[Pepperpincushion]

I have the coop/run on the lawn at the moment with the idea that I would move it around every few days so they are getting fresh grass and the ground won't become too wrecked (they will eventual be having free range time each day but we are introducing this gradually so they are good at coming home afterwards!) But having now discovered that moving the coop is quite a pain I'm wondering if it would be better of on hard ground - I have a paved area it could go on.

What are the possible problems of having it permanently sited on paving slabs? I guess the pros are that there would be no danger of digging in/out and that it could be washed down (how often would this be needed?)
But would they get bored in the time that they were restricted to their run without having grass etc to peck at? Is there any implication to their feet - do they get sore or anything?
Any other pluses or minuses to paving vs grass?

[jinty1911]

My run is on pea gravel with dirt underneath but they free range in 2/3rds of the garden all day, which is paved with borders all round and various slabs lifted with pea gravel in them.  They love scattering the gravel everywhere and it is very easy to brush and clean. They also have a large bush to hide under when the window cleaner comes.  I poo pick and sweep most days but it only takes a few minutes and they have access to the rabbit hutches which is their favourite hang out area. 

[shetan]

we started on grass, tried wood chip and gravel but everything got grubby in the rain and started to smell after a while so now all of our runs are on reclaimed concrete slabs and oh my god what a difference!

no mud, cleaner feet, more eggs due to happy chooks, frustrated mr fox and most of all - a lot less smell!

we just hose down the run area on the weekends and use a bristle broom to sweep any stubborn poo away.

we have a seperate lawn area for our brood but not everyone has the room for such luxury so you can always grow grass in shallow troughs or buy rolls of turf every now and then for them to scratch around on.

we would never go back to grass and mud - best decision ever.

[Lindeggs]

I think your decision isn't about hard floor vs grass - it's hard floor vs mud!  I know which one I would choose!

I'm in the very fortunate position of being able to keep my chickens on grass and they really do eat a lot of it, as well as digging constantly.  Unless you can move your coop every time the grass gets down, tou will end up with sticky, stinky mud.

Ideally you would go for the hard floor then cover it in a nice carbon-heavy, compostable, non-toxic bedding - wood shavings, leaves, pine needles, etc.  The chickens can dig happily in it, their feet stay clean and dry, and you can muck it out onto the compost heap whenever you need to.

[helens-hens]

I am a paving fan too as it is much easier to keep clean. My hens are allowed a couple of hours a day to free range (longer on the weekend) as well.

I am thiinking about growing trays of grass that they can have in their run which I know others have done

[Pepperpincushion]

So paving is clearly the practical choice! I think it sounds best from my point of view, my only concern is they will get frustrated because they seem to spend so much of their time pecking at the grass, but I guess if I put in bits of vegetation, dust bath and something to scratch around in then they would be kept amused while they were shut in?

[jinty1911]

I have 10 slabs lifted in various shapes and filled with peagravel and things for them to jump/stand on.  Stone statues, a bird bath, lots of now vacant plant pots (filled with compost) logs and branches and of course they can scratch around the rabbit hutches.  I gave them an old football today and they had fun pecking at that.  The garden no longer looks pretty but I don't care