Chicken run floor

Blondie · « **on:** May 14, 2007, 13:59 »

Hello,
I'm looking for some advise as to what to cover the floor of my chicken run with. I have built the run myself and it has the actual chicken house raised above it with a ladder system down to the run. The floor of the run is part concrete slabs, part wooden but i was wondering what i could put on the floor for the hens to scratch around in. I've heard bark chips are ok, are these just normal bark chips from a garden centre or do they have to be special ones? Are straw or shavings any good? Could anyone recommend what is the best and most effective floor covering and let me know how often i should replace it with fresh stuff?

Thanks very much, really appreciate it.

dawninspain · « **Reply #1 on:** May 14, 2007, 14:14 »

I followed the good advice given here on this forum and used bark chippings (normal garden centre ones) and also at the back of the run underneath the house a bit of straw and garden shreddings.

The chickens seem very happy with this arrangement and flick the bark around and poke around in it. It seems to keep quite clean and at the moment I can't anticipate having to change it very often.

I expect someone will be along later to give more advice who has been using bark for longer than me.

Dawn

xx bluey xx · « **Reply #2 on:** May 14, 2007, 14:30 »

hi,
i find with my penned chickens that a catlitter tray with sand in is much apreciated they love to bath in it, i also pick them fresh grass and mix it with there feed sometimes to give them a challenge also a whole corn on the cob is quite an exciting chalenge!

Blondie · « **Reply #3 on:** May 14, 2007, 20:02 »

Thanks for replies, will defo get some bark from the garden centre for the run and invest in a cat litter tray for a dust bath. All sounds good advice. Thanks very much!

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #4 on:** May 14, 2007, 22:07 »

I'd go for something deeper than a cat litter tray. My girls dust bath is about 8 inches deep. It is a cheap storage box from Wilcos. The chooks really thrash about in their bath so a deep tub helps to keep the splashes in

Blondie · « **Reply #5 on:** May 14, 2007, 22:26 »

Good thinking aunt sally. Fill it with sand and some sandy soil? Does it have to be replaced very often or just keep topping it up as and when it gets low from them chucking it about?

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #6 on:** May 14, 2007, 22:35 »

I just use some dry sandyish soil about 2-3 inches deep and I add some anti red mite powder (or diatom) to the soil to help keep passengers away.

Bagpuss · « **Reply #7 on:** May 15, 2007, 07:46 »

Aunt Sally, I have just bought the Hemcore that you recommended. It says on the label that you should pour water on it when you first use it, but this was talking about Horses in a stable, no mention of chickens. It looks as if it would be fine dry to me, (but what do I know.) :? and I was going to mix it in with my straw in the hen house. Would it work Ok in the run aswell? What do you advise?

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #8 on:** May 15, 2007, 11:49 »

Keep it dry. It would be fine in the run if you want. I know a couple of people who have it in their run and are very pleased with it

Bagpuss · « **Reply #9 on:** May 15, 2007, 16:47 »

Thanks. I think I will give it a go in the run as well as it is getting very muddy at the moment.

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #10 on:** May 15, 2007, 18:14 »

How big is your run bagpuss.

Mine is quite small 3ft x 6ft just for two hens. It stays nice and un-muddy as I have laid a weed suppressing membrane under the bark.

What a cheat I am... but I do like an easy life :roll:

Bagpuss · « **Reply #11 on:** May 16, 2007, 07:05 »

It's about 3 x 8 ft, with the last couple of feet under the hen house. There are four hens. I left it as bare earth initially, but it got a bit baked in the hot weather, so I put down some bark (not play bark) but I raked that out after a while, as I made the mistake of having their water and food containers close together and it all got spilled and smelt awful. They are now at opposite ends of the run and it's all been fine until the rain. I have put polythene over the top of the run to protect it a bit and I put down the Hemcore last night after reading your post and it looks much better. The weed suppressor idea sounds good, what's wrong with an easy life? Sounds good to me.

alan42 · « **Reply #12 on:** May 17, 2007, 03:21 »

be very carefull with having cocrete slabs as part of your run as rats love to tunnel under them. i had them once and poisened them so a weasel decided to take up residence it took 6 birds before i could shoot it.
good luck
alan

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #13 on:** May 17, 2007, 08:52 »

concrete or slabs are also very bad for your chooks feet :!:

What's the best product to put on the floor of the chicken run? Started by tracy66 on The Hen House	3 Replies 2238 Views	October 09, 2011, 17:53 by tracy66
chicken run floor poll Started by needssomehelp on The Hen House	22 Replies 6211 Views	February 11, 2011, 20:51 by Abacus
advice on chicken run floor needed! Started by Angelina on The Hen House	7 Replies 27001 Views	February 10, 2009, 12:12 by blossom1044
Ideas for what to put down on the floor in a new chicken shed Started by Kourtney on The Hen House	8 Replies 2674 Views	July 04, 2014, 00:32 by kopperdrake

Chicken run floor

dawninspain