[snowdrops]

I’m looking into getting some more wood chippings for the floor of my secure run, it’s a solid roof run (onduline)  so practically free from  the elements. The 6 hens don’t have a house within it as it’s all weldmesh and in the winter it’s clad with corrugated plastic & polycarbonate, but a few gaps for ventilation so they’re protected from the worst of the weather.
I clean it all out every few months and add weeds etc in season and chippings if I can get them.
My question is where I get my chicken food from sell large bags of wood chips specifically for hens, should I be using them and they also sell plastic matting squares that click together to put the chips on. I think you have to put sand down first on to level ground, then the matting & then the chips. This stops the hens excavating. Mine do this and now with 6 hens again it’s getting downright dangerous in there plus they’re starting to play havoc with the slabs that are set in the ground all around the edges of the pen, the weld mesh panels sit on top of the slabs.
It also advises if they go in covered runs the chips need hosing down every now & again, now I could do this but usually I just dig all the poop,well manured & shredded weeds & garden waste that I give them & use it all as compost bin activator.
If I used the matting that might be difficult if not near impossible.
Any advice please?
Photos to give you an idea of the pen etc

[steven c]

that looks very well made can you access nest for egg collecting from shed ?  we used to clear out every couple of months [we no longer keep hens miss them though] putting everything into compost bins makes great compost. ps the hens look healthy.

[snowdrops]

Thank you Steven c, no I there’s no connection with the shed, I go into the pen to collect eggs from nest boxes that are fastened to the compost bins that make up the fourth wall (made from scaffold boards)

[grinling]

Chippings can get mouldy but changing often is good. matting might house mites in time so i wouldn't use it. can you get a sandpit and fill it with sand soil mix for dustbathing?