Dirt floor of run questions

[Tamma]

I have 3 RSL chickens almost a year old. My coop is 6x8 and my run is 6x8. The coop inside is wonderful (thanks to all the help here).

My run has a dirt floor and I am concerned about the dirt.
The same dirt has been in there since the end of May. I almost never see poop in the run. I think they just walk it into the dirt. And then they bathe in the dirt holes that they dig. I don't like to put scraps in
the run. I always have to put it on a paper plate so they don't eat the poop dirt with it.
Am I being too obsessive here? Should I switch to sand or what?

Also, how many chicken will COMFORTABLY fit.in my setup? I have 3 and am getting 3 more.

Thanks for all you sage advice everyone!

 

[chickenkeeper12]

About the space you could have around 5-6 birds in your run. I started out with dirt and didn't like it so I went to leaves and I hated that so then I went to straw and I loved it so for the past couple weeks I've had straw and the chickens seem to like it a lot.

 

[Tamma]

So you can remove the poop from the straw much better?
Do they dig up all the straw to make dust baths. My
chickens forage for only about 4 hours a day.
Thanks!

 

[redsoxs]

I like to keep straw or hay down - keep down the dust. I change it out every few weeks.

 

[chickenkeeper12]

Answering your question about the dust baths, since I just put the straw down and it's the winter the ground rock solid. They probably will and it won't be bad at all.