[gailtearle]

hi , i have my girls coop on grass but clean it out daily and put fresh straw down , is this the right way to go about things or should i have the coop put on to concrete so that it can be hosed down ,
also ive been feeding them layer pellets and a good cup full of corn in the afternnon they are happy pecking around at the grass and stuff down the garden but someone told me they should eat greens , i have tried them on all sorts but they just dont seem interesed in anything else , i didnt know chooks could be such a joy  

[helens-hens]

Hi there. As far as the coop flooring is concerned it is really down to what works for you. I have put mine on concrete slabs with horse bedding on top which is easy to keep clean but if the grass/straw works for you & you can keep it clean that should be fine. Is the run covered - it may get a bit messy if you have a spell of heavy rain.

If the hens are getting their greens by foraging for grass and whatever else they can find in the garden then this is probably enough for them. You may find in winter though that you do need to supplement their greens intake until grass etc starts to grow again in the spring. People also hang up greens (e.g. cabbages, brocolli etc) in runs as entertainment for the girls when they aren't able to free range which can help alleviate boredom.

Layers pellets should be available at all times as should oystershell (for calcium and good egg shells) and grit (for their digestion). Some corn in the afternoon is always a welcome treat.

Hope this helps

[daisy1990]

our girls are also on grass and dont like greens at all.  They do however like fruit, sweetcorn and mealworms!

[jinty1911]

our girls are also on grass and dont like greens at all.  They do however like fruit, sweetcorn and mealworms!

I got new girls on Monday evening and they didn't seem to like the mealworms.  They ate the corn ok but worms were left until today  guessing they hadn't tried them before. 

[Casey76]

Hi, you don't say how many girls you have, but I would guess, unless you have whole bunch you are feeding too much corn

About a tablespoon each or a palmful between 4 is quite sufficient

As for your coop, it depends.  I have my coops in a fixed pen (about 140m²) and the ground is dirt with a mixed covering of wood chippings, and other mulch to cut down on the mud in wet times.  I doubt it will ever see a blade of grass again