Using mulch in chicken run

[Chick-Rock]

I tried everything from sand ( attracts many flies) I tried hay which if it got wet don't absorb liquids very well.
Then I tried using mulch, I'm not talking about your expensive designer mulch, I got free mulch from land scabing company who got wood chips and needed place near by to deliver for free( I found their add on Craig's list free section). Mulch absorbs water without giving off stinky smell gets rid flies or minimize them, I dig in my chicken run about few inches then fill in 4-6 inches of mulch you can always add to it once every 6 months to a year. I choose to remove the surface of the soil with the old mulch in the run then add new mulch, I do it once a year. The decomposed mulch it's like dirt I move it to my garden section for my veggie plants.
You can always add new fresh mulch layer on the top of the old mulch and the chicken will mix the two layers through their scratching.
I will try to post photos ..

 

[NewChkinTown]

I tried everything from sand ( attracts many flies) I tried hay which if it got wet don't absorb liquids very well.
Then I tried using mulch, I'm not talking about your expensive designer mulch, I got free mulch from land scabing company who got wood chips and needed place near by to deliver for free( I found their add on Craig's list free section). Mulch absorbs water without giving off stinky smell gets rid flies or minimize them, I dig in my chicken run about few inches then fill in 4-6 inches of mulch you can always add to it once every 6 months to a year. I choose to remove the surface of the soil with the old mulch in the run then add new mulch, I do it once a year. The decomposed mulch it's like dirt I move it to my garden section for my veggie plants.
You can always add new fresh mulch layer on the top of the old mulch and the chicken will mix the two layers through their scratching.
I will try to post photos ..

Just the black garden mulch?

 

[aart]

Just the black garden mulch?

I'm not talking about your expensive designer mulch, I got free mulch from land scabing company who got wood chips and needed place near by to deliver for free

Guessing it's chipped wood from tree trimming. Works great here.
My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.