Soggy run

[Currant]

Hi, just laid a new patio so have the old huge slabs sitting idle. Question is is it easier to look after a slabbed walk in run or just on soil? At the moment it is on soil (covered) and hilly from their digging but otherwise the aubiose just mixes in. Has anyone got preferences? Which is easier and is one method more hygenic than the other? Thanks!

[Olly]

If I had the slabs (and the energy!) I'd slab my walk-in run all the way through, rather than the outside ring which I have. You can still put down a thick layer of woodchip, aubiose etc but it will be easier to sweep/shovel out when you do a big clean. My girls dig holes of ankle-breaking proportion, and the floor becomes compacted and requires a lot of digging to clear - I would definitely go for slabs if you can.

[Egluntyne]

I have my runs slabbed, and it makes clearing out much easier, and you can hose it down every now and then.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

My WIR sits on slabs but the centre is soil with Easibed on top. It works very well for me. The girls get to dig to their heart's content and I don't find it a problem cleaning it out .

[doctors girls]

im with eglutyne and olly slab it is so much easier for cleaning out if i would have the time an energy i would have built a concrete base like you use for garages

[hopingforchickens]

I'm in the process of planning my new WIR, my current one is built around a tree and on what was once a flower bed! It is now a horrible mess of sludgy mud and poo, that quite frankly smells! There's not much I can do about it at the minute, so I'm really looking forward to the new SLABBED run! It is going to be much, much easier to clean out. However, saying that, if you decide against slabbing and are passing by Derby in the next couple of weeks in a big lorry with your slabs on board, feel free to pop round to mine and I will take them off your hands for you, as I have ordered my run a foot wider and a foot longer than originally planned so am on the scrounge for some more!!!

[Currant]

Sorry have persuaded hubby to put slabs in tomorrow which will be his weekend workout as they are massive with lumps of concrete stuck to them! Then I'll buy more countrywide horsey bedding to put down and see how that goes. How often will I need to change it? Thanks everyone.

[fantasticjudyann]

My flooring is earth with the weldmesh floor of the WIR on top. I use hemcore quite deep for the litter and clean it out roughly every four months. This works for me and the chooks. It isn't difficult to clean out each time and just goes on the compost heap or in the brown bin. Never had slabs cos DH not keen. Never had a problem with it becoming smelly!

[scubababe]

Having got hubby to lay a concrete base I wonder how my ladies survived before It's a dream to keep clean & clean out. My biggest problem when cleaning is the composter is now full and the bin is full....dustbin men will not be happy with me on Tuesday I don't have the mud bath anymore...

[Purplemaniacs]

Another vote for slabs

 

Chrissie