What to use in run???

Dawnuss · « **on:** March 30, 2012, 21:17 »

What would be the best material to lay at the base of my run (on concrete). Some people say to use sharp sand but cant find this anywhere. The chickens will have run of the garden everyday as well when im home and help my demolition dogs wreck my rockery

send your advice my way please

Fisherman · « **Reply #1 on:** March 31, 2012, 06:42 »

A lot of people use bark chippings especially over concrete. As mine are on grass I use sharp sand in winter when it gets muddy. This can be bought at builders merchants, sometimes its called concreting sand.

Oakdalebirds1 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 31, 2012, 07:03 »

i have a fixed run and use pea gravel which is a foot deep . very easy to clean simply rake daily and wash down once a week , placing diatomus powder down after (smells clean) my hens get let out in the evening when home from work and weekends when in and seem to be fine.

Geo · « **Reply #3 on:** March 31, 2012, 10:56 »

I have sharp sand in the run. The hens dig in it, dust bathe in it. It is easy for poo picking and I just add another bag or two when required. They had grass before and trashed the lot. I have laid a path in the run in front of the coop for water and feed dishes and coop cleaning / egg collecting

JaK · « **Reply #4 on:** March 31, 2012, 14:01 »

I use miscanthus in mine, the chickens love to rake through it and it's cheap.

chookboy · « **Reply #5 on:** March 31, 2012, 15:05 »

Our garden was covered with that 'weed suppressant matting' stuff when the chooks arrived.
It is great - all throughout the winter it has never turned muddy, but now it is drying out a bit it seems to be perfect for dustbathing!

(Have you tried one of the large DIY chains for sharp/builders sand?)

Tony H · « **Reply #6 on:** March 31, 2012, 15:12 »

my runs are concerete iv tryed all sorts but with so many chucks it wasnt practicle, i now just throw straw down for them to scratch and change it every few days then hose it all down

Dawnuss · « **Reply #7 on:** March 31, 2012, 16:51 »

Thankyou eveyone very much appreciated

Cluckyclaire · « **Reply #8 on:** March 31, 2012, 19:33 »

:)hello, a local landscape gardener gave me a load of shrub and conifer clippings, they like scratching around in that keeps them occupied, and its easy to clear out once a week, put in composter or green wheelie bin and then u can clean the paving easily before replacing, the gardener has to pay to take the stuff to the tip so was happy to give to me, maybe there is one in your area who can help you out. just check nothing that could be poisonous or knotweed etc

hope this help

claire

Craig69 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 02, 2012, 08:36 »

I used to use pea gravel which I found easy to clean & took it out once every 3 months to wash in a large bucket.
I used Jayes fluid to wash the slabs once every 2 weeks

What to use in run???

Dawnuss

What to use in run???

Fisherman

Re: What to use in run???

Oakdalebirds1

Re: What to use in run???

Geo

Re: What to use in run???

JaK

Re: What to use in run???

chookboy

Re: What to use in run???

Tony H

Re: What to use in run???

Dawnuss

Re: What to use in run???

Cluckyclaire

Re: What to use in run???

Craig69

Re: What to use in run???