Patridge bantam chicken poorly foot?

[eggs]

I'm very new to the joy of having chickens. At the moment the girls are in an Ark at night and free ranging within 50m of electric poultry fence in our field during the day (terrifying the horses in the process!).

 

On the basis that we will have another horribly wet winter if this week if anything to go by, I was planning on putting their Ark into an empty stable and letting them loose in it (like a run) during the day. I have got a choice of two stables (both about 12' x 12'). One has a concrete floor and the other has an earth floor. I have plenty of Easibed that I can put down but I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts of which would be best.

 

Many thanks from an addicted keeper!

[Gamebird]

I also keep my chickens inside 50m of electric poultry fencing and I plan to leave them there throughout the winter with the sides of their ark and run covered so they have access to shelter in the worst weather.

 

However, if I was to put them in a stable I think I would chose the concrete base with bedding and then you can give it a good clean out on a regular basis. Whereas I would think the earth floor would be difficult to keep clean the smell in such an enclosed space might be a bit pongy.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I swear by Hemcore but will be switching to Easibed next (Hemcore isn't being stocked by my supplier any more ). If you have loads of Easibed, I'd use that - I'm sure there are lots of forum members who use it.

 

Not sure about the floor . Gamebird is right about the cleaning, but I have to say I like my girls having the ability to scratch about in the earth. I use garden lime and Stalosan F (which you may have already if you have horses?) and the run doesn't smell at all. I clean it out every 6 weeks or so. Your "run" will be totally dry too so shouldn't get muddy or smelly.

 

As you have a large area, however, perhaps the concrete area would be easier, purely from the cleaning point of view.