[HelenMckenzie]

Hi,

We have just got 2 chooks (one that randomly arrived in our garden 2 weeks ago and we couldn't find the owner of, so brought her a friend as well and found ourselves makeshift building coops and runs!) and my husband has build a run for them under the wooden climbing frame he build for our daughters!  As we cant move the run and the fact that the floor was more dirt and weeds than grass, as the weather is changing the floor is getting muddy already.  I have put the old straw from the coop down on some of it for the time being, but was wondering what would be best to put down on the floor for them.  Is it ok to just cover the floor in straw, or should we put something like wood chippings or bark down, and if we put wood chippings/bark down how to I clean them from the droppings etc, would I need to keep replacing the chippings/bark regularly???

Also, we have a small coop for our 2 chickens, which they sleep in and sometimes just chill out in, this is a small shed my husband used for them, they also have another covered area they can go, but it isn't water tight as the top is just decking boards that is the top of our daughters climbing frame (small gaps between each) and the sides are just round wooden posts, so there are gaps between each one.  Is this (the coop & cubby area under climbing frame) sufficient cover for them during the winter??

hoping someone can help, as we have no idea what were doing and have a v v small budget as well!!

x

[Raven81]

I'm not an expert but my run is sheltered  on three sides by 8ft fences, it is just mud on the floor and I go out every couple of days and turn the ground over, it only takes a few minutes and the drier earth tends to be underneath.  I had intended this would be temporary but the hens love it for scratching it and digging up worms.

I'm sure someone else will be along soon with a better suggestion!!

[Yorkie]

I asked a similar question earlier this month; have a look here to see if it assists:

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=84716.0

[HelenMckenzie]

hi yorkie, thanks for the link