Constructing Run Floor

[Silked]

I'm not sure... Garden mulch is not ideal as the pieces are small and decompose fast. Larger wood chips are better at filtering the poop and keeping the chickens out of mud. I get coarse playground pine chips.

I’ll look for that thank you!

 

[Silked]

I'm not sure... Garden mulch is not ideal as the pieces are small and decompose fast. Larger wood chips are better at filtering the poop and keeping the chickens out of mud. I get coarse playground pine chips.

Do you have a link for the one you use or a link for one similar?

 

[StinkyAcres]

Do you have a link for the one you use or a link for one similar?

I get a product made in Vermont from a local garden store. I'm not sure where else it's available. But it's the playground chips here: https://thevermontmulch.com/wholesale-products/

 

[Silked]

I get a product made in Vermont from a local garden store. I'm not sure where else it's available. But it's the playground chips here: https://thevermontmulch.com/wholesale-products/

Super helpful thank you!

 

[StinkyAcres]

Super helpful thank you!

No problem! I hope you're able to find something similar. It's so much nicer than a dirt run.

 

[Sefirothe]

If you have room to store a very large pile of wood chips, you can see if chipdrop.com is available in your area.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

If you have room to store a very large pile of wood chips, you can see if chipdrop.com is available in your area.

I know this is an old-ish thread but would like to add for @Silked that the chip storage is needed because fresh chips should be aged a year before using, to prevent the chickens coming into contact with fresh sap mold. I signed up with this company, they seemed to cover here, but they were never in my area.

 

[Silked]

I know this is an old-ish thread but would like to add for @Silked that the chip storage is needed because fresh chips should be aged a year before using, to prevent the chickens coming into contact with fresh sap mold. I signed up with this company, they seemed to cover here, but they were never in my area.

Oh I didn’t know that. Thank you!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Oh I didn’t know that. Thank you!

Technically called ramial wood chips https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramial_chipped_wood

Our power line company regularly has the Asplundh company trimming trees somewhere around and you can get a truckload dumped if they are working near you and you speak to them. But let it sit for a year and do its thing.
I read this advice here on BYC, I think from @aart.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I know this is an old-ish thread but would like to add for @Silked that the chip storage is needed because fresh chips should be aged a year before using, to prevent the chickens coming into contact with fresh sap mold. I signed up with this company, they seemed to cover here, but they were never in my area.

It doesn't need to be a year, but give it a few months if you can (like 6 months makes me very comfortable). At a minimum I'd want them aged a month or two, and in that case you'd want to stick to skimming chips off the surface as those have aired out more.

Depending on your area you might also be able to contact tree service companies directly for chips. In my area at least they are very eager to drop off loads for free.