What to used for the bottom of the run during rainy season?

[California Gurl]

What can I use for the bottom of my opened air "run" which is roughly 20'x30'. The ground can get very smelly and muddy when it rain and I am looking for a way to prevent it. I was thinking of using wood chip or mulch but I am open to any suggestion.

 

[bobcatridge]

I use wood chips in my run but it is not near as big as yours. I do think it helps.

 

[FarmerMel]

I hear sand is a good option. You can read about it here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=11374-sand-for-your-coops

I can't use in where I am at, it gets too cold.

 

[twentynine]

I use hay.

 

[ll]

pine needles / pine straw

fallen leaves collected from Autumn

Stall-Dry or Dri-Stall ?

good luck

 

[flowergirl60]

I use pine shavings.

 

[GLBRWyans]

Sand is your best option in my humble opinion . Hay or straw gets moldy and holds a lot of bad fungus and other diseases , and with sand you can rake the poop out , without having to replace it as often as you might with hay , straw or chips . It's just practical and inexpensive . That's what I use . Put some lime in there also , it will help suppress the odor . Pine needles are great to use in nesting boxes ; they help keep bugs out of the nest . I also use Noalsan or Oxine as a disinfectant , I use a two gallon sprayer and spray the ground , the coop and boxes to kill all bacterial microbes .

 

[Abirdbrain]

My runs are not that big, but I use baled straw, and free mulch from the city, that is coursely ground tree limbs, twigs, and leaves. This material begins to deacay rapidly so it must be changed 3-4 weeks. If composted it has to be turned or it will stink to high heaven. If you cant move the run, you have to move the stuff in the run.

 

[Harrietsmum]

Use sand. The birds will slowly mix it into the soil. add more as needed. With sand you do not need to remove it, as you do with hay etc.

 

[Abirdbrain]

But that is exactly the point. The chicken poo breaks down and causes a stench anyway. Just mixing it in, does not relieve the cause of the problem. Eventually the concentration must be moved or lessened, the reason they use deep litter in many barns and coops. if yo only have 4-6 birds, this maybe ok, but a number that is large will have a diferent outcome.