Chicken Run

[lynnehd]

And Australorps are amazingly heat tolerant.

My hens cannot run my full back yard.
My primary daytime predators are airborne; hawks, eagles.

So, I do increase the flock's space by using a chicken run that leads to a daytime only area under a tree. (Plastic fencing, staked, with bird netting suspended above using coated wire up through the tree and down the other side).
They love it, although the grass in that area does not. Oh well.

So this may be something you can try as a supplement to your coop and run.

 

[Jesusisnumber1]

Question... Our chicken run was plush with green grass and is now dirt... Is this ok? I do not have a mobile coop and the area the run is is quite a perfect blend of shade and sun.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

When confined they will always turn the area to dirt. Perfectly fine and they love to dust bath.

Currently I provide 1600 square feet for 14 birds. Even with all that space if I don't move the the electric netting in three weeks there are many near dead patches and a few small areas dirt.

 

[ChickenMammX4]

Question... Our chicken run was plush with green grass and is now dirt... Is this ok? I do not have a mobile coop and the area the run is is quite a perfect blend of shade and sun.

Ours was lush grass too, it didn't last too long! Now it has a think 'carpet' of grass clippings, straw, pine shavings and leaves will be added this fall. The run is covered so no mud problems and the poop disappears into the deep litter.

 

[txkittykat]

How can you keep your dirt run from.getting muddy? Is there something underneath the dirt? This is a concern of mine too...

 

[Ridgerunner]

Pat’s Big Ol' Mud Page (fixing muddy runs):
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-fix-a-muddy-run

The best time to fix a muddy run is when you build it. Different people have different climates and different set-ups so the same thing won’t work for everyone. Maybe that article can give you some ideas that might work for you.

 

[txkittykat]

Pat’s Big Ol' Mud Page (fixing muddy runs):
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-fix-a-muddy-run

The best time to fix a muddy run is when you build it. Different people have different climates and different set-ups so the same thing won’t work for everyone. Maybe that article can give you some ideas that might work for you.

Thank you for that link! I was thinking of making the run with gravel ro help reduce the mud. THIS LINK IS GREAT!

 

[ChickenMammX4]

How can you keep your dirt run from.getting muddy? Is there something underneath the dirt? This is a concern of mine too...

Our run is covered, sorry I didn't mention that.

 

[txkittykat]

Our run is covered, sorry I didn't mention that.

Do chickens not need or like a lot of direct sunlight? I was thinking a fully covered run, but I was under the impression they need direct sunlight...but, I guess they're not the same as plants

 

[21hens-incharge]

In a covered run there are times of day when the sun will come in through the sides. Mine like to bathe in these sunny patches. The roof keeps the majority of the rain and snow out letting them have a dry space to hang out. The sun will still shine in so long as the run is 6 foot tall or taller.