Sand, woodchips, topsoil, oh my!

[KappyFlock]

Yep.... and not a good idea.


The kind taht comes form chipping up trimmed tree branches?
Can you store a big pile of them...to let them age and move an inch or two into the run as needed??

My gravel + other layers scenario is not a good idea because ?

So do you think it's a good idea to just put some extra (loose) dirt on top of our clay-ish ground, then a few inches of wood chips? And keep piling wood chips in when 1) it gets too wet or 2) once those break down or 3) it gets smelly?

Yes, wood chips from trimmed tree branches. Are those ok? I'm sure there's no way to guarantee it's from certain types of trees. Storing them is an excellent idea! Just put a pile of them in the yard somewhere and leave it open-air (so not covered with a tarp or anything)?

 

[aart]

My gravel + other layers scenario is not a good idea because ?

Gravel will trap poop and water into a stinky mess that impossible to clean out.

So do you think it's a good idea to just put some extra (loose) dirt on top of our clay-ish ground, then a few inches of wood chips? And keep piling wood chips in when 1) it gets too wet or 2) once those break down or 3) it gets smelly?

Yep, just add some more when chips get thin.

Yes, wood chips from trimmed tree branches. Are those ok?

Perfect.

I'm sure there's no way to guarantee it's from certain types of trees. Storing them is an excellent idea! Just put a pile of them in the yard somewhere and leave it open-air (so not covered with a tarp or anything)?

No cover. Scrape the outer layer off of pile to add to run.

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

I used non chemical sod, I have hardware cloth under my run just like you. When it died, i started putting chopped straw on top of it. It's easy to clean and they get to scratch though the straw and on the dead so so they never reach the hardware cloth. I love it and so do the chickens

 

[KappyFlock]

Thank you! This sounds easy and effective! I think I have a plan now! I really appreciate your input.

Gravel will trap poop and water into a stinky mess that impossible to clean out.


Yep, just add some more when chips get thin.


Perfect.


No cover. Scrape the outer layer off of pile to add to run.

 

[Chikwhisperer]

So I am keeping chickens in the city and recently moved them into their coop and run outside. To ensure that they weren’t scratching in contaminated soil, I covered the ground with several inches of woodchips, and then built the run on top of that. I placed poultry mesh below to ensure that raccoons and woodchucks, etc cannot dig in but now my ladies are walking around just on poultry mesh. I’d like to fill in the run but I’m not sure what material to use. Concerned about getting bulk topsoil from around here for contamination from lead, etc but not sure how to avoid a smelly mess with a woodchip base. Is sand the better option? There’s no access to bulk sand around here, so I’d have to buy it in bags of either all purpose (which often has silica in it) or play sand.

We were in Sam’s Club Spg or last summer & spotted rubber sqs thick for patios bought enough to cover run area & ev floor area & in coop is covered in sm shavings Rural King’s they seem to like it they really keep it clean!( I have found the small shavings are best) Of course I clean all out ev morning sorry I don’t see the mats there now, but U may be able to use rubber mats used for horse stalls, & stops the digging

 

[Chikwhisperer]

Oh, this makes sense. I’ll just add a bunch of woods chips, thank you!

We put the sm wire cloth 2ft dn perimeter & came up interior wall attatched w/staple gun then covered with dirt. Have same around tinted plexiglass roof to run! Have never had but 1 intruder a sm black racer snake saw me & squirmed right through that smallest wire & slithered right back out the back wall area & beelined it! Haven’t seen since. It seemed bigger diameter than wire hole, but not a full grown which shocked me, sorry I hate snakes!!! I don’t know who was more startled it or me!

 

[KappyFlock]

Gravel will trap poop and water into a stinky mess that impossible to clean out.


Yep, just add some more when chips get thin.


Perfect.


No cover. Scrape the outer layer off of pile to add to run.

Sorry to bother you again but now I have another question. We went down to the yard where the local utility company dumps wood chips from tree removal, and we brought back a load of wood chips. The chips smell so musty to me! Is this ok for the chicks? Will they air out once we put them in the run?

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

If it's any consolation - my backyard was a dumping ground in the 1800s. I often find bottles, glass, weird stuff when digging. The chickens dig DEEP. they have dug up things that I never thought they would. I do not know how it would work with hardware cloth on the bottom. Please Chickens often for bumble foot. My chickens regularly dig like almost 30cm down!

 

[rosemarythyme]

The chips smell so musty to me! Is this ok for the chicks? Will they air out once we put them in the run?

If possible I'd set them aside somewhere in the yard to air out for a couple of weeks before using them. If you need to start using them immediately, I'd do very thin layers and gradually build it up, so it can air out a bit in place.