New Chicken Run

[Sammy L]

We recently moved to NE Pennsylvania and I'm building a chicken run. The run will be mostly in the woods behind our garage. We cut trees down so the girls will get sunshine but the base of the run is mostly dirt. My question is should I put down sand, pine shavings, hay, straw in the run? Chicks just arrived two days ago, so this is new run. They're living in a brooder in the basement right now but I want to get the coop and run all set for them. I installed hardware cloth and electric fence around the run and cleaned up all the rocks in the run area. I just really need to know what I should put on the floor of the run

 

[Sefirothe]

I’m also in NEPA. Wood chip mulch in the run has worked great for us for the last 3-4 years. We had oaks cut down on the property and asked the tree company to leave us the pile of wood chips.

I don’t have to clean the run out at all. I pull some nice compost out of the run in the spring to add to my garden and then dump a fresh wheelbarrow or two of wood chips for the girls to dig thru and spread around.

 

[RubelliteRose]

Welcome to BYC!

Since the base of your run is dirt, I would put down something organic so it self composts with the poop. Any of the options or a even a mix of them would work, but my flock LOVES a fresh bale of straw and the treasure hunt of searching for left over wheat.

 

[Tahai]

avoid pine if you plan to keep your chickens long-term. the terpenes in pine can adversely affect the respiratory and nervous systems of animals (including humans) when exposed long-term. I'm in NCPA, clay soil, and I use straw mostly.

 

[Sammy L]

I’m also in NEPA. Wood chip mulch in the run has worked great for us for the last 3-4 years. We had oaks cut down on the property and asked the tree company to leave us the pile of wood chips.

I don’t have to clean the run out at all. I pull some nice compost out of the run in the spring to add to my garden and then dump a fresh wheelbarrow or two of wood chips for the girls to dig thru and spread around.



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Thank you so much!

 

[Snowbelt]

I'm in upstate NY and also use wood chips. The tree removal companies know they can leave a load or two behind my barn when they cut trees locally. Right now I have four huge piles. I use it to mulch my blueberries and gardens, and dump a few wheelbarrow loads in my run every month or two. I let it compost for awhile beforehand so there are plenty of insects in there for tasty treats! I can make a pile three feet tall in the run, and just a couple of days later, after the chickens have enjoyed going through it, I can barely tell where I dumped it because they spread it out for me.