chicken run ground materials and enrichment?

[CoolClucker]

We have an attached enclosed run for our chickens, they do not free range as there are far too many predators here. We have 15, mixed breeds med to small size. We started with grass, then of course that went very fast and turned to mud. So we added sand and now it's mud again. I'm wanting to revamp things a bit for them and we have got to do something about this mud situation. Spring is pretty rainy here and the mud gets deep. I've been reading and doing research and I think using wood chips etc would be a great solution. I'm not crazy about straw/hay because I worry about mold. So what I want to ask is what to use with wood chips? The chickens have dug big holes all over so should I hoe/till it smooth or just add sand to fill in the holes and smooth out? Then I wanted to use wood chips/corncob bedding/ and wood pellets. Would that work ok? I am wondering about the compact wood pellets they use for horse stalls only because they expand when wet so is that good for absorption/drainage, or would that turn into a mess? I use corncob bedding in the nest boxes and it's soft and nice for them. They seem to like it a lot. I use sand in the coop and in the winter I add med wood shavings. I use wood shavings/corncob in the boxes. Works great. What if I can't find wood chips? Can I use med wood shavings?

As far as enrichment, they have 2 long raised roosts, and a few stumps. I want to add a tire for a dust bath, although no idea where to get an old tractor tire, and a few more stumps and maybe some sort of ladder? Any ideas are welcome.

Thank you !

 

[3KillerBs]

Many people swear by coarse wood chips -- the sort you get from tree trimming services. They are usually easy to source as long as you have an easily accessible place for the service to dump a full truck.

I like a mix of materials because I find that having different materials and textures makes it less likely to pack, mat, and develop anaerobic pockets.

I accept the chickens digging holes. It's their natural behavior as they look for foot and make dust baths. If they're threatening to undermine the fence I stick a concrete block or a chunk of log in the hole. Otherwise I walk carefully to not twist my ankles in the holes and rest assured that another day that hole will be replaced by a different hole.

If it gets too terribly bad I dump another load of bedding into the pen and pile it into the existing holes.

This is my article on run furniture: https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-“chickens-101”-articles-don’t-mention.76003/

 

[Sally PB]

I just read that article. It gave me some great ideas! Thanks!

 

[3KillerBs]

I just read that article. It gave me some great ideas! Thanks!

Thank you.

The cool thing about those materials is that they are infinitely flexible.

 

[aart]

What if I can't find wood chips? Can I use med wood shavings?

Use the coarsest wood chips you can find.
But first, fixing any drainage issues will help immensely.
Pics of your run might help here.

More 'enrichment' ideas:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[rosemarythyme]

Wood chips and wood shavings don't work the same - chips (provided they're coarse and varied in sizes) allow for drainage and aeration that shavings don't.

If you're planning on using wood chips then consider using deep litter with the chips as a base. Add dried leaves, garden trimmings, short cropped grass, weeds, whatever organic matter is available for you. If there's not enough in your own yard some folks have had neighbors offer up free yard waste since it saves them money from having to pay for disposal.

 

[AbbyFabby]

If you're planning on using wood chips then consider using deep litter with the chips as a base.

What do you mean by "deep litter"?

 

[3KillerBs]

What do you mean by "deep litter"?

Deep Litter and Deep Bedding are often confused:

Deep Bedding: A dry, non-composting system where you keep adding bedding to the coop as it becomes soiled -- managing it by turning it as necessary (or getting the chickens to turn it for you) -- and clean it out only infrequently when the bedding has become both thoroughly soiled and piled up to the point of not being able to add more. Usually used above a floor in the coop but *can* be done in a covered run over dirt in a favorable climate.

Deep Litter: A moist (not wet, moist), system where the lower layers of material are actively composting while new, dry material is continually added to the top. *Can* be done on any floor surface but is most readily accomplished on a dirt floor because the dirt will seed the material with the beneficial composting organisms.

Deep litter can be an extremely effective system in an uncovered run and a base of wood chips is a very good start for it.

 

[rosemarythyme]

What do you mean by "deep litter"?

3KillerBs described it well. Just to further explain, it's what I meant when I suggested adding additional organic matter in with the wood chips. The dried leaves and grasses and weeds will compost down between the chips, breaking down poop and eating up odor.

 

[PDXJULES]

For FREE Wood Chips try ChipDrop.com - I've had 3 deliveries this year!