What do you guys put in your runs?

[NewToFarming]

I put up a temporary run, a silkie playpen until I am able to rehome some of these roos. I do free range mine but had to put this up because the roos just tormented them constantly. It has been up about a month now and all of the grass is gone and when it rains it becomes a mess, then they spill their feed and that is another yucky mess! What do you guys put in your runs? I plan to only use this until some of these boys find homes and they can free range again.

Thanks!

 

[Unclebean]

Sand should help!

 

[itsmechrissy]

We've got gravel covered with about 2 inches of sand in our run, the girls seem to love it.

 

[nuchickontheblock]

I use pine shavings in the run area and food and waterer up on a concrete block. that seems to minimize the mess.

 

[Darklingstorm]

I put my cut grass in the bare spots of my run area. they love to search through it and it eventually degrades into more dirt.

 

[Dewsetter]

I put hardwood wood chips in mine. It works really well. I bought it from the DIY shop and it was in the decorative garden stuff along with the chipped bark.

 

[NewToFarming]

Thanks for all the ideas! I am not sure which I will try first!

 

[Darlasmum]

For something different i bought a flake of timothy hay to put in the run. It smelled great for a couple of days , but then just turned messy. I went back to pine shavings, lawn clippings and sand.

 

[pawsplus]

Check out my Mud Eradication Page: https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=19926-mud-eradication-project

and Pat's Fixing a Muddy Pen page: https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-fix-a-muddy-run

Both have lots of info. Mine also has pix. Sand (over gravel) is perfect b/c you can just pick the poop out of sand (I use a plastic horse pitchfork w/ hardware cloth zip-tied on to keep the poop from going through.

I would NOT use wood chips or other organic material. Trust me--been there, done that, regretted it. Anything organic eventually turns into MORE MUD (mixed w/ chicken poop) and then you have to remove it. Nasty!

Hope this helps!

 

[NewToFarming]

Quote:
Thank you so much! I was able to view the 2nd link but nothing came up for your project page. I like the idea about the hardware cloth over the pitchfork!!! Great idea!!!
Yes, I did throw some pine shavings in and it didn't last long and smells terrible, then when you mix wet spilled feed in with that....OYYY! LOL