Daily run clean

[JGamgee]

Maybe a very silly question;
I have hard wood chips as the run floor. Do I hose the poop down each day for cleaning? It’s pretty covered so rain won’t rinse it through the chips.

 

[nuthatched]

Don't hose, let it dry. Don't clean them.

 

[Logar]

No, as long as your run is properly sized you shouldn’t have to clean it much. If you want you can remove it and replace with clean bedding every couple of months or you can just add more on top of the current stuff when it starts to break down a bit. Having a dry run is the best way to avoid odor problems.

 

[StinkyAcres]

No, as long as your run is properly sized you shouldn’t have to clean it much.

This is important. How big is your run and how many birds do you have? You shouldn't have to clean it out, only add new chips on top.

 

[JGamgee]

Thank you, it’s my first weekend with my chickens and I’ve completely underestimated how much comes out of them.
Jacques

 

[JGamgee]

Run is 4ft x 7ft with 4 chickens in there. This is until they’re used to their coop then can allow to run around a reasonable size enclosed garden.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Run is 4ft x 7ft with 4 chickens in there. This is until they’re used to their coop then can allow to run around a reasonable size enclosed garden.

That's a little smaller than the minimum 10 square feet per bird that is usually recommended. You may want to at least stir it regularly while they are confined to the run to get the poop to go down underneath the chips and decompose into the soil.

 

[aart]

I have hard wood chips

How big are the chips?
Pics, please?