Run ???

[Sonflowerjoela]

Run:

I also use deep litter, which depending on what you have in your area can be a very cheap (free) way to litter the run and also provide compost for gardening. I personally don't like shavings. I use a mix of chunky wood chips (free, they provide aeration and drainage), dried leaves and grass (free, can be saved up for use all year round), and misc. garden trimmings, weeds, etc.

I plan to do this. I just missed opportunity for the wood chips. They were trimming limbs around power lines. I will find another way to get some. I got shavings when I first got chickens because I could not find hay. I will use it because I have it until it is gone.

Chicken wire is probably okay on top, if the idea is to exclude aerial predators. It will not keep anything else out. Hardware cloth or welded wire no wider than 1/2" is recommended for everything else short of large predators like bears.

A friend gave me the pen and he had chickens in it. He had chicken wire on top for the aerial predators. I do plan to get the hardware cloth.

I don't have a roofed run, rain isn't an issue as long as the chickens have some sort of shelter to use to get out of the elements. The fact that they're hiding under the nest boxes in that first photo tells me there's no other shelter, so that's something you might want to consider providing. You can see my shelters here, left and right:
View attachment 3350043

my chickens always take naps on the rocks at mid day. Not sure why. I was hoping when we get nes coop there. They would just go inside that for rain. If they don’t. I will find another way to add a shelter in run.

Coop:

Yes you will want more ventilation. 3KillerBs has provided great info on that. The roost doesn't need to be significantly higher than nests, but they should be higher overall to encourage the chickens to use them.

I plan to do the ventilation as 3killerBs show me from links.

The chickens may not like your nest boxes as they're so open. Some flocks aren't so picky, others are. If it becomes an issue, adding walls and/or a sloped top on the nest can help with that. Example:

View attachment 3350037

I was wondering about that. So many I have seen on here have covered nests. I will see what happens and adjust as necessary.
Thank you for your help!

Run:

I also use deep litter, which depending on what you have in your area can be a very cheap (free) way to litter the run and also provide compost for gardening. I personally don't like shavings. I use a mix of chunky wood chips (free, they provide aeration and drainage), dried leaves and grass (free, can be saved up for use all year round), and misc. garden trimmings, weeds, etc.

Chicken wire is probably okay on top, if the idea is to exclude aerial predators. It will not keep anything else out. Hardware cloth or welded wire no wider than 1/2" is recommended for everything else short of large predators like bears.

I don't have a roofed run, rain isn't an issue as long as the chickens have some sort of shelter to use to get out of the elements. The fact that they're hiding under the nest boxes in that first photo tells me there's no other shelter, so that's something you might want to consider providing. You can see my shelters here, left and right:
View attachment 3350043

Coop:

Yes you will want more ventilation. 3KillerBs has provided great info on that. The roost doesn't need to be significantly higher than nests, but they should be higher overall to encourage the chickens to use them.

The chickens may not like your nest boxes as they're so open. Some flocks aren't so picky, others are. If it becomes an issue, adding walls and/or a sloped top on the nest can help with that. Example:
View attachment 3350037

 

[Sonflowerjoela]

If you're meaning in the run itself (as opposed to the housing), then I LOVE limestone screenings. It's crushed limestone, about the size of old clay style kitty litter. It keeps the area from becoming a mud pit, which is even more important since the run isn't roofed. Plus it's easy to clean poop from with a shrub rake. I use in all of my runs and in my alpacas' dry lot paddock...love it.

Thank you!

 

[Sonflowerjoela]

@rosemarythyme I caught one of the tree trimmer Guys today and he said he would bring me some of the chipped wood!!! So we will see.

 

[rosemarythyme]

@rosemarythyme I caught one of the tree trimmer Guys today and he said he would bring me some of the chipped wood!!! So we will see.

If tree trimmers regularly go through your area, they may be willing to stop by and drop a load for free, if this one doesn't work out.

I have guys begging to dump chips on me, one guy said he could fill the front 2 acres 5' deep lol.