Run prep question- pine needles and leaves from last fall

HensInTheForest

Songster
Apr 1, 2022
250
514
186
Minnesota
So we are getting sorted to put up the 20 x 10 run behind the pole barn.

We dumped loads of pine and leaves into this area last fall like we always do and it’s pretty dry now, just abit compacted down With mounds of leaves.

Hubbie was going to have the kids remove it all down to the dirt and level it out, it’s a bit bumpy in places.

Need to pull it all back to place the posts anyway . . .

Ive read on here needles and leaves are safe for them.

Ok to use these or would you start with a dirt floor back there??
 
I would keep it in there. They will love digging around and finding bugs in it.

To take it another step, don't worry about the lumpy ground. The chicken scratching and erosion will level it out over time. Chickens are very destructive to landscaping and this can be used to our advantage!
 
Thanks for the advice!

He needs to inspect the burrows and ground and prep to seal some off.

Woodchuck tunnels, fox tunnels from one side of the barn under the whole thing to the other side where they even removed cement stair pads.

Don’t want critters popping up in the middle of the run from who knows where. Gophers too. Hardware cloth aprons probably not going to be enough here in the deep forest. It’s so random and they tunnel under forever before surfacing.

And yep this happens here it’s Sandy soil.
Woodchucks tunneled over 180 feet and popped right up into our fenced in garden. 2 weeks later eveything under the sun was using those tunnels.
 
Don’t want critters popping up in the middle of the run from who knows where. Gophers too. Hardware cloth aprons probably not going to be enough here in the deep forest. It’s so random and they tunnel under forever before surfacing.

Might want to rent a trencher to install vertical wire then.
 
Thanks for the advice!

He needs to inspect the burrows and ground and prep to seal some off.

Woodchuck tunnels, fox tunnels from one side of the barn under the whole thing to the other side where they even removed cement stair pads.

Don’t want critters popping up in the middle of the run from who knows where. Gophers too. Hardware cloth aprons probably not going to be enough here in the deep forest. It’s so random and they tunnel under forever before surfacing.

And yep this happens here it’s Sandy soil.
Woodchucks tunneled over 180 feet and popped right up into our fenced in garden. 2 weeks later eveything under the sun was using those tunnels.
I'd dig down a foot or so, put down hardware cloth or wire fence or concrete pavers, then refill.
 

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