What is the best ground cover for a 10x20 chicken run??

[coolchange]

I have a 10x20 chicken run with 13 pullets and the smell seems to have gotten really bad lately. I am in north Florida and we have temps in the upper 90's if that make a difference. The floor consists of fresh dirt covered with straw. I have changed the straw and if seems within days if has the funk smell again. Should I just leave it dirt? I am thinking that the straw may be holding the smell? Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions!!

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

If your talking about the run you don't need straw in it. We live in North Fla also our run is mostly sand as they have cleared any folage long ago. They do fine in it and I have not smell at all. The straw must be holding in the smell.

 

[BeckyLa]

I believe that sand is the best ground for a run. The straw does not absorb the poo so it just gets walked into it or even trapped underneath thus holding the smell. I would remove the straw and let it go natural but if you still have problems or places that hold water then I'd put down several inches of sand.

 

[dumblond]

I take my hoe to the run, smell is gone and very happy girls with "new dirt" for bathing.

 

[rooster-red]

Mine is just dirt. Once every 3 or 4 weeks I broadcast a little lime over in in the morning after I let the chickens out to free range.

I close the pen gate to make sure they don't go inside it.

I let it sit for at least 6 hours, then water it in about an hour before they come back to roost.

Do not use pelletized lime! only the ground up powder type.

 

[2mnypets]

Our run is now just dirt since grass left a LONG time ago. We just take the hoe and rake to it every so often to clean it out and remove what straw has made its way outside from the coop.

 

[jeep0904]

I use pine shavings in my 10x20 run and rake it out every three or four weeks and add it to my compost pile. I know the smell is not too bad cause my wife isn't complaining about it.... But I do only have 6 chickens and they seem to like scratching at the shavings.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

I would also go with sand in the run. Much less muddy after wet weather, and chickens love to dustbathe in it.