Help what to put in run

[Ginmary]

Thanks.... I just got a lawn vacuum with a wood chipper so I'll try making my own chips.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I give my chickens grass clippings from the lawn mower and they love it. I've never used it as a flooring in the run... Very interesting thought

By itself, they won't work - as soon as it rains they'll start to clump up and turn into a wet mat. That's why wood chips are so highly recommended as the main component, to provide natural gaps to let air and water flow through.

 

[stephanietcox]

I have been using sand (paver underlayment) and it works great here in Fl... I take a small rake and make small piles, then I use a sifter pan which catches the poop, leaves, small sticks, etc... I mix some baking soda and DE in occasionally, it is easy to take care of and does not stink... I also have a 10X10 run.

Hi! I'm in Florida, too, and fairly new to chickens (just about 3 months old now). Currently our run is all dirt, you know, the kind of sandy, Florida style dirt. I have no way of cleaning out any poop, as it blends in perfectly with the color of the dirt. I was thinking of switching to sand, solely for cleaning purposes, but then they will no longer be able to dig for bugs and worms... The run is only 6x10 feet, and the chickens get to go roam our yard for about an hour a day only. Would sand still be a "chicken friendly" option for us? What do you think?

 

[marcglider]

I let mine roam around in a plastic fenced in area for about an hour a day also... I have been to several places that had many chickens near me and they all had dirt floors or compacted pine chips... it seems like I always went after rain or should I say every day it rained this summer , and the places were a mess... I think what works best is the course sand paver underlayment I bought at Lowes... it packs down when it is wet but doesn't get nasty and the chickens aren't getting nasty either... as far as bugs and stuff, I met a guy raising mealworms at TSC and I am doing that as well, it is going GREAT and they get all the additional protein they need...

 

[paintedChix]

Here is the photo album that shows all the different materials that we use in our runs...

I DO love the wood mulch that we have now, too... It's several loads of combination materials of all different sizes.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/3Z4ZpfpHr1Nr5DZC8