Run ground covering?

[ladyhand]

I’ve been reading about people putting things in the run to avoid mud. I’d love to let my girls free range, but because of predators I can’t. My run is going to extend partially into our woods. I thought that chickens loved to forage. Doesn’t putting stuff down on the ground prevent that?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Any time they will have to remain confined to a run whatever forage would have been there is depleted in a very short time. While they will continue to scratch around there won't be much of anything to find. That makes adding a substrate to keep mud down to a bare minimum necessary and it won't affect foraging.....since there isn't anything to find anyway.

 

[DobieLover]

I’ve been reading about people putting things in the run to avoid mud. I’d love to let my girls free range, but because of predators I can’t. My run is going to extend partially into our woods. I thought that chickens loved to forage. Doesn’t putting stuff down on the ground prevent that?

As @21hens-incharge, already noted, there will be nothing to forage in very short order when a flock is confined to a small area.
I like a thick layer (~3-4") of wood chips in the run. I will slowly compost with the poop and the chickens still love to scratch around in it and dust bathe in it.
You can also put in pine straw, dry leaves or whatever other dry organic matter you can fine. Avoid grass straw and hay as they tend to mat up and mold.
Offer lots of perching options too. The more things you can put in the run, the better for the chickens. It should look like a cluttered mess. The chickens will MUCH prefer that.

 

[aart]

I like a thick layer (~3-4") of wood chips in the run. I will slowly compost with the poop and the chickens still love to scratch around in it and dust bathe in it.
You can also put in pine straw, dry leaves or whatever other dry organic matter

Yep.
This will offer 'housing' for all kinds of bugs that the birds will enjoy scratching for.

 

[3KillerBs]

Once the chickens have destroyed all the green stuff in their new run and turned it into a barren wasteland putting down a lot of dry organic material keeps the run free of mud and odor. The chickens will happily spend time scratching through the litter looking for bugs, etc.

A nice mix of wood chips, pine straw, dried lawn clippings, leaves, etc. gives them a substrate that resembles a forest floor (you'll have a head start since you're beginning with genuine forest floor) -- the perfect habit for chickens because they are native to the forest floor in southeast Asia.

I find that I *can* use straw in limited quantities as long as it's mixed with other materials.

In fact, I consider a mix of materials superior to any one material used alone. The diversity of materials and textures reduces the tendency to pack and mat. If I see a spot that is in danger of becoming compacted I toss a handful of scratch there and the chickens do the work of fluffing it up.