Need help designing an irregular-shaped covered run

[Ladies-Eight]

We asked for 6" coverage but the bobcat wasn't very precise, so some areas got more than 6", and some got less. I'm not sure about the chicken area. It will definitely be several inches of clean soil plus several inches of wood chips on top of that. I'll watch out for excessive digging and put down rocks or pavers as necessary. It's the best I can do.

You should be okay with that depth. My chickens haven't dug that deep.

 

[K0k0shka]

P.S. I'll be building a dust-bathing area for them as well, with tall sides so they don't kick the sand out. Hopefully that will discourage at least some of the digging.

 

[ColtHandorf]

This is reassuring to hear. I'll be getting mostly Orpingtons, too, and the breeder has English lines. So I'm glad to hear they're not big diggers. I've heard Orps are lazy, haha. I'm also getting Barnevelders. Not sure how much they dig.

My English Orpingtons are very lazy. Although occasionally one will surprise me, like the little Chocolate pullet sleeping on top of the house last night. lol My Barnevelders were pretty active fifteen years ago. I don't remember them being huge diggers, but they were good foragers.

It could also be soil type. 15 years ago I had chickens on red clay. Currently I'm on black clay. So when it's wet no one is digging anything. And when it's dry it's like cement.

 

[K0k0shka]

My English Orpingtons are very lazy. Although occasionally one will surprise me, like the little Chocolate pullet sleeping on top of the house last night. lol My Barnevelders were pretty active fifteen years ago. I don't remember them being huge diggers, but they were good foragers.

Good to hear!

It could also be soil type. 15 years ago I had chickens on red clay. Currently I'm on black clay. So when it's wet no one is digging anything. And when it's dry it's like cement.

That's a good point. Our soil is very rocky, boulders everywhere. So maybe that will discourage any kind of serious excavation. Certainly makes it hard for ME to dig!

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I just discovered this amazing-looking back-saver that I can rent from Home Depot!!!
https://www.homedepot.com/tool-truck-rental/1-Man-Auger/M240H/index.html
Wohooo! I won't need to bust myself with a shovel and a hole digger!

If you hit a boulder with that little auger you are likely to damage the auger and yourself. Not trying to be mean or a Debbie-downer, just realistic. You could hurt yourself badly. So be very careful.

 

[K0k0shka]

If you hit a boulder with that little auger you are likely to damage the auger and yourself. Not trying to be mean or a Debbie-downer, just realistic. You could hurt yourself badly. So be very careful.

Good to keep in mind, thanks. I'll go to Home Depot and talk to them first before renting it. They should know about safe ways to dig in our kind of soil and if this will work at all or not. I haven't seen any actual large boulders, the biggest I've dug out was about half of my head, but that was rare. Most are like potatoes. I'll ask what that means in terms of working with the auger.

 

[aart]

No FatFluffyFussyFooted diggers here!

 

[K0k0shka]

No FatFluffyFussyFooted diggers here!

I’ll take the lazy orps, thanks

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

No FatFluffyFussyFooted diggers here!

Is that a cross between a ground hog and a chicken?

 

[aart]

Is that a cross between a ground hog and a chicken?

Ostrich and Jack Russel Terrier?