Gravel For the Run

[MrsNorthie]

We are building planter boxes for herbs and grasses in the chicken run to give them more foraging options in their run (hardware cloth over the top so they can't get to the roots...) and I want to put some gravel around the planter boxes, not only for decoration and drainage, but I was also thinking that it could be a more natural way for the chickens to find grit as it breaks up. I found this: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Rain-Forest-30-Pound-s/5000894585, but I am worried that these pieces may be too big for them to use safely, but small enough for them to try. What do you think about this size?

Has anyone else tried this? What have you used? We will be using the same material in our Turkey space as well.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I wouldn't do gravel in the run for several reasons.

Walking on gravel is likely to cause bumble foot.
They will want/need to scratch around and take dust baths.
Poo+non decomposing material = stink and bacterial growth.

If using just around the boxes and dirt is nearby the gravel will certainly be buried in dirt from them scratching there.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I'd use wood chips instead of gravel for many reasons. What do you do for dust bath? If that's sand, that is a "natural grit."

 

[McChooky]

No gravel! They need to be able to scratch which comes natural for them and even small gravel will injure the pads on their feet.When I let my chickens out in a new fenced yard last year several of them got bumble foot and had to be treated for it (months!)

 

[perkolator]

Aside from potential health issues mentioned, I wouldn’t put gravel anywhere near where chickens would go simply because it will not stay put and it’s going to be a waste of materials and effort. They will spread it around VERY quickly once they have access and it will just end up mixed with everything. IMO arborist wood chips are the best base material for chicken runs.

 

[MrsNorthie]

I'd use wood chips instead of gravel for many reasons. What do you do for dust bath? If that's sand, that is a "natural grit."

They have a sandbox with builders sand, and they are making ones of their own, in various places. ;-) I use wood chips on the floor of the coop and in the run when it gets soaked from torrential rain, it then gets raked up with all the poop and goes into the compost for the garden.

My concern is that they bits in the sand are not big enough to be grit, their food is a lightly fermented mix of whole grains, peas, field peas, barley, etc, then also adding more 'fun' foraging options, I fear that they will need more grit. I get a 50lb bag of untreated plain crushed granite grit from Chewy, I was just looking for a larger quantity that could serve multiple purposes. (Drainage, decorative and grit.) The plantar boxes are going to be quite large and I sort of envision building chicken bridges between them, for activity interest. I am really working toward making lots of shady places, good natural cover, plants and herbs that they can eat, and fun for them, a chicken paradise, LOL

In reading a lot of other responses, putting gravel/grit on the ground is not the answer. This is exactly why I post my wild ideas on here. Lot's of great information from people with more experience than me. Thank you.

 

[MrsNorthie]

I wouldn't do gravel in the run for several reasons.

Walking on gravel is likely to cause bumble foot.
They will want/need to scratch around and take dust baths.
Poo+non decomposing material = stink and bacterial growth.

If using just around the boxes and dirt is nearby the gravel will certainly be buried in dirt from them scratching there.

Very true, don't know why I thought the gravel would just stay in the tracks around the planters. Thank you!

 

[MrsNorthie]

No gravel! They need to be able to scratch which comes natural for them and even small gravel will injure the pads on their feet.When I let my chickens out in a new fenced yard last year several of them got bumble foot and had to be treated for it (months!)

Their run is quite large and about to be expanded. (thus the interest in making other improvements.) It wasn't intended to cover the entirety of the run, just in tracks around the planter boxes, but as 21-Hens pointed out, they will just kick it all out all over the place, and then, yes be walking on it.

 

[MrsNorthie]

Aside from potential health issues mentioned, I wouldn’t put gravel anywhere near where chickens would go simply because it will not stay put and it’s going to be a waste of materials and effort. They will spread it around VERY quickly once they have access and it will just end up mixed with everything. IMO arborist wood chips are the best base material for chicken runs.

Ha! Yes, I was thinking of building a 2" frame around the plantar boxes and fill in that with the gravel, but my little angels would get in there and scatter it about. They aren't too concerned with aesthetics. LOL Sometimes you just have to talk through these things with people with more expertise and experience. Thank you.

 

[McChooky]

Took a year for me to get rid of the bumble foot .Some of it was caused by dead raspberry canes sticking up out of the ground