[mickwood]

I've had my son staying with me for the past couple of weeks and I have a feeling he may well have caught the ol' chook bug!  

BUT....

his 'garden' with his mum is all concrete. Can he keep chooks on concrete? I was thinking of him creating a large 'tray' which could be a couple of inches deep, soil in the bottom and then covered in bark chippings. This could basically cover the bottom of any run he may build. Would that suffice or is it unfair on the chooks he gets?

THANKS!  

[Kate and her Ducks]

How old is he and what does his mum think before worrying about bark chips :?

[mickwood]

He's 13, and it's best to get all ideas sorted before raising the notion with his Mum!  :?

[poultrygeist]

I think it's possible provinding you have a deep enough litter (bark,etc) and have some drainage. Our small area of concrete where the house stands gets very wet and doesn't dry our for ages. The bark becomes a soggy mess very quickly and stays that way.  :?

But it's easier to keep out burrowing predators and vermin.

Don't really know how practical it is over a large area. Be interested to read comments.

rob

[FCG]

Is there a possibility of creating a slight artificial slope with building sand on the concrete then covering it with black plastic? (a-la-pond liner) which then can be covered with bark chippings. That way excess water would slide to one side. Easily led away to a drain if possible to be positioned or to a grass border?

This is just off the top of my head, i'll have to think more on this.
Possible sketched diagram of the whole garden please?

[poultrygeist]

Trouble is, the chippings would slide off the liner. And the sand may wash away.

I was wondering about more of a gully down the middle or one side to take away excess.

Or drainage holes to the sub base but that might allow vermin through.

Rob

[FCG]

I'll counter with buying a lot of 2x4 and laying it with an inch gap between them then putting the lino over it and stapling it so you get little gulleys for water to drain off the bark onto. Then this water would drain off onto a plastic gully (bit of spare guttering?) Seal off the 2x4 + plastic except on the side where the gulley is. So it looks like it's on a solid wooden base from 3 sides. Keep the vermin out and drains.

Howzat?

[poultrygeist]

Now you're talking !!

I like that idea.  

Have a gold star

Rob

[Vember]

would they be in the run all the time?

smell is a problem that springs to my mind, wet poo on concrete goes like slurry

Oh sorry prob being too negative, ignore me

[poultrygeist]

Can't ignore the negatives...especially the smell  :?

With enough chippings and a roof over the whole it should be ok.

Rob

[Jellyhead]

What about an Eglu with bark chippings in the run, isnt that what Aunty does :?:  

[Vember]

Good thinking Jelly

[MikeyWood]

Hi yeah thanks everyone
  i'll keep these all in mind and maybe pull up a bit of concrete for mud and grass an stuff also fence a bit of garden off so they can be let out for a bit! Can't wait to get some chickens now!   thanks all hope to as about more chicken stuff soon bye!!!!  

[Roughlee Handled]

I'll counter with buying a lot of 2x4 and laying it with an inch gap between them then putting the lino over it and stapling it so you get little gulleys for water to drain off the bark onto. Then this water would drain off onto a plastic gully (bit of spare guttering?) Seal off the 2x4 + plastic except on the side where the gulley is. So it looks like it's on a solid wooden base from 3 sides. Keep the vermin out and drains.

Howzat?

OK WHERE ARE THE PHOTOS OF THIS AMAZING COOP?

PHOTOS NOW FCG

[poultrygeist]

Hi MikeyWood. Gonna get you and your dad mixed up, I can tell.  

Liking the tagline.    :spiderman:  :pig:

Rob