What should I put on the floor of my run?

[FlippertyJibbet]

I've got chickens for the first time and am fairly clueless I'm afraid! I've got three lovely hens who have an Eglu Go Up attached to an Eglu walk in run. I put the coop and run on the lawn.

They've been there a week and already there's hardly any grass left. I've been picking out their poo every couple of days. Now there's not much grass left, it's been raining and they've been digging their run is now just a mud/ poo bath. Should I put down some bark chippings or something? Surely it can't be good for them to be walking round in poo all day? Or maybe even some artificial grass so I can see where their poo is and clean it up?

Advice mic appreciated!

Bump

Yes, bark clippings would be good.

I caved in in the same situation and spent a fortune on a walk in run with a roof!

I like Raviera oil seed rape straw, it horse bedding, but very good for hens due to not much dust and easy to take out as it clumps together for cleaning. Deep litter method works well with this.

Also look at plastic drainage mats so they are not always on wet earth

Also use this for bedding and the girls love it (many different breeds over many years), they hated wood shaving pushing it to the side and laying on nothing rather than that cheap stuff!

Spoilt!

There is an optimum ratio of hens to floor space, to stop the ground being ruined, but it's quite a big area per hen.
Anything you put down will contribute to your grass getting ruined, as it will cut out light., if you want it to stay ok, you have to move the run every couple of daysl

Thank you!

I'm not bothered about the grass being ruined. Just stupidly hadn't considered the difficulty of keeping a bog clean!

I've ordered some plastic drainage mats and will go to a horsey shop tomorrow to see if I can find some of that bedding.

I put some logs and platforms in the walk in area so that they can perch up away from the mud, and there are some dust-bath areas which are under cover and don't get wet.

Yes was going to add have you an area that is covered? Hens dont always like to be inside if it rains.

Not sure how big the run is on the Eglu, but they need to be occupied as well, stops them getting bored and picking fights with each other .

If you can a hanging basket inside the run tied up and put a cabbage (or lettuce esp when its hot out outside, out of the fridge, mine would go mad for it, but does cause more poo!). They can peck away for ages as pecking upwards is a natural way for them to eat. Or push corn through the gaps and just let them get on with it.

If the weather was bad or because of foxes around and I had to keep them in my large run (otherwise they were totally free range) I would put balls in the run along with the plastic balls which contain seeds (as a treat) for them to roll around and the seed would come out.
www.amazon.co.uk/Beeztees-7690-0000-Savic-Chicken-Fun/dp/B004QJUDA8/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_199_bs_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=6DBW1VNFM1C80VWHKMBH&tag=mumsnetforum-21

We even mad a hen swing, but they were not that fussed!
www.durham-hens-poultry-supplies.co.uk/swing-for-hens-1573-p.asp

Unless your moving the house every few days for new grass your garden will become a swamp, and have no garden left!

Have a look at a website called Backyard Chickens, you will find some goo info on there, but feel free to ask anything else, it can be quite daunting at first but they will bring you much joy!

I really need to check what I have posted sorry for errors!

Thank you so much. I've found some sticks and arranged them like perches and they've been busy exploring them.

Do you mean put the cabbage in the hanging basket coconut? Or just have the basket for them to clamber into and cabbage separate? Sorry if stupid question!

I'm surprisingly attached to my chickens already. We hatched them back in June and I've spent so much time watching them with my dc's. I've persisted with rabbits for years but already the hens like me so much more than the rabbits do!

Yes put the cabbage in the hanging basket, I find the ones with the covered wire the best, they will spend ages pulling through the food, it helps keep them occupied.

Like this, if you can get a one with smaller openings the better.

www.homebase.co.uk/value-wire-hanging-basket-30cm_p428809

Oh you will become attached to them!, what breed have you got Flipperty.

If your handling them they will become very used to you.