Materials to put in runs

[nancy1zak]

Ok...it has been a while now...and we are down to bare dirt. I am fine with it as it is easy for me to rack up the dried poop and toss it. I do this daily. Should I be providing something for the girls to walk on and scratch at besides bare dirt? We do have a 20" x 20" sand box for the girls. Is it ok to just give them bare dirt? We have two hawks in the tree next door, so letting them out at the moment is not an option.

 

[pixie74943]

Not really... unless it starts to get horribly muddy, in which case you'll need to come up with a better drainage system (come people use sand)

My chickens occasionally get given a bale of pea straw, or something similar to dig through, although after the first week it just becomes a muddy mess on the floor.

Although, my birds have a moveable coop, and after the peastraw breaks down mixed with all the chicken poop, the soil is FANTASTIC