Flooring idea for muddy run - something permanent

[Kellylwong]

We are putting pea gravel down outside of the run, where we walk around. The chickens have decimated the grass there. They used to be free range in our modest backyard, but we now have a dog with predatory instincts and we've also since turfed the yard, therefore there is no area for free-ranging. I provided bugs and vegetables/treats, etc to make up for this. My question is: if the dirt (sometimes mud) from the run gets scratched and tossed out onto the pea gravel areas, what can I put in their run instead of the dirt that is currently there? I use pine shavings in the coop and toss and mix those into the dirt in their run. They like to scratch around in it, but sometimes it becomes muddy. Should I also add pea gravel to the mix or should I dig out all the dirt and make their run pea gravel as well (reallllly don't want to do that), or should I add some concrete pavers on top of the dirt??

 

[DobieLover]

Put down a thick layer of wood chips. I get mine from the local town highway departments. They collect tax payers branches curbside and run them through a chipper/shredder into huge piles that are free for the taking.
How is the dirt getting tossed out of the run? If it is secured with 1/2" hardware cloth, it would be much harder for wood chips to get shot through.
Also putting a solid roof over the run will help keep it dry.

 

[Kellylwong]

We

Put down a thick layer of wood chips. I get mine from the local town highway departments. They collect tax payers branches curbside and run them through a chipper/shredder into huge piles that are free for the taking.
How is the dirt getting tossed out of the run? If it is secured with 1/2" hardware cloth, it would be much harder for wood chips to get shot through.
Also putting a solid roof over the run will help keep it dry.

We do have a roof over the run. And the sides are hardware cloth. I'll look into getting actual woodchips rather than pine shavings. I also don't really have a place to put all this dirt once it builds up. I dont have a garden to use the fertilized soil. I suppose maybe once a year I can dig it out and let people have it for their gardens.

 

[Knobby]

I normally put down woodchips that we can get for free from various sources in my area. The woodchips decompose nicely and help build-up low spots in certain areas of the run. Overtime, you can dig up the area, use that fertile soil elsewhere, and then put down more woodchips to repeat the cycle.

 

[rosemarythyme]

x3 on wood chips to allow for air and water to work through the litter mix. I'd avoid gravel, a little is ok but it's harder on their feet and once poop works its way in you might have a bigger odor and mud issue than before.

If you don't want the compost that's created if you have friends/neighbors that garden, they might be happy to do the work in helping to remove it every few years in exchange for free compost.

 

[skunknchatter]

This is my first mud season using pine pellet bedding and I'm sold on it. It soaks up the mud and basically turns into sawdust. Then it slowly dries out. Next time it rains it soaks up the water again. It doesn't pack down like shavings and turn into a solid moldy mat. Easy to sweep up or shovel out of/when needed.

 

[Kellylwong]

This is my first mud season using pine pellet bedding and I'm sold on it. It soaks up the mud and basically turns into sawdust. Then it slowly dries out. Next time it rains it soaks up the water again. It doesn't pack down like shavings and turn into a solid moldy mat. Easy to sweep up or shovel out of/when needed.

How often do you shovel it out? I added pine bark nuggets today and they really liked scratching that around.

 

[Ted Brown]

Go with coarse mulch, bits of wood, branches, bark. I also add heaps of dried leaves & needles each fall.

Mine is now about 12"+ inches deep and is in it's 7th year, zero maintenance. My run has a steel roof so other than around the edges neither snow nor rain come in. No smell, no waste underfoot, chickens love it and spend 98% of their time there. I have 27 hens.

 

[LimaYankeeKilo]

We are putting pea gravel down outside of the run, where we walk around. The chickens have decimated the grass there. They used to be free range in our modest backyard, but we now have a dog with predatory instincts and we've also since turfed the yard, therefore there is no area for free-ranging. I provided bugs and vegetables/treats, etc to make up for this. My question is: if the dirt (sometimes mud) from the run gets scratched and tossed out onto the pea gravel areas, what can I put in their run instead of the dirt that is currently there? I use pine shavings in the coop and toss and mix those into the dirt in their run. They like to scratch around in it, but sometimes it becomes muddy. Should I also add pea gravel to the mix or should I dig out all the dirt and make their run pea gravel as well (reallllly don't want to do that), or should I add some concrete pavers on top of the dirt??

https://getchipdrop.com/ is an organization that matches tree workers with homes that need wood chips. It's free with an optional pay delivery fee that offsets the tree workers' fee for participation.

"We help gardeners get free wood chip mulch deliveries." (GetChipDrop.com site)

There are considerations eg. you won't have rigid control over when they come & must indicate where it will be dumped. ALSO, only full dump truck loads - we are talking a small mountain of mulch.

So if a whole truck load is too much for you, maybe you can share with a neighbor or two.

 

[Ted Brown]

@LimaYankeeKilo has a great suggestion with one caveat.

You should have a look at the mulch that would be delivered, coarse chunks of wood and bark is preferred.