Gravel For the Run

[aart]

Yeah, too big for digestive grit.

FYI bumble foot is caused by staph infection.
Cuts to the feet may or may not become infected.
I have plenty of sharp stuff(coarse wood chips) and big jumps and have never had a case of bumblefoot.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

their food is a lightly fermented mix of whole grains, peas, field peas, barley, etc,

This is the main diet or scratch/treat? A chicken paradise is free range foraging which includes bugs and all sorts of things, not just rabbit food.... But if that's not an option then I like where you're going with providing a garden. If you have a compost, toss them a hand full of worms here and there, especially if the mix you mentioned is the main diet.

 

[MrsNorthie]

This is the main diet or scratch/treat? A chicken paradise is free range foraging which includes bugs and all sorts of things, not just rabbit food.... But if that's not an option then I like where you're going with providing a garden. If you have a compost, toss them a hand full of worms here and there, especially if the mix you mentioned is the main diet.

We are too close to the road to free range. We have a large run, that even 37 chickens do not make use of the entire space and we are expanding it again, thus all the landscaping plans, I want to encourage them to broaden their horizons. I have plans for some covered roosting and water stations through out with a variety of planter boxes with things of interest for them, different heights for interest.

They do get a lot of bugs and vegetation, South Carolina has pretty mild winters so there are always bugs. I have planted some grape vines and herbs around the outside of the run, but after a really wet autumn and winter, they have dug up all the grass, so it is time to plant things inside the run. ;-)

The feed idea came from this article by @Perris: https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...eat-tears-a-calculator-or-deep-pockets.78655/

This is their main "provided" diet, I feed them first thing in the morning and late afternoon, a few hours before dark so they can fill up before bed. I will scatter the dry grain for them as a scratch, mostly for my boys who really love it! We supplement with scramble and fish, mostly sardines in water or tuna, unless I can get a good deal on fresh or freshly frozen fish at the grocery store, they seem to be thriving.

 

[p4PaDuck]

Yeah don’t put gravel in the run. Once you have to deal with bumble foot you’ll try to avoid it happening again. It gets nasty and the chicken is in pain and constantly screeching.