THE RUN -- DEEP LITTER OR NOT???

[Nifty-Chicken]

Cindy, I'm pretty close to you and we've never had a problem with hawks in the 5 years that we've let our hens free range. Coons at night and dogs during the day will be the worst you'll deal with (you may have fox / coyote where you are, but probably not).

If you have chicks or small bantam you may need to be more worried, but with our full size hens and red tailed hawks we have never had a problem free ranging our girls during the day.

 

[chicksalot]

CaliforniaChick...I too am a Master Gardener! Nice to see another M.G...I also look forward to the compost additive from the coop, but I plan on using sand in the run once the birds destroy the natural ground covering (cleaner/drains well,etc). And being a M.G., you have the background to decide wisely about use of chemicals mentioned. ...may your birds bless you with MANY eggs!

 

[allisojo]

I'm not in CA (in NM actually) and I use straw in the run over the dirt. We don't have a problem with moisture most of the year, but even in our wet "monsoon" season, the straw seems to do all right and not get too stinky. I change the straw every four to six months, depending on how wet it is. It begins to break down, and when it does, it goes into the compost heap.

As someone said, the chickens love the straw - new and old. I'm thinking of adding hay to it in the winter months to give them something to search for. Just my opinion.

 

[winekntrychicks]

No to deep litter in the run. I used it during the summer. We got our first rain and the run was not covered. The pine shavings got soaked. As the days warmed up the pine shavings just soured. Smelled bad and before I could get it all out, Two of my birds got sick-either from pink mold (don't really know if its mold or what) which I found while shoveling it out or Coccidia-the days were very warm-warm moist poopy deep litter-perfect breeding ground for "stuff". I just left the ground bare. I finally raked a bunch of leaves for them to play around in, but they have almost eaten it all. I have more leave where that came from.