Wood chip mulch for run?

[David61]

Tree service wood chips every 5-7 months. I have used them for years

 

[Coopdviille]

Does anyone have any experience in using wood chip mulch for their chicken run? (The kind you see at playgrounds, not sure if I’m using the right name)

My run is so muddy and STINKS because it’s at the bottom of a slope in my yard. I researched it online and seems safe to use, however everything seems to refer to the inside of the coop.

Any advice?

I've heard other people say not to use wood chips because to hard for chickens to wslk on. Wood mulch is what I've learned.

 

[David61]

I've heard other people say not to use wood chips because to hard for chickens to wslk on. Wood mulch is what I've learned.

well, in four year and 30 chicken's later, i have not seen that to be true. They dig deep, run, jump down off a roost bar... no issues here.

 

[aart]

Rain water flows in,

You need to fix that...with gutters or trenches or swales, etc.

I've heard other people say not to use wood chips because to hard for chickens to wslk on.

I've heard that too.
Tho it's possible, I've used coarse wood chippings for 9 year and not had that problem.

 

[CalliBee]

Thanks everyone! I’m going to get me some wood chips this weekend, and I plan on building something this spring to help keep the water from getting in

 

[David61]

Water getting in is no problem but make sure it can drain away. dig a drainage ditch. you can fill the ditch with pea gravel or wood chips as long as it DRAINS

 

[Hudsonsgirl]

I use wood chippings, from tree trimmers, in my run.
Works good, they can migrate down hill even on my slight slope.
These are different(much coarseer) from the wood mulch you might get at a landscaping place.

Any splinters on your chickens from using the coarse chips? I'm going to going to sign up for chip drop.

 

[aart]

Any splinters on your chickens from using the coarse chips? I'm going to going to sign up for chip drop.

Not that I've seen.

 

[debbiejac2003]

I've never removed anything from the run. I only add more when needed.
View attachment 3456933

I love the chair in the middle!

 

[Ekipp]

Does anyone have any experience in using wood chip mulch for their chicken run? (The kind you see at playgrounds, not sure if I’m using the right name)

My run is so muddy and STINKS because it’s at the bottom of a slope in my yard. I researched it online and seems safe to use, however everything seems to refer to the inside of the coop.

Any advice?

Wood chips in the run is a great idea and wood chips smell good. I used to use hay but it's harder to keep clean and I found myself putting tons of hay matted around poop into the decomposer. Poop easier to pick up in wood chips and I spray a little essential oil in my run and toss lavender I grow just for the girls into the coop. When they scratch it releases heaven. Everyone comments on how nice our coop smells b/c they inherently think it's going to smell like poop! It is more like shavings and bedding than it is a hard chip.