Deciding on a flooring for our run before the rainy season gets here

[cavemanrich]

If you were using the bark mulch and it got thin, then just add some more. If it is deep enough, then your drainage will be under control. If you use wood shavings, they may float away if you get a puddle in your run. The wood shavings are good inside your coop where they stay dry. The bark mulch is slightly heavier and I think will not float away, but rather absorb the water and stay put. DON'T BE WORRIED ABOUT THE LEAVES FALLING INTO YOUR RUN.. It is all part of nature and the leaves will break up in time.. You will not be able to know they were ever there. I know you are concerned about mold. Remember that mold is present and occurs in nature on a continuous basis. NOT ALL MOLD IS BAD. We try to avoid it when possible, as a precaution. That is all good. As to your chickens,.... just let them live a natural life. Don't try to raise them as if they were (the boy in the bubble).. Chickens are more resistant than many people believe them to be.

 

[henless]

Sand is the best option. It drains well and shouldn't clump if you get the right type and turn it regularly. Get construction sand and you'll be fine.

Do NOT get:
Wood Shavings
Straw
Leaves

They will all mold in the rain season and cause foot problems and infections.


Trust me, I've used sand and it's fine as long as they don't keep pooping in the same spot. Use sand!

I use deep litter in my coop and my run. I've never had any problems with mold or infections using it. We had a very wet spring, and the deep litter worked really well wicking the moisture away from the top to give them something dry to walk around on. The chickens also keep it stirred up. This gives them something to do and keeps the litter aired out.

Your coop really isn't big enough to do a true deep litter, but you could use shavings and scrape it out into your run when you clean it.

I put shavings, all kinds of leaves, pine straw, sticks, pine cones, sweet gum balls and garden leftovers in my run. My chickens love it. It gives them something to scratch through, looking for bugs or worms. They like to dig down into it and stay cool/warm depending on the weather. It keeps the smells away. No stinky chicken poo smell or slimy mucky mess like you get with dirt and rain.

There is no daily cleaning with deep litter. You can clean it once or twice a year, or just leave it in your run. I have 3 coops w/attached runs using this system. There is NO chicken smell!

You have to decide for yourself what you think you want to do. Try one, and if it doesn't work out for you, you can always try another way. Good luck and I hope you find something that works for you!

 

[chickenpatch]

The drainage of sand is very good. It only fails if you don't rake it every few weeks and break up poo clumps. Also, make it on a slight angle so the rain doesn't puddle up inside the clump.

Gravel is too harsh for their feet and could cause bumble foot. Compressed wood chips will rot in the rain season and your hens could get very sick from it.

My friend used the wood chips for 2 months, it got dirty quickly and always had mould growing underneath. I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[RonP]

I do not like high maintenance anything...

That said, I'm a huge advocate of the deep litter method.

I started my run with 10 to 12 inches of wood chips, free from many arborists.

At that depth, drainage is not an issue, top dries quickly, carbons in the wood offset the nitrates in the manure.

No smell, mud, nor flies.

No cleaning or maintenance, other than adding more chips as they slowly decompose into nutrient rich compost.

 

[SusanD]

I added some more bark mulch today as a temporary measure. I hope I did the right thing (it was dampish and looked like maybe I should have dried it out more - also, I think I remember somewhere that fresh bark mulch can have bugs in it).

Long term, I think I will discuss adding sand with my parents (or having a landscaping company do it), as I don't think it is something that I could do well. Most of the other options that are out there seem like they would require a covered run.

Thanks for all your input.

Susan

 

[lynnehd]

I have sand in my covered run. (no gravel underneath, because the area is well drained, but that's a good idea if your drainage is not adequate).
I also built up the sides of the run as mentioned; about 6 inches. The sand is about 3-4".
I have not had experience using sand in uncovered areas, but others may, and it could work well because it drains so well.

I have an open run area too, and that has short pine needles and fir shreds and chips. This stays spongy in the rain, not soggy at all.
You want to avoid cedar products, of course.
I 've heard some use Hog fuel bark from a garden supply center, too.

Mine have dust bathed in mulched areas in our yard (fir bark mulch), seems fine.

I love both of these options in their particular spots.

 

[RonP]

Long term, I think I will discuss adding sand with my parents (or having a landscaping company do it), as I don't think it is something that I could do well. Most of the other options that are out there seem like they would require a covered run.

Thanks for all your input.

Susan

Those who do use sand in their run might want to share the maintenance involved.

I would imagine, long term, the sand will be a mix of sand and poop.

What do you do with poopy sand?

Deep litter works very well with an open top run.

Moisture is necessary for microbe sustainability.

 

[lynnehd]

Those who do use sand in their run might want to share the maintenance involved.

I would imagine, long term, the sand will be a mix of sand and poop.

What do you do with poopy sand?

Deep litter works very well with an open top run.

Moisture is necessary for microbe sustainability.

There are several 'sand' threads that cover a lot of these issues.

The deep litter method is a wonderful alternative, just not one I am using. SusanD, you may want to look at the thread about this option.

I mix some PDZ in with my sand. The poop desiccates and disappears very quickly. It is directly over ground, so there is moisture wicking in, of course, and the sand will gradually work its way into the soil, and new sand will need to be added, probably about once per year.
The chickens dust bathe in the sandy run at times.

It is extremely easy to spot clean as well, which I do in summer to control flies (no problem with flies in our back yard with this system).
I don't mind doing this, it takes about 5 minutes, when I spot clean the coop. The sandy poop goes into my compost; sand is part of any soil mixture.

Anyway, it works for me.

 

[RonP]

There are several 'sand' threads that cover a lot of these issues.

The deep litter method is a wonderful alternative, just not one I am using. SusanD, you may want to look at the thread about this option.

I mix some PDZ in with my sand. The poop desiccates and disappears very quickly. It is directly over ground, so there is moisture wicking in, of course, and the sand will gradually work its way into the soil, and new sand will need to be added, probably about once per year.
The chickens dust bathe in the sandy run at times.

It is extremely easy to spot clean as well, which I do in summer to control flies (no problem with flies in our back yard with this system).
I don't mind doing this, it takes about 5 minutes, when I spot clean the coop. The sandy poop goes into my compost; sand is part of any soil mixture.

Anyway, it works for me.

I'm sure I am way overthinking it.

I have no experience at all with sand...

I do have a lot of experience producing compost though, so with a hammer in my hand, everything looks like a nail to me...

 

[SusanD]

Thanks all. I think my Dad wants to try wood chips, and I plan to go with that because I think it will be healthier than the bark mulch (for one thing I've read that bark mulch can harbor aspergillosis and can hold water (which is why its useful for plants). Are there any pitfalls that I should be aware of with the wood chips (I'm hoping we can get a kind that will weather well - not mold - and be reasonably soft for their feet).

I think (I will read up on it), I may try some variation of the deep litter method to help with the organic material (shavings, leaves, etc in the run).

Also, do you have any suggestions on accommodating their urge to scratch (maybe putting a layer of sand underneath the chips). I noticed two of my chickens kicking the bark mulch everywhere today, and one of them taking a dust bath in it. It started me thinking that they may not be able to do that as easily with the chips (depending on what size they are).

Thanks,

Susan