Wood chips in run...good or bad idea?

[kristin07035]

My run is a muddy mess! Don't want to put down hay, afraid it will get too wet and moldy. I have a friend who can get me free wood chips to put down....if I do this I will probably keep them down year round as my run is quite large & it would be way too hard to get them all removed later...is this a good idea? Does anyone use them? What are the pro's & con's to putting down wood chips?

 

[PapaChaz]

I've used wood chips for years around my yard for all kinds of things. Eventually they will completely decompose back into the soil. They make the soil better and build up low areas very well.

as long as these are chipped limbs, and no cedar they'll be good to go in your run. I am currently building a new coop and run and part of it is kind of low, I intend on doing exactly what you're saying. I intend to keep my run full of wood chips. I'll just have to wait and see how often to replenish, but I can get them for free also.

They'll draw bugs for the chickens to scratch around and find.

 

[kristin07035]

Awesome that's what I thought but wanted reassurance before I went and did it. Thanks

 

[ChickenGoesRuff]

Mine love to dust bathe in the wood chips under the coop and scratch up bugs.

 

[PapaChaz]

HA! I scored today, I wound up behind the chip truck from one of the local tree service companies. I passed him and flagged him down and asked him if he needed somewhere to dump the load of chips, he asked where I lived, less than two miles. He backed up and dumped them in the yard. Not really close to where I'm building the coop and run, but the yards too wet for him to get there.

I told him I'd take 2 or 3 more loads if he wanted to just dump them side by side where he dumped the others

 

[ladyearth]

Yeah, it was easy in the city, where we lived till 3 years ago... to get utility company or the many tree services to dump chips or even cut up logs..
But here in a semi rural town....we have called over and over and even flagged them down several times on the long road, while they were working in this road for the city or electric company with tree trimmings etc.... Even asked the owner when I saw him later.But over a year and still no free chips...we can get BW chips free but drive is 20 miles one way,,, a mill where we get our slabs ...
just a saying