What to put underfoot for chickens?

[LadyPinkofPinkerton]

Hi, I'm a new chicken keeper. I am splashing out on an Eglu.

I have an old vegetable patch that I am want to put the chickens on. It is currently overgorwn with weeds. Would it be okay to just strim the weeds very short and have the run on that. Or does it need to be proper grass, or wood chippings?

Bumping this for you - I would be interested to know this too - we are thinking of getting some chickens in near future.

Believe me lady pink, the chickens will mash it up very well for you. Within a fortnight they'll have stripped it and turned it over two inches deep at least - then you can do what I did, move the eglu and plant brassicas!!

Seriously though, there might be pix on my profile of my eglu in the veg garden. I use hardwood chips from b&q in the run.

Try omlet forum as well, there are loads of threads there on what to put in the run.

I've now got an eglu cube as well - they're addictive little beasties!

Thank you for your reply Bramblebooks.

I suppose that I coudl put them on the weeds til they make them disappear then put them some wood chips down.

How often do you change your wood chips?

I put mine on the lawn and move them and re seed the lawn every few days!

For the autumn and winter I put them on hembiose (stable bedding) on the patio which soaks the poo up like magic and I only change about once a month.

I rake regularly and add more woodchip when the original stuff is so kicked out that there are too many bare patches. A regular top dressing of Stalosan F helps.

Thank you so much all for your help.