Solitary chicken - need advice

[Jimbob]

Hi Everyone,

 

I was hoping someone would be able to give me some advice on making a permanent run area in my garden. I've got x4 Apricot Campbells and a Muscovy Duck. They will have free access to the run and the rest of the garden all day everyday and i am only going to confine them to the run area when it is really wet or/and during the winter months when the grass gets turned to mush.

 

The run area will be approx 12m x 2.5m in size. I was planning on laying weed fabric on top of the grass and then bark chippings approx 6" deep on top of that. Would the chippings need changing quite regularly or just every few months or so (the run will not have a roof). Also should I use weed fabric or just put the chippings straight onto the grass area. After pricing up bark chippings I am going to try to locate a local tree surgeon for a vanload

 

Cheers,

 

Jim

 

x4 Campbells and a mad muscovy

[tom123]

I would suggest slabbing about 3 metres of that run so there pond and house aren't on a swamp. The rest of the run, I wouldn't put membrane down, just put WOOD CHIPPINGS not bark down and rake it every day or so. After about 3 months change it.

 

Will the run have a roof on?

[Lesley]

I'd leave it as grass in an area that size. Our grass was fine with 3/4 ducks on a similar size - it's a bit boggy but still has grass and that's with 9 on it at the moment.

[tara]

Id have a roof due to foxes getting in my friend had hers killed just before christmas as there was no roof.As for the base l have slabs and l give them loads of green stuff to eat but its always poo free.good luck what ever you decide

[Guest]

HI

 

2nd/3rd not to bother with the weed fleece etc just put the bark etc onto the grass(I would probably let them mush the grass then deep bark when its bad on top of grass and I would slab just a small area as suggested ie with gaps to drain(so you can hose it off if it gets mushy) thats what I had. The slabs are just so they have somewhere un mushy to stand on

Also I would still mesh the roof re Fox just to be 100% sure

 

Good luck indie

[Jimbob]

Hi Guys,

 

Thanks for all your advice.

 

I think I'm going to slab a small area (3m x 3m) for their duck house and water container and then leave the grass as it is to see what happens next winter I'd love the slab the whole area but that would cost mega-bucks

 

If it gets too boggy I can then cover it with deep wood chippings.

 

I wasn't going to roof the run because the garden is pretty secure surrounded with 4' and 6' fence panels and i always lock them in their duck house at dusk.

 

Thanks again.

 

Jim

 

x4 Campbells and a mad Muscovy (and Apricot Campbell ducklings hatching soon)

[foreveryoung]

Hi, I am the one who lost my ducks Christmas eve due to a lack of a roof, there normally is/was a roof on top of my run but due to heavy snow we had to take it down... it started to get dangerous!

 

foxes can get into almost any garden, they can climb over 6ft fences, scurry through s small whole that you'd only think a rabbit could get through...

 

never leave it to chance!! I was (still am) rather gutted about the loss of my ducks and my children finding out on Christmas day (not out of choice) of all days that the animals wed already a few weeks prior nursed back to health, due to an unknown issue..

 

 

 

 

P's mine were normally put to bed in the eve but circumstances ment they weren't and we didn't get out there till 8.30pm, we also caught the fox in the act!

 

never leave things to chance!!!

 

have you looked at freecycle for slabs??? I got half my run slabbed from getting it off of this site!