What surface shall we put the run on?

[Mustardfan]

We got chickens about 5 weeks ago, and have been moving their igloo coop and run around the grass in the garden. They destroy each patch, so we are now thinking of keeping them permanently in one place. Shall we just put them on the grass, or would it be better to put a surface down for them, and should we put chippings or something down?

I have the same question for my two chickens which I should be getting later this week ! Hope someone replies soon

I’m thinking of trying sand. Not sure what kind I need.

We have decided on wood chips/bark,
A mix of hard and soft which we are Getting from a tree surgeon friend , but available from any homeware store
This will be placed on top of some chicken / mesh wire to stop foxes/ rats digging under
I’m so excited to get them !

How many have you got?

We put ours on woodchip on top of concrete in the winter be a because they like to ruffle through it and grass gets too muddy.

Sand will be very difficult to keep clean. I'd recommend woodchip, either pn slabs/concrete/soil, or straw. Straw is especially good if you compost or need ,mulch for plants.

I’d be careful putting woodchip on top of chicken wire (in fact I just wouldn’t do it). They dig and scratch a lot and they could damage their feet. I think you just have to accept they will ruin a lawn particularly if you only have a very small run. I’ve had chickens for 8 years or so now. We move the run around a lot and in the winter it’s better if you can use bark/woodchips on concrete slabs. They kick whatever you use around a lot though. They also need a dust/sand bath

Mine were on grass, now they are just on bare earth.

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Straw can harbour mites, I wouldn't use it. Mine was on concrete slabs tonprevent rats digging their way in and I used hemp horse bedding on top of that. It doesn't get blown by the wind and lasts quite long. Used bedding went into the compost bin or iust a pile in the garden.

We’ve had ours about a month and they’ve destroyed the grass 😂. We are going to put them in an enclosed run, concrete base with Woodchips, and a large dust bath. We will also let them out to scratch around in other parts of the garden when we are around.

I was just going to put the wire underneath a few layers or bark because I keep reading foxes
Can dig underneath to get into the run ? And Rats too for getting the eggs ?
My run is large and just placed on top of soil at the moment , what would you suggest is best ? X

Put the wire outwards milk. (Look at a picture of an egloo run and you'll see the edges are L shaped with the horizontal bit of wire outside of the run). Foxes will come right up to the wall of the run and start digging and then they will hit the wire and give up.

Rats will squeeze through the wire anyway so if you get them near the run, they'll get in somehow.

We have had rats a number of times (I have a bait box out all the time now) and have never had a rat take an egg, they are more interested in eating the hens food.

Thanks for the answers. I might try concrete. When I’ve googled a sand run it comes up with some positive reviews of it, some people seem to love it, they say you can rake it out.

I’d use either concrete or road planings as a base but make sure you add a sandpit or sawdust pit, or a grass/soil area for them to scratch about in (I used to put a sawdust pile sprinkled with anti mite powder in once a month and they’d roll in it and de mite themselves!).

Unless your ground is really well drained you will find wood chip can get boggy/muddy in winter.

Lots of good advice here , and thank you @HasaDigaEebowai that’s exactly what I plan to do today if the rain holds off! Thank you . Just a quick one for all the knowledgeable chicken people here , I’m torn between getting pekin bantams , id love the bantams for my two young toddlers as I understand them to be lovely little things , but not so many eggs ? And I really do want the eggs so could I mix them ? Will the bantams Be ok ? If so should I get the bantams first and then add the bigger girls later ? Thanks

Sorry that should read me mixing the Perkins with the hybreds, like Sussex’s ?

We've had pekins and hybrids in together before without an issue. Your issue comes when you introduce newcomers to the flock. Ideally you get them all from the same place at the same time so that they already know one another and you don't have to deal with the fighting and injures as they establish the pecking order.

Thank you . The breeder I’m getting them from has told me not to put them together , it seems
To vary from person to person . So we have decided on buff Sussex’s and a white Sussex
For now . It’s so difficult finding chickens at the moment ,. There is a real shortage for hybreds across the country it would seem ! thanks for all the advice

Sussex's are a better choice anyway IMO. You should call them Harry Meghan and Archie

haha that’s really made me laugh I would name them after them but feel I would be doing the chickens a dishonour x

Now I’ve been wondering whether to get a large plastic tray and put that inside the igloo run, with wood chippings on. There would still be some grass area too, but it would protect some of the grass. How often do you change the wood clippings?

My perfect solution was mud control matting clipped together to stop their feet getting caught. Then hardwood chips which I clean and sanitise every week.
They free range most of the day but they can still scrabble about in the wood chip and find bugs.

I covered my run which helps too.

I change all the woodchippings every few months but poo pick daily and use sainitiser.
I also have the run sitting within moulded plastic edging to keep the woodchips in.
The sort that people use as instant vegetable plots.