Chicken run on concrete surface

[NicoleMarieDolphin]

I have a hen who has gone broody in a little mini house/child playhouse type thing that we turned into a coop, and I would like to build a run attached to it so they can go outside. It opens out onto a concrete surface, just curious if anyone had any suggestions about building coops on concrete. also i realize i'll have to pick up a lot of bedding for them and concrete isn't ideal, but the house was so ideal for a broody hen i just felt like it was the best decision.

 

[elmo]

You could put some baseboards around the area and then add a couple of inches of bedding. If you use sand, 3 or 4 inches could do it. Sand would be nice for the chicks after they're hatched, and it's easy to clean with a litter scoop.

 

[patandchickens]

Nothing wrong with it if that's your only option. As you say, you wanna put a considerable depth of something atop the concrete (I would recommend an organic material, such as straw or mulch or safe garden weedings, that kind of thing) (e.t.a., after seeing previous post, yes sand is fine too, especially if they will only be in there as chicks... for adults I'd give them more like 6-10" of sand). Some of my runs are entirely on slab, just because preexisting conditions forced it, and the chickens do fine -- although IMO it is *better* to give them access to a dirt area where they can dig and dust (you can make a dusting box for a slab run but according to the chickens it isn't quite the same). But especially if this is just for chicks and they will not be spending their whole lives there, I don't personally see any problem with it at all.

And a slab *is* great protection against digging predators, rats and mud!

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[NicoleMarieDolphin]

Thank you both! These are good suggestions. I had never thought of the sand thing, or the actual benefit of predators not being able to sneak under the run.

 

[Colie <3]

Two of my coops/runs will be on concrete I bought some second hand restaurant style standing relief rubber mats to put down on the concrete for some cushion. I'm going to top that with some sort of organic material like straw. Putting the coops/runs on the concrete was one of my only options for my yard. If the mats with straw don't work out I'm going to put down a kick panel and add sand instead.

 

[FlickiChicki]

The coop and attached run area is on concrete. Keeps predators out, was just there where we wanted to put the coop, and it was done right for our weather, so it was a bigger pain to remove. What we do is build up the sides with OSB about 12" up, then change it as needed. Then 8-10" of straw. In weather when the nice grass run isn't a mud bog, they have a connecting run between so they can go to the nice grass to bug hunt, roll in dust, eat plants and so on/so forth. Plus the general free range time.

 

[BoldogKennel]

In this rain soaked hell called Olympia I am SO sick of mud I could scream. If everyone of my chickens was on concrete I would be happy! As it is, I have my current "show" chicken in one of my dog runs 6x12 and they are loving it (i think!) I throw in big grass clods for them and will give them a dust bath as soon as I can find some dry dirt! It hoses out easily.... LOVE IT!

 

[Muzzie]

My runs are concrete as a base so there can not be digging from beneath and also no mud on the chickens. I have shavings on top of the concrete that the chickens love to scratch and it is so easy to clean out and replace with new shavings.