Chicken Run

[Moe Jr]

Hello All!

My husband and I (brand new to the chicken game) are working on the site for our chicken run. There's a lot of clay soil, heavy and uneven, and we're trying to get it level. We're hoping to use sand and wood chips as the base of our run, but could we put down a layer of gravel over the clay? So we could tamp it down flat and make things even? And if that's a fair idea, what size gravel is recommended? There will be a roof over the run, fyi. Thanks in advance!
Moe Jr

 

[aart]

How un-level is it?
Bad enough not to be able to build the run?
Is drainage a problem in the area?
Pics of the land and building plans of run construction should garner some valid suggestions.

I would not worry about it being flat level for the birds, they'll dig holes anyway, and gravel is a bad idea. Coarse wood chippings(for a tree trimmer) will help break down the poops and eventually break up the clay.

 

[perkolator]

Skip all those unnecessary steps and materials. Install fencing, dump in a big pile of wood chips and let the chickens do the rest

 

[Sefirothe]

If you are putting posts in the ground to anchor your fencing you could do as perkolator suggests.

If you are building on top of the ground and want things level as possible, 2A modified stone works great to level and compact down to form a base to build on.

 

[Ridgeback825]

I added gravel in a run under my hen house and hate it. It tends to get everywhere and cuts up the feet and allows for foot infections. I'd steer clear of it and use sand.

 

[Sefirothe]

I probably should have also specified we have about 6-8 inches of wood chips on top of the gravel. The chickens rarely dig down deep enough to hit rocks.