Gravel vs sand in run- Coop completed on New Year's Day!

[Cargo]

I have larger gravel like you describe. If I could, I would change it out for something smaller. It is just too big for them to play with. Might as well be concrete as far as the girls are concerned.
Previous house owners put it in as a dog run and it is about 10-12" deep.

 

[Chicklette 1]

Most of my experience has been with dog runs and I have an idea which is easiest to rake into a scoop. I clean my chicken run the same way.......with a rake and scoop. I can clean up fairly easy where I have the class i sand but I know that if the surface is too soft like pea gravel or too hard like larger stones, it is very difficult to get it up with the rake. Is anyone familiar with class i sand?

 

[BoyetteK9]

Does anyone use shredded bark mulch in the run to keep mud to a minimum? By the way, the coop looks awesome! You two did a superb job, and your girls will be very happy there.)

 

[wood&feathers]

I like a hybrid method. Put down a good coarse gravel base 3-4" thick. Then top with either a layer of finer gravel or sand. These are easier to rake clean. You can continue to freshen the surface with sand or fine gravel. Because we have a gravel road that needs yearly maintenance I try to keep a small pile of extra gravel around anyway.

 

[Chicklette 1]

Very good idea as the heavier stone gives air space between the stones which provides drainage.........especially important in a dog run where there is a lot of urine. Keeping it away from the surface, keeps the odor down and it is easier to hose it down. I am still waiting to see if anyone uses i class sand.

 

[blueseal]

i put 3inch crushed concrete gravel in part of my run where it was muddy i used a whole 18yd load in the muddiest spot i was tired of walking thru the mud . that and it needed to be built up because the rain water would sit right in that area. packs real good. no more mud. my run is big i have 250 ft of 2x4 5ft high fencing .plenty of pasture to roam.

 

[terrilhb]

Not sure about gravel or sand. Our run and floor in coop is dirt. Just wanted to say your coop and run is beautiful.

 

[MissJenny]

terrilhb beat me in wishing you a warm

I was going to do sand over pea gravel... but the pea gravel is working out just fine. The poop breaks up when it dries and filters through the gravel -- it works real well, very clean, no smell. It seems to be easy on the hens feet.

Jenny

 

[trilyn]

Quote:
I plan on using the sand myself this year. Going to redo my entire run. I'd like to use old rr ties for the base and attach the hog panels used to make hoop houses over it and then spread a silver tarp over the top for a rain/shade/snow barrier. Then fill the interior with sand. Should make things much more enjoyable for the girls and myself! Right now I've got a run with the t-posts and hardware cloth and then some 3/4 inch pvc bent into "hoops" with a silver tarp over the top. Works okay, but would love something a bit more sturdy and permanent. Also really want a bigger door for one end of the run to make clean-outs and maintenance in general much easier.

 

[BankerJohn]

It sounds as if the gravel is already there and you are asking about sand, after the fact. If so, you will soon find that the rock is not the best flooring for the chickens and their waste. I was in this same situation. My decision was to top the gravel with landscape cloth then top the landscape cloth with about 3-4 inches of sand. The voids in the gravel will allow for excellent drainage. Clean up off the sand surface is very easy... think kitty litter scoop to pick up chicken poo.

The above was my decision. Yours may be different. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Banker John