Flooring for Chicken Run??

[Becks01]

We are going to be keeping our new chooks in a large run with a concrete floor and a raised chicken ark…they’ll be able to free range in the garden when we’re around, but will be spending more time in their run than previous chickens we’ve kept…I am going to make perches, dust baths etc… but unsure what flooring to put down on top of the concrete for them to scratch about in that isn’t going to turn into a horrible sloppy mess? Any suggestions very welcome!!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

is the run roofed? I like sharp sand for runs-just shovel it out every 2/3 months (I dig into flower beds) and replace. Cheap and chooks love it. In between it cam be raked over and garden lime (not agricultural lime) mixed in and left overnight to neutralise smell.

 

[dollyanna]

^ agree with sand - I slabbed my run last winter when it became an untenable quagmire, and then put 2-3" of sand over it. It's been a brilliant surface for them, easy to rake over occasionally to keep the concrete covered, nice to scratch through and very easy to top up or replace as needed.

 

[The Bouncing Bog Trotter]

Agree with the sand, I have used it in my runs for several years with great success. Buy in bulk bags.

 

[Emmangel]

I used wood bark (play grade) and I ordered a one tonne bag. As I put it down I also sprinkle/rake it through with Nettex ground sanitizer. You can make it quite deep and my girls love scratching around in it.