Emily Carter
Chicken runs are an essential component of chicken coops, providing chickens with free range while keeping them safe from predators. The size of a chicken run should be based on the flock size, with bigger runs being better. When it comes to the flooring of a chicken run, it's important to consider factors such as drainage, ease of cleaning, and the chicken's natural behaviour. While concrete slabs can provide a solid base, they need to be topped with absorbent bedding materials like hemp or sand to keep the run dry and clean. Sand is a popular choice as it drains well and chickens enjoy scratching and rolling in it. Other options include wood chips, straw, grass, or bare ground. Foraging and dust-bathing are critical to chicken welfare, so ensuring they have access to an area where they can scratch around and take dust baths is essential.
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What You'll Learn
Drainage is key to a dry chicken run
Rain on top of dirt makes mud. Add in chicken manure, coop bedding, and spilled feed, and you have a muddy mess. Often, grading issues are to blame for muddy coops. In the coop, the yard has a lot of built-up bedding from mulch and straw, as well as from cleaning out the coop. The flock loves to sift through the leftover bedding, but if it’s left on the ground for long, it builds up. Re-grading is a big job, but after a few years of the coop staying in one spot, it may need to be done to avoid a muddy chicken run.
Fill material can help with drainage issues. Adding well-draining material to low areas will keep water from accumulating and help avoid standing water issues. Well-draining material can include wood chips, small pebbles or stones, and sand. If you use stone or pebbles, the area can be covered with wood chips for a softer ground and a well-draining area.
Sand is a popular choice for its durability and drainage. Chicken owners who use sand in their chicken runs report that their chickens enjoy scratching and rolling around in it. Sand can be used to fill in holes that form in the ground. However, sand may need to be scooped out and replaced from time to time, and it may need to be treated with a horse stall refresher to neutralise any ammonia smell.
Concrete slabs can also make a good base but need a topping. The poultry bedding equivalent is called "Aubichick". This is expensive and mainly available in the UK. An alternative is to invest in 100% hemp bedding. This absorbs moisture for longer than other types of bedding.
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Concrete slabs provide a solid base
When creating a chicken run, it is essential to consider the placement of the coop and run. For example, is it at the bottom of a slope where water can pool, or is it exposed to rain and snow? These factors will impact the flooring you choose. The flooring should keep the run clean, dry, and bacteria-free, while also being easy to clean and hard-wearing.
Concrete slabs can provide a solid foundation for the chicken run, but they need to be covered with a suitable topping. This could be a commercial product like "Aubiose" or "AubiChick," which are horse and poultry bedding, respectively. Alternatively, you could use hemp bedding, which is more affordable and absorbs moisture well.
It is important to note that concrete slabs alone may not be sufficient to meet the needs of your chickens. Chickens require access to areas where they can scratch around and dust-bathe, so you may need to add a dust bath inside the coop or create a separate area within the run with a different flooring type.
Overall, concrete slabs can be a good starting point for creating a functional and manageable chicken run, but they should be combined with other materials and considerations to ensure the welfare and happiness of your chickens.
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Sand is a popular, durable, and well-draining option
When it comes to the flooring of a chicken run, there are various options to consider, each with its own advantages and drawbacks. One popular choice that stands out for its durability and drainage properties is sand.
Sand is a well-liked option for chicken runs due to its ability to withstand the demands of chicken keeping while also providing effective drainage. It offers a suitable surface for chickens to scratch and roll around, catering to their natural behaviours. Additionally, sand serves as an excellent material to cover the ground, helping to keep the chicken run clean and dry.
The durability of sand makes it a long-lasting option, reducing the need for frequent replacements. Its well-draining nature is particularly advantageous during rainy seasons or in areas with drainage issues. By choosing sand, you can effectively avoid the challenges of a muddy chicken run, which can result from a combination of rain, chicken manure, coop bedding, and spilled feed.
