What's your favorite flooring for a run?

[CityChicker]

In the best of worlds, my favorite thing is grass. Of course, you have to have a *lot* of room to do a grass run. The next best thing and easiest for us to keep clean is a layer of pea gravel (about 4-6 inches deep) covered by a layer of sand about the same depth. It make it so much easier to spray down in order to keep it clean.

 

[Gonzo_MN]

Great thread! I was hoping this subject was covered somewhere.

Here in the western suburbs of the Twin Cities we've been experiencing a pretty serious drought. Until last night! We got around 3" of rain! I went out to let the girls into the yard and my run is super slick mud. I was sure I was going to slip and land in the goop.

I tended to the food and water, and now I know what to do, order enough sand to cover my 20' x 8' run. I'm thinking 4"-5" deep should be plenty good.

Thoughts?

 

[BCMominMD]

It gets pretty rainey here in the summer. My run is dirt but I keep dumping in bags of playground sand. The birds dig it around and dust bathe in it. Few flies. No mud. It's working great so far.

 

[teach1rusl]

Wow! Some great information here! I have a large area for my coop (16 x 30+) and will free range as often as I can, so I'm hoping my grass will last a while. I suppose I'll go to sand when it gets down to dirt...and I'd never thought about sand...lol. Chicken folks sure are smart

 

[StaatsFarms]

I use a 50% topsoil 50% sand mixture that I can get from one of the local lascape nurseries... it has worked fabulous so far... the back side of the run needed about 3' of fill and the front needed about a foot to fill... the total run area is 10x18 so you could just imagine how much I needed... 14,000 lbs to be exact... but i would not do it any other way the chickens LOVE their dust baths in it and unlike pure sand the worms are started coming up (from the original ground level) and the girls LOVE their worms like you wouldn't believe...

 

[alycoop]

Im in Vancouver WA, just over from Portland so we share the same weather pattern.

I have a small coop for 6 hens. Inside the coop is a mixture of sand and pine shavings. Each time I clean out the bedding, about every 3-2 weeks, I also add DE.

Attached to the coop is a small run which they have access to at all times. It's predator proof and originally had grass. As the grass has disappeared I've been adding sand to that area and they seem to like it just fine. During the summer I just use a shade cloth or tarp to protect from the summer drizzles. In winter/spring I will use corregated plastic roofing.

We also have a larger run which we let the hens into every morning and evening for a supervised kind of free-range. That is still grass with some dry dirt areas. They love to get into that area to roam around and take dust baths.

I've also heard some people use peat moss. I haven't tried that yet but plan to.

 

[Jamsoundsgood]

Ok, I'm convinced!

Now, where do I find the free wood chips? I'm in Olympia too btw. Olympia rocks!
Emily

 

[Maryallison]

Sand. I am in Florida and our sand just worked out just fine.

 

[chookchick]

Jamsoundsgood--call up all the local tree companies. Glad I'm not feeling stingy, I have a good supply now! Tell them you want nice chips from a good sharp blade, and give them a number to call when they are working in your area. Sometimes it takes a while, sometimes you get it right away! Also--if you see someone working in your area, tell them they can dump at your place. You need to have good access and a place that is marked with a note, flagging, cone etc... You won't regret it!

ETA--tell them--NO HOLLY!

 

[cappy]

Sand. I started with just the dirt and it worked until we got 3" of rain in a couple of hours. Since chickens don't have webbed feet I needed to get sand to mix with the dirt to help with the drainage. I put about 3" in the run and the chickens scratched it into the dirt. No more puddles and easy cleanup. Make a "shovel" out of hardware cloth and it cleans poo from the run as well as raking it.

Ken