Cleaning Run

[LmG2007]

Hi All! I am new to chicken raising and have a questions on maintenance. I have read a lot about cleaning the coop but what about the chicken run? I have 15 chicks that are 4 weeks old and their run is 10x16ft. What if anything do i need to put on the bottom of the run and how often do I need to clean it? Right now there is grass and hay on the bottom.

 

[DobieLover]

I don't clean my run. I have a thick layer of wood chips that is used for run litter. The chickens scratch through it to turn everything over and it will cold compost on its own. No need to clean it out.
This type of setup only works well if your run is on high ground and drains well. Or if the run is covered and no water drains into the run.

 

[ejtalbert]

Hi All! I am new to chicken raising and have a questions on maintenance. I have read a lot about cleaning the coop but what about the chicken run? I have 15 chicks that are 4 weeks old and their run is 10x16ft. What if anything do i need to put on the bottom of the run and how often do I need to clean it? Right now there is grass and hay on the bottom.

We have a run that is on a muddy place, but also next to a pine tree. So we put a thin layer of pine needles at the bottom to keep moisture out and we rake them out and replace them every 6 days.

 

[Parront]

When the grass is all eaten you will want to cover the bare dirt with any free mulch that you have available. Here I can get all the pine needles I could ever want. Some people have wood chips available, which are great. I have used straw, we live in a dry place. Dry leaves in the fall are also great. You are looking for free stuff to make nice compost, with free chicken labor to work it.

 

[3KillerBs]

Look up the Deep Litter Method.

It's a form of cold composting using a mix of dry materials to manage both moisture and odor in the chicken run. You clean it out when the pile gets inconveniently tall or you need to harvest compost for the garden.

 

[David61]

You do not want to clean a bird cage for 15 birds soo read up on deep littler and find your free biomass.