4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[sootem]

Having come home to my girls knee deep in water after a particularly heavy rain storm we took the plunge (forgive the pun) and built a base from concrete paving slabs. This has enabled us to raise the level of the ground so a flood doesn't happen again. So now the cube and run isn't on the grass anymore what would you suggest I put on top of the concrete slabs so the girls are't walking on concrete?

 

What does everyone else do?

 

Susanx

[xScrunchee]

Aubiose, Hemcore, Easibed or some other type of horse bedding

[Redwing]

Woodchip (not bark) is good and works well in the wet or dry

 

Aubiose etc.. as recommended above are excellent, you must have a cover over the run though as they absorb water

 

Woodchip will need changing less than Aubiose but aubiose is great for keeping the smell down and the chooks really like to scrabble through it so its really down to personal choice

 

Whatever you use do put something arond the bottom of the run like planks of wood or tie on strips of lawn edging otherwise you will lose whatever bedding you put in as the girls will kick it about

 

Edited for a couple of early morning sleepy eyes typos

Edited August 1, 2009 by Guest

[missdiane]

We have gravel, spoke to one chicken place about our concerns about the gravel- they said it would be fine, but the chap who delivered the coop said they need grass, he suggested putting down rolls of turf on the gravel and replacing it when they have killed it

Getting our chickens today, have no idea how fast they will destroy it or how expensive it will work out, it's all going to be a big learning curve.

 

2 hours till chicken time

[xScrunchee]

We have gravel, spoke to one chicken place about our concerns about the gravel- they said it would be fine, but the chap who delivered the coop said they need grass, he suggested putting down rolls of turf on the gravel and replacing it when they have killed it

Getting our chickens today, have no idea how fast they will destroy it or how expensive it will work out, it's all going to be a big learning curve.

 

2 hours till chicken time

 

 

Oooooo 2 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bet you're soooooo excited

 

Think the rolls of turf might work out a little on the expensive side depending on the size of your run.

 

Don't forget to post photo's of the girls when they arrive

[Redwing]

missdiane, they will be fine without grass so don't worry too unduly, you will need to keep the gravel clean by raking and hosing every now and again and will only get problems with the gravel if the ground underneath doesnt drain well

 

If you want to put turf in the run do it because the hens will like to hunt through the grass and scratch at it but don't feel guilt tripped in to thinking they must have it

 

Good luck with the chicken buying where are you getting them from?

[missdiane]

We have heard so many different views about chickens keeping, as long as the chickens are happy, I am happy

So we can suck it and see, bought woodchips before turf was suggested, so it may help to keep costs down if we were to go half turf half chips

Getting them from Cotswolds Chickens

[Redwing]

Getting them from Cotswolds Chickens

 

Most of mine came from there, they are so helpful there

[Sarahsausage]

My girls are happy with woodchips in their run, don't buy too cheap a product though as I did and it was full of shredded rubbish! With woodchips it's easy to poo-pick and every 6 weeks or so remove the old stuff and put new down. If you let you chooks free-range every day (mine do for an hour or so) they will have access to grass etc.

 

Enjoy your new ladies!

[teri]

We have gravel, spoke to one chicken place about our concerns about the gravel- they said it would be fine, but the chap who delivered the coop said they need grass, he suggested putting down rolls of turf on the gravel and replacing it when they have killed it

Getting our chickens today, have no idea how fast they will destroy it or how expensive it will work out, it's all going to be a big learning curve.

 

2 hours till chicken time

 

don't bother with buying strips of turf it will become very expensive!!! if you can let your girls free range under supervision for a while on the lawn that is really all they need. i also chuck a few handfulls of cut grass in each time i mow the lawn!

[teri]

sorry forgot to say i have recently had to dig out the swamp that had been created by the rain it was becoming really smelly

i have chucked a load of wood chip in and this has solved the problem. it did take the girls nearly all day to pluck up the courage to walk on it. they kept dipping a toe and looking at each other in disgust they love scratching around in it now.