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[julia55]

Just after advice please.

Currently my four girls are free ranging in what I can only describe as 'bog like' conditions due to the extreme wet weather. I have a cube and extended run for them but like to let them out of the run to roam in quite a large area. I am however considering moving the cube/run onto some concrete ground that I have over the winter months but:-

a) would it be cruel to them to keep them shut in a run after having roamed free for 7 months and;

b) obviously they can't scratch around on concrete so what would be the best stuff to use to cover the concrete to allow them to scratch around, albeit limited scratching.

Thanks.

[atsw]

We let our girls roam around the garden during the summer and early autumn, but then they move to their 'winter home' until the spring. We have three in a regular Eglu and run, and they don't seem to mind being enclosed after roaming free for many months.

 

Their winter home hasn't got a concrete base, but the earth does get compounded quickly and can be hard after just a few weeks so we apply liberal quantities of bark chippings to the run while they are confined. They all enjoy scratching about in it and the bark keeps mud levels under control should it get really wet outside.

 

Hope this helps

 

Andrew

[julia55]

Thanks for that, I suppose they are "only" chickens and forget about free ranging when they are in a run and as an extended run should accommodate 10 hens in theory, the four I have will have plenty of room.

Unfortunately the mud doesn't compact at all where they are. I put bark on top of the soil but that still doesn't help.

My main worry is whether it's okay to put them on concrete, albeit with a topping of bark.

[Jules.]

As long as they have something to scratch about in then they will be fine.

[Hen Watch]

My lot have 3 different spots around the garden depending on the time of year. At the moment their winter home is and enclosed area of grass and raised beds. But the grass will soon be eaten and gone.

 

Their eglu run is on the patio slabs with Auboise bedding on top to soak up poos. The run has a cover as Auboise must not get wet. And I change the Auboise completely once a month.

 

In their run is a plastic underbed storage box with dry earth which is their dustbath and at the moment they are using this every day since the flower beds are too soggy to bathe in.