Possible Run Substrates

[CityChicker]

Hey Everyone!

I am still deciding what to use in some of my new waterfowl runs. In the past, I have used a number of different things from nothing to pea gravel to sand, etc..

I have seen recently playground mulch (the wood kind, not the rubber kind) advertised for dog runs. Has anyone ever used this or anything similar for birds? I would have thought that it would get very wet and retain water. I know some people have used sawdust (not sure what kind) so maybe it doesn't stay as wet as I would imagine.

Any thoughts? Ever used mulch, sawdust, or anything like it?

 

[Wolf-Kim]

LOL. I did a thread like this just yesterday!

Nobody really knew.

Someone said that they used the deep litter method to some success..

Some just made the pen large enough that the waterfowl didn't tear the grass up and turn it to dirt/mud..

What I will probably do when I build waterfowl runs, is frame up the pen, do a layer of gravel, topped with sand, and maybe a little bit of topsoil and plant a variety of grasses, fescue, centipide, bermuda, maybe some clover, and then winter rye in the winter. Even to do this, I'll have to have plenty of space for the fowl, to avoid burning the area with their waste.

I'm going to test this on a small scale before I go all out. If this doesn't work for me, I guess a smooth slab of concrete with a decent grade to it will have to work.

We are in the same boat! I hate muddy waterfowl pens, or muddy any pens for that matter!

EDITED TO ADD: Here's the link to the thread I started yesterday.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=185498

-Kim

 

[CityChicker]

Thanks, Kim. I will read the other thread. I have done sand over pea gravel and it does work well. It probably stays the cleanest of anything I have done. In the best of worlds, I would love to have all my waterfowl on the ground, in planted runs. I have kept them in grass runs before. I have just never done like a well thought out planted run with seasonal plantings (similar to what you are describing).

I would *love* to do that. There is just so little information on what to plant, etc... and it seems like when you keep them on dirt, there is never enough room to keep it from becoming a mud pit. LOL