Cleaning the Run

[Big Bubba]

OK, I'm going to ask for help with the risk of appearing not so bright. Forgive me, I'm new to raising chickens.

I've got a coop and a run all connected together (4 RIRs). I decided for the summer I'd let the girls decide where they want to be. They, generally, spend very little time in the coop. Their nests are in the run.

Cleaning the coop is simple enough. Half of it has a screen floor and I catch droppings from there. The other half I've laid down pine shreds and can deal with it pretty simply.

Now, my run is basically all grass. I don't suppose the grass is going to survive much longer, though. When I clean it I take out the loose parts, nests, perches, and some wood pieces used to elevate the food and water and I just scrub and hose them down.

Now my question is how do I clean out the rest of the run? Basically, it is grass with a bunch of droppings on it. One friend said to just rake it up. But, I don't see how a rake is going to do much of anything. Should I just make it an all dirt and till it all into the dirt? I've heard about using sand as an option. If that is a good idea I'd like to hear how that works.

So, any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

TIA.

 

[nbenevento]

I recently switched to sand in both the coop and run and I am very happy with it. However, you don't have to use sand in the run. If it were me, I would let them finish up the grass and then till the dirt once or twice a year and be done with it. Of course the other option is sand as I actually did. Either way I think you would be happy with.

 

[Smithyard Farm]

I have left mine be... and yes, no grass... we built on dirt and they have scraped and scratched enough that the dirt is lose and fluffy. I add grass clippings in the summer, leaves in the fall and hay in the winter. and, sometimes, part of the coop shavings end up in there. I use the deep litter method and scoop out a little bit when adding shavings to the coop part


Not sure of your set-up.. but here is mine. I don't really do anything in there.. I did however, take a few shovelfuls of dirt out this spring,,, just cause I thought it was getting high, and it would make good addition to the compost pile.

I would just leave it if you can.....

 

[Big Bubba]

Thanks for the response.

One thing I failed to mention is I live in an area where it isn't legit. My neighbors gave me their approval. However, I'm worried that one house behind me was sold and I'm concerned about how my new neighbors react. The bottom line is I need to keep it clean and don't want it smell to arise where someone might be compelled to lodge a complaint.

If I just till it a couple times a year will won't it smell a little funky with all those droppings? Plus, it doesn't seem like a healthy environment. If I do use sand does that jst make collecting the droppings easier?

Thanks.

 

[southerndiymom]

As far as the grass your probably right. I have 6 hens and they have worn/scratched all the grass out of their yard so its just dirt now. We are moving them and they will have bigger yard but i doubt it takes long for the grass to start going away!
Unfortunately I'm not sure how to help with the run situation because my hen yard (which Im guessing is the same thing as a run) doesn't have droppings hardly any droppings in it, if any......they kinda clean up after themselves because as they scratch they cover the droppings and mix it in. I have read that sand and shaving (of certain wood) are also good options as ground coverings. We use shaving the house and rake it up to clean the droppings then throw it all in the compost!! The shavings have worked pretty well for us and if you have a lumber yard near you you can talk to the owner/manager and if they don't sell the shavings they usually give them away for either free or pretty cheap!! Hope that helps some!

 

[Big Bubba]

Smith Yard - Thanks for the response.

I love the pics. Curious, how do you keep critters out? The bottom part makes it look easy for critters to get in.

 

[nbenevento]

Yeah when you till it,the smell is horrible for a few hours or a day or so, I have to admit. But now that I switched to sand, it's much better. I can scoop up the droppings so easily, I wish I would have done it sooner. My coop is at the edge of the woods so I pretty much just fertilize the forest when I scoop the poop! I have way more chickens than the local ordinance allows but all of the neighbors are good with it, plus I live on 3 acres so the chickens aren't near anyone's house.

 

[Smithyard Farm]

Those pictures are from when before it was done... For some reason, I am unable to upload pictures.. so I just posted old ones....(yes you see chickies in the but I just wanted to see how they looked..

.)

when completed, the metal cloth went down into the ground about 8 inches, and the dirt was filled back in to be level with the bottom of the rail. Then we put blue rock about a foot out from the side.

 

[Big Bubba]

OK, thanks for the responses.

I think I'm going to start by gauging the neighbors and tell them to let me know if anything about the chicks is bothering them.

I like the idea of putting in shavings and grass clippings in there. That will give the droppings something to hang onto to. I'll clean it out periodically and throw the results onto the garden. If I feel like it isn't working then I think sand is the way to go.

 

[Smithyard Farm]

Thanks for the response.

One thing I failed to mention is I live in an area where it isn't legit. My neighbors gave me their approval. However, I'm worried that one house behind me was sold and I'm concerned about how my new neighbors react. The bottom line is I need to keep it clean and don't want it smell to arise where someone might be compelled to lodge a complaint.

If I just till it a couple times a year will won't it smell a little funky with all those droppings? Plus, it doesn't seem like a healthy environment. If I do use sand does that jst make collecting the droppings easier?

Thanks.

Oh I didn't mention, I have one of those hoes that shaped like a square.... so when you push forward, it scrapes down a few inches... I hope you know what I mean. Sorry I didn't mean I didn't do "anything" , I just don't rake and scoop it out....

I scrape with the hoe probably at least once a week?? or when it needs it.. (like if its rainy and the dirt is hard) I normally do it because the chickies dig their holes and it bugs me that the "floor" is not even...

I have also added DE when it has gotten wet and didn't seem to dry out enough

It does not smell.... . I think I is so dry in there and they keep it turned up pretty well, everything is breaking down properly