New run floor, but chickens won’t walk on it!

[dehill]

Hello,
Following on from reading a few threads, I decided to resurface my 3mx3m chicken run - it was just soil and turned into a bit of a mud bath in the rain.

I’ve used a granular dust. It’s an aggregate from a local landscaper which is basically a course sand. Individual particles are about 3mm. It’s pink. Photo below. Free draining and should be a bit cleaner than soil. Similar in consistency to cat litter I guess.

I also added a tarpaulin to shelter my girls.

Only problem is they won’t walk on it!

They are unwilling to cross it without lots of coersion. When I put them on it they just stand there and kind-of shiver nervously. Not sure if it hurts their feet, or they are just shy, are maybe scared of the new cover??! I’m confused. It’s most concerning as their water is in the run so I’m scared they’re not drinking. They won’t leave their coop unless I carry them. Ridiculous situation.

The birds are Silkies, Pekin bantams and Barbu D’ullces.

Any ideas?

 

[linguini]

You have a nice setup! Your post made me laugh - no wonder chickens are called chickens, because they are so chicken about any changes! It also reminds me of the first time our chickens saw snow coming down the sky, they all freaked out and wouldn't step on the snow. Now they just love snow, their best snack.

Seriously, give them a few days. Or toss some weeds/leaves from your garden waste on the sand. put a few logs/branches in the run if you have them. In no time they will start digging holes for their sand bath. Or toss some treats like BOSS for them to pick out.

We switched to sand after getting frustrated with the muddy ground after rain and never went back. It's been more than a year - I've only added sand once in addition to the initial sand set up. Since last spring (almost a year ago!) all I have done is to toss in all the weeds from gardening (organic matter helps. you can toss wood chips on the sand as well). I've power washed the frame of the covered run, and the perches twice since then. Never have to clean the run. No smell. And they love to dig holes for their sand bath all the time. I harvested the dirt/sand/poop combo for gardening once, but I don't think we'll do it again this year since most of their poop were collected from the coop. And they roam outside of the covered run during the day.

Good luck! Your chickens look so cute!

 

[linguini]

A picture to show how happy they are with their "room" of sand!

 

[dehill]

Thanks for your swift reply!

Reassuring to hear they’ll probably get used to it; that’s what I was hoping. Great idea about throwing some leaf litter down too, I’ll definitely do that.

It’s a pretty big setup for 4 little birds, but my last remaining silkie (foxes got the others) is sitting on 6 eggs in the coop so hoping it gets busier in a couple of weeks(!)

Glad your flock settled into sand - they look really happy!

 

[aart]

no wonder chickens are called chickens, because they are so chicken about any changes!

No, it's why fearful people(or other critters) are called 'chicken'.

 

[PVILLAGO]

You have a nice setup! Your post made me laugh - no wonder chickens are called chickens, because they are so chicken about any changes! It also reminds me of the first time our chickens saw snow coming down the sky, they all freaked out and wouldn't step on the snow. Now they just love snow, their best snack.

Seriously, give them a few days. Or toss some weeds/leaves from your garden waste on the sand. put a few logs/branches in the run if you have them. In no time they will start digging holes for their sand bath. Or toss some treats like BOSS for them to pick out.

We switched to sand after getting frustrated with the muddy ground after rain and never went back. It's been more than a year - I've only added sand once in addition to the initial sand set up. Since last spring (almost a year ago!) all I have done is to toss in all the weeds from gardening (organic matter helps. you can toss wood chips on the sand as well). I've power washed the frame of the covered run, and the perches twice since then. Never have to clean the run. No smell. And they love to dig holes for their sand bath all the time. I harvested the dirt/sand/poop combo for gardening once, but I don't think we'll do it again this year since most of their poop were collected from the coop. And they roam outside of the covered run during the day.

Good luck! Your chickens look so cute!

I have a question about this topic. If the girls are scratching and eating insects that they find (their nature)and the grass is slowly disappearing should I reseed with rye or something? Why would I put sand or decomposed granite? I feel like that material will impede their natural instinct to scratch and forage. TIA

 

[mowin]

I have a question about this topic. If the girls are scratching and eating insects that they find (their nature)and the grass is slowly disappearing should I reseed with rye or something? Why would I put sand or decomposed granite? I feel like that material will impede their natural instinct to scratch and forage. TIA

Most vegetation inside a run gets destroyed quickly and replanting is useless. Some people add sand, and some do the deep litter method. My runs are covered, so they don't get too muddy, and if they do it dries out fairly quickly.

 

[linguini]

I have a question about this topic. If the girls are scratching and eating insects that they find (their nature)and the grass is slowly disappearing should I reseed with rye or something? Why would I put sand or decomposed granite? I feel like that material will impede their natural instinct to scratch and forage. TIA

I quite agree with you. I have sand+organic waste in the covered run, but not on the open run, which is about half barren and muddy now with the snow/rain. My next experiment this spring is to reseed the barren areas in the open run with wheat grass and meadow flower seeds. But I'll have to close up and rotate some zones that I plan to seed for at least a month for the grass/meadow flowers to grow.