Minnesota Chicken Run Help

[Crickard21]

Hi everyone!

We're new-ish chicken owners and we living in southern Minnesota. However, we're new to the area, we just moved here from Florida. Obviously the weather is pretty different from what we're used to.

I am having an awful time deciding what substrate to use for our chicken run. The house we bought has no grass in the back, and I plan on doing a pollinator yard anyways, but I am at a loss with what to do in the run. People have so many differing opinions and I feel like location has a lot to do with it! Can anyone from this region help me by sharing what substrate they use in their run?

Right now, the run doesn't have a roof over it, it's 10ftx9ft. My plan is to build a roof during the summer, and I feel pretty confident that will pan out. No procrastination here!! However, haha!! I'd prefer a method that doesn't require me to go out everyday and scoop poop. We are using DLM in the coop because I love the low maintenance needs of it, and I'm hoping I could find a similar method for the run maybe?

Thanks in advance!

 

[aart]

My plan is to build a roof during the summer, and I feel pretty confident that will pan out.

Make sure the framing is very sturdy to handle the snow load.

You can do DLM in the run too.
I prefer just coarse wood chippings from a tree trimmer.