Rubber Horse Mats in Run

[NCLady]

Have 8 chicks and am building coop and run this week. The coop will be 8' x 8' with a 8' x 50' covered run. They will also go out most days into a 1.5 acre fenced in area with our 3 ND pet goats.

My question is what to use as a base for their enclosed 8x50 run. I have a couple dozen of those HEAVY rubber horse stall mats from our old horses I was thinking of covering the entire run in the mats then adding an inch or so of sand on top and putting a gravel border around the outside.

What I think I like... about the mats is the ability to be able to clean out the sand, rinse off the mats and bleach them every few months with ease.

Is this even a feasible option?

What problems could I expect to see with this set up? We are in Central North Carolina. Mild winters, hot hid Summers.

 

[chickengirl778]

I think the main problem would just be that the chickies would be bored. They normally spend all their time scratching in the dirt, which the horse mats would prevent.

 

[NCLady]

They will have probably 6-8 hours a day in a 1.5 acre pasture so won't be in there all the time. When they are I do plan to make some toys to help keep them busy.

 

[chickengirl778]

In that case it might be okay.

 

[AlleysChicks]

I have rubber stall mats in my coop and love it. But that being said when the bedding gets wet it is awful to scrape off. Sand gets nasty when it gets wet. That may be the only downfall of having it in a run.

 

[aart]

Is this even a feasible option?

Not really.
Better to have organic matter to 'eat' up the poops, deep or semi-deep litter.

I have a large walk in run and never 'clean' poops from the run,
and there is rarely any nasty odors. The bedding of a good mix of dry plant materials use facilitates this nicely, it's basically no maintenance other than adding more material from time to time. I was able to start with a big load of tree trimmings from the power company that had been aged(6 months) so I avoided the toxic molds that can bloom with fresh chippings. I collect dry leaves in the fall (stored in feed bags in a shed) and add them occasionally, and other garden trimmings. I let my grass grow tall, mow and spread it out with discharge pattern, leave it to dry a few day, then push it into rows with the mower discharge, rake it up and add to run.