Oregon

[Gypsyhen]

I didn't think my girls would need a covered run until the rain came this fall/winter. My husband put a temporary roof on that helped a lot. He's redoing it this summer, so it has a good pitch to let the rain run off. Having it covered makes a HUGE difference.

 

[SusanD]

May I see a picture of your finished run (or for that matter, pictures from anyone that has a covered run)? That would help me know how to describe to my Dad (unless it's really simple, I will need his help to make it) what I think we should do with ours. Thanks.

 

[Stephanie R]

CrazedCowgirl,

Please let me know what you end up using. I live in the Eugene area also, and my chicken run is currently a work in progress, so would be curious to know what you end up using

GypsyHen and WyandotteIndeed,

I have thought about replacing our straw with wood chips (I'm concerned about them eating the straw, also I think the wood chips would last longer before they needed to be replaced), but was unsure about how it would work with their feet (I had someone tell me they thought bark mulch could be rough, and wood chips would be rougher, I thought). Given that you have use wood chips succesfully in the past, I am curious if you have any tips on setting that up. My parents don't want our chickens our of their run, so that would be on the wood chips most of the time.

Also, if I do stay with the straw, how often should that be replaced to keep it healthy (prevent mold and bacterial growth, etc)?

I use hay in part of the run (the other part I leave bare - I have a large run). It's really easy on their feet and they don't seem to eat it like they do straw. It's fairly inexpensive. Depending on the weather and how much time they're actually in the run, I change it out anywhere from a week to three weeks. Seems to work for me really well. I use pine shavings on the floor of the coop, and hay in the nest boxes.

 

[Stephanie R]

FYI all Salem area chicken keepers.

Gretchen Anderson of Backyard Chicken Fight will be holding two seminars this weekend at the Polk County AgFest. Saturday at 11:00 - Secrets of a Lazy Urban Chicken Keeper. Sunday at 1:00 - Other Tips on Raising a Flock from Chick to Hen.

 

[SusanD]

I know this is a bit late, but is anyone from Eugene going? If so, and if you would be willing to have me carpool with you, please PM me.

 

[SusanD]

Stephanie R, thank you for your reply. It does sound like I should be changing whatever I go with at least once a month, so will add that to my to do list

. Also researching straw vs hay. I hadn't thought much about the difference before.

 

[only1bgirl]

I use sand in the run, it is great for keeping the stench down and it's easy to clean. With all the rain we get the feed that gets scratched out of the feeder will start to rot and ferment and stink to high heaven and attract flies. I have a small tractor like coop that I move back and forth every two-three weeks, I put new sand down about four-six inches deep, move the coop, shovel up the old sand to compost then put a light coat of sand over the spot I just cleared, not too deep or the cats will use it. Between moving I shovel off the top layer. I let my girls out a couple of hours each day to eat grass and forage.

 

[FlyinFeathers]

Hello fellow oregonians!!
I'm from the Columbia River Gorge area. Nice to 'meet' you all. A little about me, I have about 6 years of chicken keeping experience. I have 10 hens currently, though the spring chick fever is starting to settle in.lol.

I use pine shavings in coop and run. The old shavings get spread out in our orchard and garden. For us it works and keeps mud at tolerable levels.

What breeds does everyone have? I have red sexlinks, speckled sussex, barred rocks, and easter eggers. I'm looking to add blue laced red Wyandotte, cuckoo marans, and mottled javas. Cream legbars are on the 'one day' list.

Hope you all have a great day!!! Cheers!!

 

[T-traveler]

Flyinfeathers,
Welcome to the forum. Always glad to have another seasoned, rainy day chicken keeper around. I'm in Salem, with 21 girls in my flock, but 12 of them will be making the trip to the freezer soon to make way for the 15 young'uns on the way later this month.

 

[meowoui]

We live in the Aloha/Beaverton area, we have ten hens of different breeds with the exception of three who happen to be leghorns, we have one RIR, One black sex link,
one red sex link, one buff of some breed, one (who I forgot what she is, she is all black with a pea comb lays green eggs) OK, I forgot there are two that are suppose to be Welsomers.

We use pine shavings in their nesting boxes plus on the floor of their coop. They have free roam of the yard and only go in at night I then come behind them and shut and lock their door.
We have been raising the girls for three years now. We use the spent shavings in our garden and compost.

Welcome to the forum

Karen