What type of "floor" is best for a permanent run that was built on dirt/lawn?

[aachickenmomma]

We have a permanent coop and run. In the coop, I put down straw and pine shavings and clean it out weekly, no problems there. In the run, we've put down a couple layers - probably 2-3 inches thick - of river rock pebbles over the dirt. But the poop builds up fairly quickly, to the point where you can barely tell there are rocks there. The run has a roof, so water doesn't get in there to wash it away ... should I hose it down? Over the weekend I took a pitch fork and tried to 'turn' it over a bit and get the rocks back to the top and poop into the ground... not sure how effective it was though!

Any recommendations for a better/different floor for the run? Here it is looking good after more rocks at the end of summer... but now it's a poopy mess!

 

[kuntrygirl]

How many chickens do you have in there? I have a sand run in my peafowl aviary. It will be 2 years in January 2013 that I have had the sand run and I have not had to scoop poop out of it never ever.

I'm not familiar with the river rock pebbles that you have in there and their purpose, so I can't comment on that. I'm a big fan of a sand run but that's just me. Here is a pic of the sand run in my peafowl aviary/flight pen. And 3/4 of the pen is not covered so it rains in there and there is never a problem.

 

[c2chicks]

I have sand in mine, as well. LOVE it! Every couple of weeks, I throw in a little Sweet PDZ (horse stall refresher that neutralizes ammonia). The girls just love to scratch around in the sand. My run is uncovered and I don't really clean it, the poop just melts into the sand. I have a small covered run (as part of the coop) and it is sand, too. That one, I scoop up with a dust pan and throw it into a colander--give it a few shakes, toss into the compost and I'm done!

 

[JanetS]

I have sand in the run also. Love it.