flooring for the chicken run

J

Jez

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Hi all.
we've got a lovely hen house with a built in run, but the run is much to small for 6 hens. My husband is building me an enclosed roofed run attached to the hen house. I'm going round in circles trying to decide what to put on the floor of the run, at the moment it is just dirt. I've looked at the rubber chippings but that will cost about £100, expensive. What do you all use. I'm trying to avoid a smelly muddy area the hens won't enjoy. All the time i'm dithering I am henless! Advice please. Jez.
 
Hi Jez, I use woodchip on the floor of my covered run. Change it about every 3 months. Before putting a new lot in I dig over the dirt floor and sprinkle
stalosan F over it to keep it fresh. Also poo pick every day. Hope this helps. :)
 
same as bantiekeeper. Woodchip bought from a local tree surgeon so its much cheaper than buying in bags. About twice a year I take the top layer off then dig over the rest it rots into the soil and I then top up with fresh chippings. Also use statsfon f every month I just sprinkle liberally over the run.
 
hi
i've emailed a local tree surgeon to see if he has any woodchips, if not where would you buy some from? thanks for the responses.
 
Whatever you use, you might consider covering the floor with landscaping fabric, well turned under and pegged down round the edges. This will prevent the chickens from scratching earth up into the litter and making it muddy. They will still be able to scratch in the chippings, and of course,these will still get messy from their poo, which you can pick up, but the run will stay a lot drier and cleaner if the earth stays below the membrane.
 
Jez i believe that b and q do it you do want wood chip though and not barkchip. Flytes of fancy do it as well in bags,, although this is an expensive option. I think tree surgeons should have some all mine in the area do.
 
if the run is competely covered and no rain gets in at all then you would be able to get away with just using a bag of shavings on membrane or even bare soil just rake them out once a month and replace with a fresh bag .my run is pretty large minus a solid roof and { although that could change found myself someone who can supply me with twin polycarbonate roof sheets all different sizes for free } i have tried it all except rubber chips way to pricey for me even if it is a one of payment , but i will warn you that unless your run is completely covered with a solid roof watch out for using landscape fabric under wood chip or bark .
i done just deep wood chips from tree surgeon on bare soil a few years back but soon regretted it after i decided to pluck up the strength to start digging it over the mould was bad and that worried me for the girls health , then after loads of rain i then put down membrane with wood chips on top bad bad mistake when i went to change it all the soil under neath was grossssssssssssss , very very smelly still very wet and not a nice looking colour so i went back to bare soil , although the run was flooded until today the girls have coped well and this evening apart from one end by the main door the rest of the run is drying out nicely for now .
i will be getting some sand in and re lay the pavement slabs i have in some of the run and then get smaller ones to finish it all over time but thats going to cost about £300 unless i can get a few hundred for free .
for now though i have laided membrane down in the bantams section as thier litle feathered legs could not cope with the mud but thats very easy to pull up and remove when need be .
i have been there this afternoon and evening re digging over the really yukky bits and thought i would be smart and just throw shovel loads of soil about 6 ft to cover the really boggy area by the gate yeh it worked well until i throw a pretty big shovel load that landed right smack bang in the middle of the gunk and totally covered one of my white leghorns from head to foot with the splatter i laughed so much and she wasnt very white after :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
thanks for all the advice, i'll get on to more tree surgeons, I want to get it right before getting the girls, but its taking far to long:(
 
Well done for thinking it through and getting it right before the girls arrive. They will settle in much easier if there are suitable conditions and no upheavals because you've had to change your mind about some aspect of care. I can understand the frustration, though!
 
I was lucky enough to spot a tree surgeon doing some work along the road where I live. They kindly filled 4 bags with wood chippings which would otherwise have been dumped on a site somewhere. No cost involved apart from 2 cups of coffee and 2 wagon wheels! The wood chippings have a lovely smell to them and are ideal under a covered run. I now keep the empty bags handy incase I spot some more tree workers. :D
 
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