Chicken run floor

[Happy mother clucker]

Making the run and I have old mulch in my backyard. Should I take that out and put something different?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Why do you want to? What is your concern?

I hate to answer a question without knowing what material the mulch is. I've used grass trimmings, wheat straw, and wood chips as mulch. Some people use shredded bark, hay, dead leaves, or even pebbles. Some cardboard or newspapers. I'm not even sure what some of those bags of mulch you can buy really are.

In general I'd think there is not much reason to clean it up but that might depend on what it actually is.

 

[Happy mother clucker]

Why do you want to? What is your concern?

I hate to answer a question without knowing what material the mulch is. I've used grass trimmings, wheat straw, and wood chips as mulch. Some people use shredded bark, hay, dead leaves, or even pebbles. Some cardboard or newspapers. I'm not even sure what some of those bags of mulch you can buy really are.

In general I'd think there is not much reason to clean it up but that might depend on what it actually is.

Well my concern is that it’s 7year old mulch. I believe at one point of time it was the “red” mulch wood chip bags you see at Home Depot and stuff but now it’s brown and no longer has that red ish color.
I guess the reason why I ask is safety and oddly enough comfort...lol it doesn’t seem comfortable to walk on lol but safety being my maid concern

 

[Happy mother clucker]

This is what it looks like

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't see any issues with that at all. The dye has rinsed away. The dye was probably plant based anyway so not an issue. They will love scratching in that, no telling what nice creepy crawlies they'll find to snack on. Trust me, they will be quite comfortable walking on that.

 

[3KillerBs]

Chickens would absolutely LOVE to dig into old mulch and find the tasty bugs living underneath.

It looks like you've got a nice start on a deep litter system for your run. You can top it up with some shavings, dried grass clippings, pine straw, fallen leaves, or whatever other compost browns you might have handy if the mulch doesn't seem deep enough or loose enough to absorb the waste.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The fact that it's old and the dye has washed out makes it better IMO. Looks nice and chunky still. My wood chip pile is around 3 years old now, no issue using those.

 

[Happy mother clucker]

Chickens would absolutely LOVE to dig into old mulch and find the tasty bugs living underneath.

It looks like you've got a nice start on a deep litter system for your run. You can top it up with some shavings, dried grass clippings, pine straw, fallen leaves, or whatever other compost browns you might have handy if the mulch doesn't seem deep enough or loose enough to absorb the waste.

Yay that makes me happy
Happy safe chickens is all I want

 

[Happy mother clucker]

The fact that it's old and the dye has washed out makes it better IMO. Looks nice and chunky still. My wood chip pile is around 3 years old now, no issue using those.

So nice to hear. I’m glad it’s all safe and that they would like it

 

[3KillerBs]

Happy safe chickens is all I want

One philosophy of run bedding is to make it resemble the forest floor that is a chicken's natural habitat.

I'm not sure that I embrace that as a philosophy, but my little in-town flock loved nothing more than to be given a fresh layer of leaves, pine straw, and shavings to dig in.