Run Floor

[chickieschicks]

Our run is almost complete! It's built over an old section of our garden so right now the floor is just semi-soft dirt. I'd like to put something over the dirt to minimize dust and/or mud (although it's covered so I don't forsee mud being a major issue). Would it be OK to put down pine shavings as a base layer without continually refreshing them, as that would get expensive, and then periodically throw in hay/yard debris, etc. on top?

 

[eggbert420]

Yes that will work

 

[ChickenMammX4]

Have you thought about the Deep Litter Method? We use leaves, hay, straw, grass clippings, pine needles & landscape debris. Very easy maintenance, no odor and makes beautiful compost!

 

[IRNHIDE]

Compost pile all the way!

 

[aart]

Here's a great description of contents and how to manage organic 'bedding' in a run or coop...and there's a great video of what it looks like.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1037998/muddy-run-help-please#post_16017992

I just got another smaller load of this stuff, aged tree trimmings from power company:

 

[paintedChix]

It's funny how different products work for some and not for others.

Pine shavings, by themselves, take a LONG time to break down. But to use them to start, as your base, if you have nothing else would work. I then add hay (we have ponies so have hay available that been "utilized" as bedding, so works well in DLM w/ the chickens in the run, not in a coop). You can loosely spread straw (unlike others, I've had no problems with either straw or hay), toss in yard waste, leaves and pine straw, branches of different sizes. Add all of your kitchen waste, too, as you go along. Even that moldy food from the back of the fridge can go in a run (that already has a base of DLM) - they will "kick" thru it and spread it out for you - eating the better bits and burying the rest to become nice compost. Our chickens (different breeds of egg layers/dual purpose breeds) DO NOT eat the bad stuff or the plants that are considered poisonous as long as they have food and other things available. BUT they sure do cut up and mix the plants into the DLM.

AART - I'd "kill" for that type of bedding right now - not just in our coops/runs but in the various garden areas/raised beds we are starting!!!

 

[aart]

AART - I'd "kill" for that type of bedding right now - not just in our coops/runs but in the various garden areas/raised beds we are starting!!!

Yep, I lucked out big time there! Buddy of mine, an avid food forest gardener, had power company trimmers drop literally tons(pile 8-10' wide and 50-80' long) of it on his land to use as mulch and it had aged for almost a year when I picked up my loads...4-5 yards total. Then he brought me another half yard just a couple weeks ago. The larger wood components will take years to break down, but I keep adding more tender stuff from around my place....gathered a dozen feed bags stuffed full of very dry leaves last fall, when mowing and dry weather coincide I gather dry grass clippings and toss them in there....lots of other things too, all in moderation and keeping the balance in mind. Even when it's wet in run, there is no poop odor.

 

[paintedChix]

WOW!!!!!!!!