do you line your run with gravel or sand or just leave the dirt?

[PeepsAreForMe]

Rock Home Isle - you made me laugh! I like pleasant and earthy too!! I'm curious, are everyone's runs covered? We are putting the finishing touches on our coop before our girls go out, they are 6 weeks now and just about ready. My husband is adding an extended protected run to our coop. It will just have hardware cloth over the top. Should I cover the top of all of it? I'm concerned about the run getting wet and stinky when it rains. If I should cover it, what should I use?

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I don't know exactly what to tell you...a covered run is great, almost mandatory IF you know that there is the threat of hawks, owls and other aerial predators.

I covered my Run with my House..

 

[PeepsAreForMe]

I should have specified, that the run will be predator proof. We are covering it with hardware cloth on all four sides and underneath. I just was not sure if part or all of it should have a solid roof. BTW the setup you have for your chickens is awesome! My husband has been wonderful but I highly doubt he would raise our house up for the chicks!! LOL

 

[heath_elisha]

We have a large pen for our chickens and we just put down tons of wood chips (they were free

) and whenever we get the chance, I throw in leaves from yard cleanups. They love to forage and they are never bored. I left a spot bare so that they could do a dirt bath, but also added sandy and DE to it. They love it...... and I have never cleaned it. Once and a great while I will go through with a rake and fluff up the chips so that they can get to the bugs hiding lol

 

[Rock Home Isle]

We have a large pen for our chickens and we just put down tons of wood chips (they were free

) and whenever we get the chance, I throw in leaves from yard cleanups. They love to forage and they are never bored. I left a spot bare so that they could do a dirt bath, but also added sandy and DE to it. They love it...... and I have never cleaned it. Once and a great while I will go through with a rake and fluff up the chips so that they can get to the bugs hiding lol

Composting yards are the bomb....nothing like them. Very Cool.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I should have specified, that the run will be predator proof. We are covering it with hardware cloth on all four sides and underneath. I just was not sure if part or all of it should have a solid roof. BTW the setup you have for your chickens is awesome! My husband has been wonderful but I highly doubt he would raise our house up for the chicks!! LOL

Covering a run is essentialy a personal choice. Mine is actually covered because of its location under our deck, in the backyard. I've never had a covered run. But there are some people that like the looks and esthetics of a covered run...it looks complete when its covered. Covered runs are also very versatile in their serviceability. You can use a covered run for any poultry. Un-Covered runs are more limited and are more often used with general types of poultry. Un-Covered runs are the norm, the backyard flocks that most of us keep do just fine in Un-Covered runs.

The yards that I have seen that were completely covered were covered for very specific reasons.

Aerial predators is a good solid reason to cover the run. Small Light Poultry Breeds, as a general rule, are great fliers, and to keep them in the run people will cover their runs. Game birds, again, are great fliers; so covering the run would have its benifits. The birds are very valuable and the owner did not want to risk any losses through escape from the yard.

I had a neighbor, one time, that covered his run because his chickens just kept getting out. He had used a 3 foot fence to enclose his run and keep his chickens in the yard. Well...he kept Jersy Giants...at a bit over 3 foot those Jerseys could almost just step over the fence.

I hope that you post photos of your run...and share what you have with others.

 

[devora]

I don't know exactly what to tell you...a covered run is great, almost mandatory IF you know that there is the threat of hawks, owls and other aerial predators.

I covered my Run with my House..

Please explain your grass! I don't see a barricade between the birds and your lawn.

How can this be, oh magic one?

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Please explain your grass! I don't see a barricade between the birds and your lawn.

How can this be, oh magic one?

Your vague mythical tones ring hollow with me...oh Ambiguos One.

Translation: What are you talking about?

 

[nwtim]

Chickens given free access to a grass area will soon render that grass into dirt.

 

[devora]

How do you have a freakin' lawn?! I wanna lawn!

Is there a fence of any kind barring those birds at the feeders from wandering onto that luxurious bed of greeeeen? Are your birds so well-behaved they do not partake?

How, how can this be?