Do you Clean out poop from the run?

[DSill]

Curious to know if you all clean out poop from the run? I added pine bark nuggets and mix it around and it seems to be ok for now. Today, the edges of the run are getting muddy bc of the rain coming in from the sides. I'm reading to use pelletized bedding, but then it turns to sawdust. Are ppl picking out poop from it or just turning it often and letting everything just eventually become one with the dirt floor?

I have gravel in the part of the run that has wire over it and sand in the area that has a solid cover. they have sandy dusting areas and boxes. I do occasionally go through and pick up poop, but it’s time consuming and they just poop so much! (Only 6) I keep adding sand and gravel over it. The gravel doesn’t get muddy, but they still get wet feet when they go in that section. They don’t seem to mind a little rain.

 

[Sydney65]

I have a sand run. My cleaning tools are a metal kiddy garden set, particularly the hoe, and a large kitty liter sifter with a long handle (amazon). I just use the hoe to pull the sand/poo into the sifter, raise the sifter and the clean sand falls through. I do this daily; it doesn't take long to clean, I waste very little sand, and my run doesn't smell, and flies aren't an issue.
The kiddy rakes are handy for tight spaces and the dreaded molting season, as well as piling up refuge to be sifted, and easier for me to maneuver than full size yard tools.

 

[SherylTingley]

Thats a good question. I also don't use pellets but I do use pine shavings. Once I notice that there is more poo than pine shavings I cover it up again with pine shavings. I have never shoveled it out or mixed it up. It really is a good mix for compost (poo and shavings) as one is green and the other is brown so it composts readily. I don't get mud because my run is covered. If your run is not covered than the tip about sand is really a good one. I live in Seattle so I need a cover on my run.

 

[jreardon1918]

I never clean the run. Here is my yearly schedule, spring and fall. I shovel out as much compost as I need for the gardens. That includes providing for family. I remove all the pine shavings from the coop and dump in the run. So that is 6 months of coop poop added to the run. I also add fall cleanup leaves and grass to the run. Both coop and run lack any offensive odor. Just yesterday the run got a two foot layer of leaves grass and pine needles. Today it is spread and down to about 4” .

I should add that the run is covered but heavy rains soak the bedding. A bit like a forest. This has worked for me and the girls for 6+ years.

 

[bjdewell]

Curious to know if you all clean out poop from the run? I added pine bark nuggets and mix it around and it seems to be ok for now. Today, the edges of the run are getting muddy bc of the rain coming in from the sides. I'm reading to use pelletized bedding, but then it turns to sawdust. Are ppl picking out poop from it or just turning it often and letting everything just eventually become one with the dirt floor?

My 4 hens use their coop only to sleep, and I clean out the poop under the roost bar every morning, then take a scoop and paint scraper and walk around the yard three or so times each day to remove the poop from their free ranging. I'll never get it all, my yard is very rocky, and half of it is a hill, but I do the best I can so that my dog and I don't track poop into the house. I do a total cleanout of the coop every six weeks, adding Poultry Protector spray for mites and other tiny insects, and Coop and Compost which is a coop odor neutralizer. Then I add new pine shavings and some homemade potpourri. And they are good for another six weeks. Our weather is pretty temperate during the winter, some snow but not enough to keep them inside, so they are still outside in the yard all day.

 

[SamIamNam786]

bark takes a long time to compost, I don't care for the pellets, or big wood chips, nor does my cat! The few times I've scraped the run, I add the scrapings to my compost pile. The hens will tear through the compost when they have a chance, and they love it...

What do you use?

 

[JeffreyWare]

I've read that the wood chips (not shavings!) need to be aged, I think at least a year before it can be safe for the chickens.

I took 6 commercial loads of wood chips from the arborist looking for a dump location. Fresh as the morning dew. Our run is 14x32, with wood chips. It’s the best. I can rake it smooth in 5 minutes weekly. They love to scratch and search so raking restarts the cycle. It seems the chips could be topped up after 6 months. Finding an arborist was a blessing. Gave him my address and truck after truck arrived. No mess when it rains. The chips appear to work better than our lawn or driveway (gravel and sand). I recommend chips. They’re good around your trees as well, breaking down slowly over bare soil.

 

[Kmaria187]

We use our grass clippings when we mow our grass and wood shavings in our run 15' x 20' we get a lot of rain up here so we keep a tarp on our run don't clean out the run just add more grass clippings and more shavings if it gets too muddy

 

[StinkyAcres]

I took 6 commercial loads of wood chips from the arborist looking for a dump location. Fresh as the morning dew. Our run is 14x32, with wood chips. It’s the best. I can rake it smooth in 5 minutes weekly. They love to scratch and search so raking restarts the cycle. It seems the chips could be topped up after 6 months. Finding an arborist was a blessing. Gave him my address and truck after truck arrived. No mess when it rains. The chips appear to work better than our lawn or driveway (gravel and sand). I recommend chips. They’re good around your trees as well, breaking down slowly over bare soil.

That's wonderful! We haven't been able to find someone willing to give away wood chips. We've tried ChipDrop and others and we're still waiting for a delivery.

 

[aart]

I took 6 commercial loads of wood chips from the arborist looking for a dump location. Fresh as the morning dew. Our run is 14x32

@JeffreyWare you put that much in the run all at once?
Got pics?