Should I Fill My Run With Ex-Horse-Manure Soil?

I mix in both fresh Horse Manure and partially composted Horse Manure as well as leaves grass clippings and other yard waste from neighbors.. I chip away at a rotted log on my property and throw that in too. The only benefit to chickens is that even in a small pen they get some of the same benefits of free range as my runs are full of worms and grubs wild seeds etc. However I do it to get my chickens to scratch up a good pre-compost since my main reason for having chickens is to make compost. Its not neat and clean and doing such things does increase the risk of mites or lice. It all depends on what you want to do with your Chickens.

(I am finding that I need to go out of my way to make dust bathing areas... I am learning as I go with my composting project)
 
But it will turn compact and hard to scratch eventually?
It's really hard to say...can take some time to decide what works best in your situation.
You may have to play with various materials until you find what works best for you.

IME larger wood pieces make for better litter, it's using something already deemed 'waste' and has great and long lasting capacity to absorb the nitrogen of chicken poop. They'll scratch at about anything, the deeper and more varied the contents of the litter will support more macro organisms they can eat. Just keep in mind that air and moisture(larger wood chips help with both of these) need to be kept in balance to avoid an anaerobic mess.

I have an area in my run, under the coop, that stays dry and thus thawed all winter, that's where they dust bathe in winter...in summer they dig all over to dust bathe, a new place almost everyday.

My semi deep litter.
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Just took this pic of door threshold and what I had to do to keep the from digging under it. You can see the board to the right, those go all along run wall to keep them from digging under the apron on the outside. I just throw a brick, or rock where ever they start digging where I don't want them to.
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Enrichment..and hiding places for chicks...click and arrows for more:
 
It's really hard to say...can take some time to decide what works best in your situation.
Very good.

Here's what I think think I'll do. That area with flat, hard soil that was easy to turn into dust bathing area? I'll screen off 1/3 of it or something with a low wall, perhaps of rocks (I have the same brick-shaped rocks that you do - they are awesome) and fill that area with the ex-manure. Then I'll se how the chickens react to it, whether it turns compact, even if they can dust-bathe in it.
 
Very good.

Here's what I think think I'll do. That area with flat, hard soil that was easy to turn into dust bathing area? I'll screen off 1/3 of it or something with a low wall, perhaps of rocks (I have the same brick-shaped rocks that you do - they are awesome) and fill that area with the ex-manure. Then I'll se how the chickens react to it, whether it turns compact, even if they can dust-bathe in it.
Well that sounds great! Adaptation is the key. If something doesn’t work just right go with plan B all the way to Z. If it were me I’d be shoveling out that bath area come spring and I’d be putting it in my garden! A little brick bath area sounds awesome. Let us know. You should document your project. I’m sure All could learn. :yesss:
 

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