Straw in the run? Need advice

[DeneeNae]

I really feel like I averted a disaster. Thank you all so much for your advice. I am currently renovating their run, so I may add a roof instead of straw. I'll try to post pics when I can. I'm way in rural Az and don't have much internet connection to upload huge files. Thank you so much for the links and articles!

BTW, spartan22, what do you call that roofing material your have up in your coop?

 

[PouleNoire]

Sounds like a pretty good plan, good luck!

 

[CCUK]

I use straw on the floor of my covered run. It is concrete slabs underneath.

Outside I had mud problems too. So I put 3" of woodchips down. No more mud!

The roofing material that spartan22 used is corrugated plastic roofing sheets.

 

[PouleNoire]

I use straw on the floor of my covered run. It is concrete slabs underneath.
View attachment 1295130
Outside I had mud problems too. So I put 3" of woodchips down. No more mud!
View attachment 1295138
The roofing material that spartan22 used is corrugated plastic roofing sheets.

WOW, I love the look of your coop! The concrete slabs seem like a very useful touch as well!

 

[CCUK]

When it needs cleaning I have a floor scraper. The muck comes off the slabs real easy. It takes about ten minutes to clean completely. Fresh straw down. Job done. But wet and straw is not a good combination.

 

[PouleNoire]

I might have to think about those concrete slabs...and I've never had straw because of the mess but I'm sure wet straw wouldn't be fun!

 

[Jenna1414chickens]

Right now I am using a mixture of pine shavings, and straw and it honestly isn't that great. It does keep things dry...well for a while anyway...and then the chickens come and walk over all over it and it just sinks down and it's a bigger, more muddy mess than it was before. The best bet is probably sand.

 

[Jenna1414chickens]

View attachment 1294538 AView attachment 1294535 View attachment 1294536


Just to show how much better roof and pine shavings on the run and no stinky rotting straw, and no muddy eggs, here’s some photos.

I absolutely love this set up and your eggs are beautiful!! I love the mixture of colors!!

 

[Spartan22]

I absolutely love this set up and your eggs are beautiful!! I love the mixture of colors!!

Wow thanks, the run setup inside changes in the spring and fall, to accommodate new chicks integration and when I prepare for winter. We don’t wash our eggs nor refrigerate them, they get consumed and sold in a week or so. Our chicken hobby happened by accident due to my impulse chick peep buy.

 

[Spartan22]

Sounds like a pretty good plan, good luck!

I really feel like I averted a disaster. Thank you all so much for your advice.

BTW, spartan22, what do you call that roofing material your have up in your coop?

Yep chickencountryUK is right, it’s called corrugated clear roofing available in opaque, clear or solids from any hardware home improvement store. I opted for clear since I want optimum daylight in the run if it gets too sunny and hot the chickens can go in the big coop if they want besides there 4 big trees shading the coop.