What to use in coop and run.

[adwil21]

I used to use this,
View attachment 2149823
it was clean and thus not dusty, couldn't find it anymore so went to straight PDZ. I use a very thin(<1/4") layer and sift it all daily.

Very hard to find here too.

 

[Teresa D]

Great ideas, thank you!! I know they will want to see out! My chicks are in a spare bedroom in the back of house, they can hear me coming when I'm walking down the hall to visit them and they start chattering. My 2 barred rocks are so far the only ones who don't think I'm an assassin when I try to pick them up.

So cute. My 3 week old chicks are in my studio in the lower level of the house and when I get up and they hear me they start chattering also. I have a monitor in the room where they are so I can hear them at all times. I am trying to figure out the same thing like you. My coop arrives next Wednesday and I'm not sure I think Ill use pine shavings to begin with.
I have to get it all figured out. My chicks are quite advanced I believe for 3 weeks. Good Luck.

 

[Teresa D]

I recommend poop boards in the coop to greatly increase the life of the coop bedding. I use hemp but have also used large flake pine shavings. I clean out the coop bedding once a year. The poop boards are cleaned daily.
If you have snow, I recommend a run with a solid roof. That's what I have and I've built the run so it is as secure as the coop so it's always open to the coop. Windows that would allow a draft across the birds are closed for the winter.
I cover most of the run walls with tarps for winter.
View attachment 2148086
Put ventilation in high, under the soffits with complimentary gable and ridge vents that are open year round.
For summer, in have long windows all the way around the roost area so the birds get good breezes on hot summer nights. I also run a fan of a window at the front of the coop to help keep the air moving.
View attachment 2148089
The run is covered in wood chips that I get for free at the local Highway Department.
View attachment 2148090

Thank you so much for the pictures. Totally made me understand poop boards.

 

[Teresa D]

winter.