To Move Location or Covert to Sand

[krthaymp]

I thought I’d have more time to decide on this, but the run is getting slightly smelly (maybe partly from height temps and enough rain to float an arc) so I figured I’d better start addressing this now.
I have 4 chickens in a 171sq ft run. Seems nice and big, and I figured it would take some time before the fully destroyed every living thing in the run, and it has.
There’s still a good amount of grass. Some dirt and bald spots, but not bad.
There is poop though. Since it’s on the ground, I can’t really scoop it, so I figured I’d have two options in the future:
1. Move the coop every three months to avoid total grass destruction (will be easy enough to move on occasion)
2. Convert to deep litter, sand, etc. and keep it in place.
I feel like moving it would make for happier, healthier chickens and be less daily/weekly maintenance for me, but it hasn’t been three months. The smell isn’t bad, flies aren’t terrible, but it’s getting there.
I’m really leaning toward keeping it on a rotation, but if I do, what can I do to help the ground until it’s time to move it again?
Lime? Sweet PDZ on the ground?
The hen house is cleaned daily and is fine, it’s just the grass/dirt that’s starting to smell kinda ripe up close. You know, like a chicken coop… lol. Kinda to be expected, but there are neighbors that I’m already on rocky ground with, so I’d like to keep barn yard smells to a minimum.
There are three sections along the length, and two sections are covered with tarp, if that makes a difference. Not sure if letting it all get rained on or keeping rain all the way out would help.

 

[igorsMistress]

Anything dry in there will definitely help. You can always save leaves that fall from your trees, yard clippings if no poison has been used, wheat straw, pine shavings, etc. Deep litter is actually really easy, I clean out my coop once a year so it’s not a lot of maintenance. Using it in your run it’ll compost pretty quick, especially if you toss feed or scratch out for your flock and they will love being able to root around in it.

 

[krthaymp]

Anything dry in there will definitely help. You can always save leaves that fall from your trees, yard clippings if no poison has been used, wheat straw, pine shavings, etc. Deep litter is actually really easy, I clean out my coop once a year so it’s not a lot of maintenance. Using it in your run it’ll compost pretty quick, especially if you toss feed or scratch out for your flock and they will love being able to root around in it.

What do you use for litter? Through the whole run, right? Kinda regret loosing so many trees a couple of years ago now… leaf litter is pretty much gone from the yard. Deep litter method seems intimidating to me a little honestly.

 

[igorsMistress]

What do you use for litter? Through the whole run, right? Kinda regret loosing so many trees a couple of years ago now… leaf litter is pretty much gone from the yard. Deep litter method seems intimidating to me a little honestly.

I don’t have trees that drop large leaves either, kinda sucks. I mix it up a lot. Wheat straw, pine shavings, regular straw, shredded limbs from safe plants around my yard and grass clippings. Sometimes I’ll add pine pellets, usually those go down first because they’re heavier and will end up on the bottom anyway. But they break down nicely. I live in the desert so I have to wet it down from time to time, but it depends on your area and how much rain you get. The chickens will do a great job of turning it over for you, that’s half the work really. You just add some dry materials as needed and keep tossing food or treats out around the area to encourage the chickens to scratch. It’s super easy and if you also garden, or have neighbors that do, it makes excellent compost.

 

[krthaymp]

I'm not ready to start up a deep litter method right now - if I do that, the coop will become affixed and right now it's mobile. For the time being, I got a bag of First Saturday Lime to sprinkle on the ground. I've never used it before, but from what I understand it should help with the coop aromas until I'm ready to move and set the coop in it's forever place.
It says to apply monthly, mainly for pest control - for those who use it in a partially grass run, do you apply more often than that for odors?
Flies aren't really a problem, surprisingly enough. I expected it to be. I see a few, but it's not problem level. The number of mosquitoes, on the other hand.......