Under the coop run

[KeriannG]

Hello All

I'm new to chicken ownership - just bought 6 adorable chicks. Loving it! A question for you all. I have converted a shed to my coop which has a door giving the chicks access to a typical run, however since my shed is raised I also have the ability to give them access to the area underneath the shed as well. I am wondering what type of materials / bedding would be best for this area. It is going to be hard for me to easily access it for regular cleaning / maintenance. Our shed is very close to our non chicken loving neighbors who have expressed concerns about potential smell! I appreciate any suggestions!

 

[cavemanrich]

Your neighbors most likely will end up being a pain in the butt for you, regardless what you do. How high is the space under your coop.? I would just leave it earth and not worry much about chicken smell from there. When poop dries, the odor emitting is minimized. The chickens will use that area for a safe haven also from predators,(especially flying raptors). Having chickens will inevitably create some chicken odors, but if it is minimal, then it may be tolerable. One thing to consider if access to underneath area will be difficult is..... Chickens may lay their eggs there....... Sick or injured chickens will need to be retrieved from underneath possibly some time in the future.
WISHING YOU BEST and

 

[KeriannG]

Thank you for the reply. The floor is dirt and the height underneath is about 12 to 16 inches at high points. I can army crawl under there - not fun but did it to put up meshing! Good points you raise about having to get eggs and chickens. I just want to give them as much run as I could. Their other run areas are 2' x 10' which is basically a pathway behind the shed leading to a framed run area of 5' by 8'. The run area under the shed is about 6' x 10'. All the areas including the tops are covered with hardware cloth so pretty secure, at least I think. I just want them to have lots of areas to explore. I'll post pics tomorrow. Thx again!

 

[cavemanrich]

The more area for exploring, the better. Consider having a long handled rake to retrieve whatever may need to be.