[Emsdad]

Our 4 Black Rocks spend a lot of their time (at least every other day) in a run which is (overall) about 17 feet by 3.5 feet in area. (It's actually 'L' shaped and extends under their house).

Every week when I clean out the hen house I also tidy their run, rake it over, and add a fresh layer of shredded wood / leaves. This seems to compost down nicely every week, and the ground level doesn't seem to rise. I clear up any big poos that are there, although to be honest, they seem to do 90% of their poo underneath their perches in their house.

The thing is, I read somewhere (usually my first mistake) that you should change the soil in the run every few months as it will go 'sour' and harbour disease. Is this true and do you think that I need to do this? And if so, would it be safe to use it straight on the veggie patch?

[Des C]

I rake out the chippings every two or three weeks depending on the degree of "contamination" and put it on the compost heap or use it as a mulch. The droppings are generally too strong to use directly on plants and need to rot down (they are great for getting a compost heap going).
I then dig the soil over and apply a thick layer of bark or chippings.

The soil definitely stinks when being turned over so I would imagine that it has the potential to harbour all sorts.

[Aunt Sally]

When you dig the run over give it a liberal sprinkling of garden lime and dig that in, before putting another layer of bark or chippings.  This will stop the soil from going sour.

As Des said, compost any removed litter and use as a soil improver when well rotted down..

[David.]

We use straw spread over open jointed paving slabs, all covered by sheet roofing, with the straw replaced every month, and the paving under sterilized with Jeyes fluid every 12 months.

Have also got Black Rocks and love them, so much for being described as "docile" - we describe ours as "the hooligs" - hoolig hens! and are going to increase the flock in Spring.

[Bagpuss]

I've got wire mesh under my run to prevent rats etc tunnelling in.  There is soil and then a regularly changed topping of straw or hemcore.  There's vitually no poo as they are out most of they day and only go back and forth to their feeder, although they do make an awful mess with their food.

What I'm asking is, will it matter that I can't change the soil properly, only the top layer of straw etc.?

[Aunt Sally]

I would only change it when it smells.  If you lime it then it won't smell. As they are out most of the time it should last for ages without any treatment.

[Bagpuss]

Thanks Aunt Sally.

[DD.]

After 2 years of adding wood chips my run of 8x5 yards is now at least a foot higher - no smell - this year I plan to create a new run to give the ground a rest.

Welcome to the forums mgf, why not pop along to the errrr "Welcome to the forums - forum" & introduce yourself?