What is the easiest way to introduce new chickens to an existing flock?

[MadAboutChooks]

Hi There,

I am considering getting one of Averies 4 u chicken runs built, and am wondering what is best to do with the floor. I know a lot of you have either slabed or concreted the base. Can I ask a really daft question but if you slab the area can you literally just lay the slabs down on the earth or do u need to make sure they have a hardcore base, need to be exactly level! etc. My OH is not handy at all, and anything of this sort would have to be done by me. Wondering if it is a job I could do or if I would need to get someone in to do it? perhaps I should get someone in to concete it instead

I appriciate anyones advice!

[emchook]

I went all around the houses on this question mself !

 

I worked out how many slabs I would need to completely cover a 12*6 run ..and it was expensive [ even with discount slabs ].

Also, have you ever lifted one of these slabs .. nightmare !

 

And you would need them relatively flat...which my OH pointed out would be quite a labour intensive nightmare just to get the ground ready.

 

It just didnt work out to be that cost effective so I have just had a concrete slab laid by the gardeners that our neighbours use.

[ubereglu]

You can just lay the slabs on the ground if you level the earth underneath. It's probably an idea to lay them onto some builders sand to help flatten out lumps.

 

Slabs do make life easier though because you can simply s"Ooops, word censored!"e off all the material on them and then hose it all down.

[chelsea]

We put our WIR panels on top of a brick surround and left the middle area bare earth - we've regretted it ever since.

 

I would definitely recommend a concrete base, we are going to concrete our floor this Spring as during wet spells the dampness seeps up through the earth and makes the aubiose all soggy (and smelly). Concrete or slabs would make it much cleaner and easier to maintain.

[Plum]

With the slab base you should put down hardcore and level it then sand and level before laying the slabs (according to Wickes). I have been looking into the slabs and you can get 400x400 slabs which I can pick up easily they are about £1.69 each from Focus.

 

I would do the preperation first because they'll lay even and it will help drainage.

[BarbaraJ]

I have brick surround with soil and we don't get any damp come up thank goodness as the ground is near trees and bushes so very hard.

I would lobe a cement base but won't be able to now as hubby built the run in situ and theres no way it would come apart easily.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I have my WIR on slabs just round the edges. They were laid properly with hardcore. I think this is vital if you are putting a WIR down as it just won't sit properly if the slabs aren't level and you may find it hard to put together.

 

I'm more than happy having soil in the centre of my run but I don't have a problem with dampness (except at the edges in very bad weather). Perhaps I just have well draining soil .

[Space Chick]

My WIR is on a fullt slabbed hard standing, properly done with hardcore, and steps up. I also have a permanent back wall too. It was a lot of work and cost a fortune (as I or OH are not gifted in the DIY department ) but it was definately worth it

[Tutti Frutti]

Another one surrounded by trees with bone dry, rock hard soil so we just roughly levelled the ground, put down anti-weed membrane (to stop weeds/mud coming up whilst giving good drainage), then laid the cheapest slabs on top - initially just around the edges but then all over (after the girls found a join in the membrane, dug up the soil and ruined their Aubiose !).

[MrScruff]

Well am in two minds now what to do with my run. Lay paving slabs or a concrete slab????

I was going to get some cheap paving slabs from B&Q at around £1.50 a slab, but am wondering whether to fill the area with concrete and have done with it-suppose it would be level, weedproof and more foxproof, but you are stuck with a big slab of concrete. I suppose its whether you have to dig out a lot of earth to pour a concrete slab or if you have loads of earth to lay on....how deep a slab of concrete would you have to pour to stop cracking etc?

 

I already have an area of a concrete "border" that the greenhouse was attached to, but am going beyond this in places and would have to lay concrete slabs on top of this (or dig it all out ) Might start looking into the price of concrete and sand etc to fill the area I need.

Stage one underway with the run-took all of the glass out of the greenhouse today-took all day and not a single cut or broken pane...phew!!!! Unbolting next and then will have a better idea of the area...taking pics as I go so will post soon

Good luck with the WIR base and thanks for the idea of a concrete base-just assumed everyone slabbed

Cheers

Ian

[MadAboutChooks]

Thanks everyone for all your advice. I think that I will get someone in to concrete the area, sounds like too big a job for me to level it etc and put the slabs down, and if as you all say if I dont do it level might not be foxproof. Now I just have to save up the money needed for the concrete and the WIR. I guess there might be a long wait for Averies 4 u anyway might give them a ring, just to enquire

[Olly]

May be too late with this, but I have an Aviaries4U run and it just stands on slabs - no hardcore, I dug out the earth, levelled it as best I could and then put down builders sand. I bought the slabs from Focus, eight at a time (it took several trips!) and laid them myself, and I am definitely not DIY handy. Because the slabs are not being walked on, I didn't think the base would need to be as firm as if you were laying a path or patio.

 

I was very worried when Tony arrived that he'd think the base wasn't suitable, but he said it was fine! I must say it was hard work though, especially as I ended up doing it in November ... had to get a friend to help in the end. Use a spirit level and a batten to ensure it's as level as you can get it, but it doesn't have to be perfect.

 

I chose to keep the middle just earth, so they could dig around - no problems with damp on my site. Buying the Aviaries4U run is the best thing I've done so far with regards to my hens, and I wish I'd done it ages ago.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

That's good to know, Olly . Just in case I ever have to buy a couple of extra panels from Tony some time . You just never know .

[Tutti Frutti]

Aha! What about a hybrid of slabs and concrete!

 

Our WIR is slabbed and I did a major cleanout today (removed Aubiose and Virkoned everything!). I saw some of the Aubiose had compacted down between the cracks in the slabs so I suddenly thought... why not fill the gaps with Postcrete? (premixed cement that you just water in)

 

Hey presto, one permanent solid, slabbed base

 

I just need to level a couple of slabs (have a couple of wobbly ones) and then I'm going to give it a go - I'll let you know how I get on

[Plum]

I was going to do that, I have some waterproof grout you use on swimming pools and patios. See how you get on.

[MaggieMcHen]

I have my WIR stood in slabs that I got from Freecycle in my area. I have paved the area around the feeding bays but the rest is soil with Aubiose on it the only time it really got horrid was when the snow drifted in all over it and stayed for two weeks. The girls do so enjoy rootling around in it and don't get all that dirty - oh and they like to make a dust bath in the soil and ash mix. I have a good swap with my friend - she has ash with coal in it so can't use it in the garden and I give her my poo pickings in return as I have too much of that.