Chicken run question

[Dyna1999]

We need some advice on what to do in the run once the chickens start scratching up all the dirt and rocks! They have also steered digging around the posts and bottom of the frame! Getting to the point where predators could start getting in. What do you all use as a fill in for the run? How about the posts and bottom frame? Anyone have this happen to them?

 

[mowin]

Chickens are diggers. Place some large rocks or blocks along the edge.
Do you have a predator apron around the outside of your coop and run? Very effective, and easy to do.

 

[Dyna1999]

Thanks for the response! Yes we have an apron around the outside of the coop! We will probably have to add additional dirt inside to cover up some of the deeper scratches they have created!

 

[rosemarythyme]

The run should have some form of litter, the most popular choices being sand and some form of deep litter. Pros and cons depend on your climate.

My chickens were also working at the run posts so I piled bricks and rocks (had plenty lying around) around the base of each post. They also dug along the fence line in spots so I put large branches up against those areas to prevent them from starting to dig under the apron. The litter level has now built up so the bricks and rocks stay nicely in place.

 

[LateBirdFarms]

If you've got farms close, I always check for field stone piles in crop fields after they've been turned for the season, most farmers are more than happy to let you cart away as many as you can carry!
That's what we have around the inside edge and outside edge of our run. We also use a ring of stones to keep them from totally mixing the dirt bath sand into the rest of the dirt in their run