Treating the chicken run?

[Matilda Belle]

My run is 200 square feet I believe. I'll have to double check to make sure. I have 15 chickens, but will be parting with a few of them soon (I'm still in the process of building up my flock - hatching and culling cockerels). My max capacity is 14 with the coop space I have.

 

[aart]

Do you have any drainage/flooding issues with that big hill in the background?
Had any snow yet?

 

[Matilda Belle]

Do you have any drainage/flooding issues with that big hill in the background?
Had any snow yet?

During heavy down pours, there is some standing water in the run. The chickens usually go inside the coop when it gets too deep. That doesn't happen very often.

We haven't had a whole lot of snow yet this year, but we had a bunch last winter.

 

[aart]

During heavy down pours, there is some standing water in the run. The chickens usually go inside the coop when it gets too deep. That doesn't happen very often.

We haven't had a whole lot of snow yet this year, but we had a bunch last winter.

Might not need to trench to divert the run off then...does it drain quickly?

Did you have that netting up last winter?

 

[Matilda Belle]

Might not need to trench to divert the run off then...does it drain quickly?

Did you have that netting up last winter?

It does drain pretty quickly, yes. I wish I had a better space to put a coop, but this was the most ideal given the little land we have (1 acre) and it all being on a hill.

The netting was up last winter and, yes, it was a disaster. During heavy snow falls I watch it closely and hit any accumulation down before the entire thing collapses. Any better advice for a cover?

 

[aart]

Any better advice for a cover?

Solid roof?

Mines open too, 14ga 2x4 mesh roof, not meant to be totally predator proof,
I just shovel parts out and watch for snow sticking during certain conditions.

 

[Matilda Belle]

Solid roof?

Mines open too, 14ga 2x4 mesh roof, not meant to be totally predator proof,
I just shovel parts out and watch for snow sticking during certain conditions.

I like that set up. Where did you buy those angled bars from and how are they connected to the posts?

 

[Matilda Belle]

What I'd really like to do (if I had the money) is build a solid run with 2x4s and hardware cloth to keep the wild birds out.

 

[CindyinSD]

My run right now is dirt and I add fresh pine shavings weekly. I remove the old pine shavings completely and burn them every few months. Do you think this is okay?

That’s fine, but you can pile up the shavings in a well-drained area and allow them to slowly cold-compost with the chicken manure rather than unnecessarily putting it all into the air. If you don’t garden, others would probably be willing to take advantage of the riches your birds produce. Put a card up in the grocery store, hardware store, etc. I know gardeners who would be delighted to pick up your freshly removed litter and compost it themselves.

 

[Cryss]

Even a few inches will take care of the poops....never have to clean it.

How big is run and how many birds @silkiekeeper ?
Dimensions and pics would help here.

Here's a pic of mine:

I use a deeper layer (4-6 inches) because there are a few dips that collect water. Wood chips not only fill in those spots but they absorb moisture and then release it to the soil below on dry days. In the higher spots the chickens usually scratch the chips away to bare dirt. I just add more as needed.