, it has been really great for me and the chickens, it does not bother them one bit, it is easy to clean, no predator problem, they drain well in our crazy god forsaken weather, and I do not have to worry about bug's like mites or any soil born problems, so it is healthier for them. I do lay in several flakes of straw hay to keep them busy.

AL

 

[FractalFarmer]

We have a thick layer of pea gravel, and I have no complaints. It has done really well through a very wet winter; run is not at all muddy.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Over time, concrete is harder on their feet and legs, as there is no give. It's hard on the joints. Plus, they like to scratch around. If it was me, I'd put sand over it. Or maybe one of the foot-friendly mulch materials, that's a little easier to walk on than the huge chunks of bark.

 

[cajunlizz]

we have put down about 8 - 10 inches of sand several times in our bare dirt runs and in no time , its back down to bare dirt .

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Cajunlizz, is it washing away or just being scratched into the soil? Or is there so much water in the soil at times, that it's like a soup that combines everything? I know we're all dealing with very different climates, soil types and elevations. Not everything works for every person.

 

[cajunlizz]

We have waited to add the sand when its VERY VERY DRY , work into the soil and add 8 inches of sand on top ... I have no idea

 

[kayla_sayswa]

How about concrete but then cover it with a thick rubber mat like you'd use for horses? I'd still layer in a bunch of shavings..

we're also thinking about making the floor concrete, so this discussion is helpful.

 

[95yj]

my personal favorite is raised wood with linoleum, this probably won't help you out too much.

 

[Chieftain]

If you really want a permanent fix to a muddy run, It will take some doing, but a sand over gravel cover run that is properly drained is difficult to beat.

You need to dig all of that mud out of the run to whatever depth it takes to get rid of the mud and find sound soil. Then dig in a french drain that fits a 4" perforated PVC drain pipe, and run that ditch to wherever you need to for the water to drain. That may involve a drain field or even a gravel cistern depending on your layout. Cover the pipe with a good quality of landscape cloth to protect it, an bury the pipe trench in 3/4" gravel, then lay in at least a 4" bed of more gravel over the top of that. Over the gravel, put as much sand as you need to fill the run. My 50 square foot run took a yard of gravel and a bit over a yard of coarse sand to top it off. (See my foundation page for details and pictures)

Now I have a covered run, so water drainage is not a problem. I put a fair amount of Feed Grade DE in the sand, and between the two, chicken poop is completely dessicated, and ground into nothing. I go out and try to scoop it periodically, but there are no chunks left after a day or so. The chooks help break everything down with their scratching, and there is no mess and no mud whatsoever in the run. Granted I have a small flock and the covered run was an economical and easy to build solution; the fact that it is perfectly dry all of the time is the main factor in why it does not stink and why it stays so clean. It's that old time vs money equation and it depends on what you and your chook's needs are, but I am convinced that a sand run is about the only way to go, especially in the backyard...

It makes for an excellent Spring project, and if you call around you might be amazed at how cheap gravel and sand are delivered....

 

[Anianna]

Quote:
Nothing wrong with keeping them entertained. What kinds of things do you plan on putting out for them? I wonder if chickens like mirrors like some other birds do.