What is the ultimate best material for a coop’s run?

[Traffie Chickens]

Hi everyone!! We are having trouble deciding on what material to put in the run. What materials do you guys use? Or what is the best material in your opinion? And why? Thanks!!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

In the run? Do you mean on the ground or for the containment system?

 

[Traffie Chickens]

On the ground! Sorry!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That depends on your climate and associated factors as well as stocking density and how fastidious you plan on being for cleaning. A lot of people swear by sand so you can scoop feces but if it is wet or even in a humid environment and it freezes, it basically turns to stone. Pine shavings are good.
Straw and fallen leaves are good too.

 

[CCsGarden]

Peat moss, I love it! It is soft on the chickens feet , great too put in the garden when there is too much poo in the run and it's time to clean it!

 

[aart]

I do not like to clean, my run is not covered and coarse wood chippings work well for the poops to degrade so no odors.
I sometimes mix dry leaves and/or grass in with it.
If you have space to store a big pile of wood chippings from a tree trimmer you could be set for years.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I'm with @aart and @ChickenCanoe on this. The best material for your run is cheap, readily available, and requires limited maintenance on your part.

Plenty of people are willing to set up and scrape poop boards, rake sand, and the like in the hen house. But even a modest flock benefits from a good sized run. Raking that is a LOT of effort.

Straw, leaf litter, wood chips all have the benefit of controlling odor and decomposing slowly, improving the soil and helping to raise the run level - which helps ensure rain runs "elsewhere". If you have enough run that your chickens don't totally destroy your ground cover, green growing things are great - but at that point, your "run" is probably better described as "pasture" (this is what I do).

Others use coarse sand, because they can't establish a viable, durable, "green", and leaf litter/chips/straw are impractical (of the three, straw can mat down, which can be a problem). I have had terrible experience w/ sand (and also gravel) but that's specific to clay soils, high rainfall rates (54" per year, average), and ducks.

 

[Traffie Chickens]

Thank you all for sharing all of your ideas and advice! We decided to go with hay! We thought that it would probably be the easiest during the cold winter months! But I guess we will see!

 

[CCsGarden]

Beautiful! and what a lovely hen! I love Leghorns

 

[Traffie Chickens]

Beautiful! and what a lovely hen! I love Leghorns

Thank you! & I also love my leghorn girls!