What to do with the coop RUN

[6chickys]

Hello!
Newbie here! I have 3 Australops and 3 leg horns. They are out 8 weeks old and out in the coop!
The question I need help for is: what to do with the enclosed run attached to the coop. Right now it’s on dirt and I need some guidance with what to line it with. I’ve heard of pavers, rocks, pine shavings.... not sure how to keep it clean and what to use. I have some small black flies around the coop and I’d like to keep those at bay too. I bought some DE, Apple cider vinegar, and lavender spray. I live in N.H.

 

[cavemanrich]

You can just leave it plain dirt. If you do have concerns with mud,,, then you can throw in pine shavings, straw, or hay. (I have used all these) I throw in all my grass clippings into my rum area when I bag now during summer. It keeps the area nice and mud free. It also gives the hens plenty of scratching exercise/activity.
Post some pictures,
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and

 

[aart]

I bought some DE, Apple cider vinegar, and lavender spray.

Forget all that.
Post some pics of your coop and run, please.

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.

Oh, and.....Welcome to BYC! @6chickys
Here's how to add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

 

[6chickys]

Here is the new coop. They ate all the grass on the bottom. Just wondering how to keep any flies at bay. Also, I moved their food and water to the run now that they are bigger. Should I try to hang them up bc they are making some white fuzzy mold under the water and food bucket on the ground. Our grass that is mowed has been treated with fertilizer but is dumped every week in the woods- are those shavings ok to grab to use for lining the coop or definitely not?

 

[jthornton]

You should put your location in your profile.

I hope you let them out of that tiny place during the day...

I use Starbar fly traps.

I use pine chips in my run.

JT

 

[aart]

Oh, well....for now you might want to move the whole thing every few days,
rake up the waste and hose off the ground....add some shavings in the new place.
It's too small for 6 birds, especially once they get bigger and winter rolls around.

Should I try to hang them up bc they are making some white fuzzy mold under the water and food bucket on the ground.

Definitely hang to avoid molds

 

[TomZilla43]

Hiya 6Chickys, and 1st off . Looking at your coop I would hang the feeder to the left of the run entry door kind of under the ramp, and the waterer just wherever it's convenient for you w/ the primary consideration being to maximize the useable space that your chooks have. As some others have mentioned it really looks like a small run area for 6 large fowl, you may want to consider trying to add on additional run to the right end of your current run at least before winter(I imagine you have fairly serious winters in NH). I'm sure that when you purchased it, it was advertised as suitable for that many chickens, but unfortunately the folks who sell these coops believe that chickens should be packaged like sardines. Just a couple of ideas to hopefully make life grander for you and your girls, hope you work out the details and all goes well.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

Agree with @aart, you need a much bigger space for six chickens. You can add on to the run fairly easily with some T posts and hardware cloth. I prefer to have a run that I can stand up in that has a covered area for rainy, snowy days. My coop and run are filled with natural, coarse, washed river sand that I got delivered from the local quarry. Makes for easy cleanup with a kitty litter scoop and a bucket and it’s great for composting because our soil has a lot of clay. I use a mix of sand and PDZ (zeolite - you can get it at the feed store) on the poop decks under the roosts.

The weather here in Southern Ohio is either hot and extremely humid or chilly and extremely humid, with a few days of below zero weather thrown in just for spite, so sand makes sense for me. I have no problems with mold, less stink, and fewer flies. Even on rainy weeks (yeah, you read that right...), the sand under the roof stays dry so the girls can dustbathe to their hearts content. And, bonus plan, I don’t have to add grit.

I have thirteen adult birds right now (12 young hens and one roo), plus six two-week old chicks in an eight by ten foot coop. The covered run is eight feet by twenty with another ten feet that is covered only by fencing material (to keep the hawks, eagles, owls, coons, etc. out). Once we know what gender the chicks are, we will thin out the numbers to bring the total back down to fourteen or so. That said, on some rainy days, even that isn’t enough space... And my birds free range for about four hours a day.

Whatever you do, there are pros and cons. My best advice is to consider your weather, your bank account, how much time you have to spend with the flockers to keep the joint clean and safe, how much poop and stink you’re willing to put up with, and most importantly, how much space you can give to your girls. Everything else you can solve.

 

[Cryss]

Here is the new coop. They ate all the grass on the bottom. Just wondering how to keep any flies at bay. Also, I moved their food and water to the run now that they are bigger. Should I try to hang them up bc they are making some white fuzzy mold under the water and food bucket on the ground. Our grass that is mowed has been treated with fertilizer but is dumped every week in the woods- are those shavings ok to grab to use for lining the coop or definitely not? View attachment 1806383

Uh oh. You did the same thing as me. I learned fast, prefab coops are the biggest lie in chickendom.
First, that coop and run will hold MAYBE 2 chickens. More than that is a recipe for fighting and injuries. Each bird needs a minimal indoor area of 4 square feet walk around room. That does not include nesting area. Each bird needs a minimal outdoor area of 10 square feet.
Second, this coop is not predator proof. Many predators will dig under and get inside. Raccoons are very adept at working locks. Fox, raccoon, rat, snake, all are diggers or will look for tiny gaps. No gap or fencing should be bigger than 1/2 inch.
Third, that roof is easily ripped off by fox or raccoon or bear or bobcat or coyote.
Fourth, you are going to be bending down so much you're going to hate this coop soon.
Fifth, that wood might as well be cardboard. It will deteriorate after 1 year from weather and from contact with the ground.
Sixth, too many gaps causing drafts and not enough ventilation. A draft is any opening that allows wind to hit any part of the birds. Ventilation is the open area well above their heads to allow moist warm air to escape especially in winter.
Seventh, the roosts are not really roosts. A roost needs to be higher than the nests.

Ok. I just scared the bejeepers out of you. Relax, you can handle this with some serious alterations. And obviously you are serious about wanting chickens. (That's number eight, chicken math, you're going to want more, yes, you will.)
Some quick (well, relatively quick) fixes are, build a walk in run around this coop, use 1/2 inch hardware cloth. Critters climb and hawks and owls fly in so cover it with your choice of covering such as more hardware cloth (requires supports inside the run), a pointed or slanted roof to allow precipitation to slide off made of the usual or of corrugated metal or plastic panels. Outside of the run either bury 2 feet of hardware cloth straight down or make a hardware cloth apron to prevent diggers.
Also, enclose that entire attached run in plywood to turn it into a bigger coop. This is only a temporary fix. You are seriously going to get a much bigger coop. I very strongly suggest a walk in coop. A quick coop can be made from a shed. Anything 8x8 or bigger will handle your 13 birds. Chicken math means go bigger.

Now that I've thouroughly got your nerves screaming have a look around here for suggestions and ask a skazillion questions. We're here to help cuz we want you to be successful and enjoy your flock.
Oh, and we want to enjoy your flock too! Post tons of pictures!!!

Edit: oops 6 birds, not 13! Where tje heck did that number come from? Maybe I'm prophesying? Still, run needs 60 square feet (more for chicken math) and 24 square feet for the inside not including the nests. A 6x6 shed/coop would work but, again, chicken math. Good luck!

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Hello and welcome to BYC! You definitely want to cover the run in corrugated metal roofing to hold up against the New Hampshire snowfalls. I have mine on 16 inch centers at a slant so snow removal is easier. I agree with @aart regarding the run floor, just dirt over buried 1/2 HC with pine shavings and other organic matter. The chickens will keep this stirred up and composted so no further cleaning is necessary in the run. Also, walk-in coops are easier on your back to maintain. Good luck with your flock.