While sand is a popular choice, it's important to note that some chicken keepers prefer alternatives that more closely resemble a natural environment, such as dirt, leaves, and grass. These options allow chickens to engage in their natural behaviours, such as scratching and foraging. However, sand can be a happy medium, offering a clean and dry environment while still providing the chickens with a suitable surface to explore.
To enhance the benefits of sand, some chicken keepers recommend sprinkling Sweet PDZ (a horse stall refresher) on particularly wet days to neutralise any ammonia smell. This additional step can be especially useful if the chicken coop is located near living spaces, ensuring a pleasant environment for both the chickens and their owners.
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Hemp bedding is absorbent and pest repellent
Keeping a chicken coop clean and dry is essential for the health and happiness of your flock. A muddy chicken run can be a common issue, especially during rainy seasons. To avoid this, it is important to consider the placement of the coop and run, as well as the type of flooring and bedding used.
When it comes to bedding, hemp bedding is an excellent option for chicken coops as it is highly absorbent and pest repellent. Hemp bedding is derived from the inner core of the hemp stem, which is the most absorbent part of the plant. It can absorb up to four times its weight in moisture, keeping the coop dry and reducing odours. This absorbency also helps to control usage and reduce wastage, making it a cost-effective choice.
The natural pest repellent properties of hemp are another key benefit. Hemp contains natural chemical compounds that act as pesticides, keeping pests, insects, and animals away without the need for harmful artificial pesticides or repellents. This creates a safer and healthier environment for your chickens, reducing health risks and veterinary visits.
In addition to its absorbency and pest repellent properties, hemp bedding is also eco-friendly, safe for chickens, and cost-effective. It is a natural product that is free from toxic chemicals, reducing the risk of respiratory issues and other health concerns. Hemp is also a fast-growing and low-maintenance crop, making it a more sustainable option compared to conventional bedding materials.
Overall, hemp bedding is a great choice for chicken coops as it helps maintain a clean, dry, and pest-free environment while also being environmentally friendly and cost-effective. By choosing hemp bedding, you can improve the living conditions for your chickens and contribute to a greener future.
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Chicken wire is flimsy and won't keep predators out
Chicken runs are meant to be a separate but attached area for chickens to have free range while being contained and safe from predators. Therefore, it is important to use sturdy materials such as corrugated panels, industrial netting, or fencing for the roof. Good fencing is crucial for the protection of your chickens, and chicken wire is simply not strong enough.
For the ground, you can use anything from wood chips, straw, grass, or bare ground. Sand is a popular choice for its durability and drainage, but it is not the only option. Concrete slabs make a good base but need a topping, and larger runs may only need slabs in a corner.
To keep the ground fresh and pest repellent, you can create a chicken run base with a layer of clean river sand or soil, then add a sprinkle of regular grade diatomaceous earth (DE) to help prevent pests and moisture buildup. Finally, add some super-absorbent hemp bedding to soak up droppings, which is also naturally pest repellent.
Overall, it is important to use sturdy materials for your chicken run to keep your chickens safe from predators. Chicken wire is not a suitable option for fencing due to its flimsy nature, and you should consider stronger alternatives to ensure the safety of your flock.
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Frequently asked questions
The ground in a chicken run can be made from a variety of materials, including wood chips, straw, grass, bare ground, gravel, sand, concrete, or pebbles. Sand is a popular choice for its durability and ability to drain well. However, it is important to ensure that the ground cover is easily scratchable and diggable for the chickens.
To prevent your chicken run from becoming muddy, you should address any grading and drainage issues. You can do this by adding well-draining material such as wood chips, small pebbles, or stones to low-lying areas to prevent water from accumulating.
Chicken runs can be quite basic, but there are some additions you can make to keep your chickens entertained. You can add perches and stumps at different heights to encourage natural foraging behaviour. You can also create DIY chicken toys by filling a clean and dry plastic bottle with treats such as mealworms or cracked corn.
To keep your chicken run clean and pest-free, you should use materials that are easy to clean and hard-wearing. You can also add a layer of clean river sand or soil to the ground and sprinkle it with regular grade diatomaceous earth (DE) to prevent pests and moisture buildup.
