What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[KayandColin]

Hi, can anyone advise on the following as we are not entirely sure about the best form of covering for the hen's run, (3 hens ) at present we have some hardwood chippings down, as we read these would be ok but how often do these have to replaced ?

 

Also read about gravel as an alternative, kept chickens as a child and we never used either !

 

 

Thanks for any help suplied

[Cinnamon]

Is your run covered or not?

 

If not then bark chips are probably your best bet.

If it is covered however,then a horse bedding like Aubiose,Rapport,Bliss or one of the myriad of others will do a brilliant job.

[LuckyChickenLover-]

I use bark chips , but as Cinnamon said there are loads of other things that will be fine too. As for how often it needs to be replaced, rake it over once a week and top it up when it looks like it needs it, maybe once a month or so.

[Chickybaby]

I currently use hardwood chips and change mine about every 3 months. I don't do anything in between, the girls dig around in it so that keeps it well turned over. I haven't tried any other material in my WIR but there are lots of others around, I guess you find what you like and then stick with it. My run is covered, although it does get a bit wet if there's heavy rain, and I'm happy with the woodchip. Before I had a WIR I just had the eglu run, not covered except with a shower curtain, and used bark chips......big mistake in the rain because it turned into a heap of mush and went mouldy.

[Surfin]

Is your run covered or not?

 

If not then bark chips are probably your best bet.

If it is covered however,then a horse bedding like Aubiose,Rapport,Bliss or one of the myriad of others will do a brilliant job.

 

I possibly have this wrong but I thought that you shouldn't use bark chippings as bedding due to the bark being harmful to the chooks.

 

Ian

[Tweety]

I think you are right, Ian. Hardwood chips are fine - I get them from Flytesofancy and they are excellent - but bark should be avoided.

[eve]

hi i have a coop and run coverd thats ok.then an area of free ranging at top of garden.it is like a mud bath!! any ideas what i can put down did buy new turf in summer didnt last to mins!! i dont want them all over my garden as have a 3yr old boy.

[BocBoc]

We use hardwood chips - bark is a no-no. We change ours every three months or so but also dig out a layer of crust that builds up underneath.

[Chickybaby]

I had mine on bark chippings for about 2 years with no ill effects.