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

[SuburbanChick]

I read on here somewhere that it's a good idea to use grass protection mesh in your chicken run. Has anyone tried this? I looked it up and saw that the mud management suggestion was to place a membrane in the run first, then protection mesh, then woodchips. I was wondering if I could just put mesh over the grass (no membrane) then add woodchips but what happens when the chickens scratch? Would it hurt their feet if they scratched down to it?

 

I had decided to put my run in a fixed spot in the garden which just happens to be lawn and I'm worried it will just become a mud bath plus I thought the mesh would be extra protection against the foxes which are very active in our area.

 

Any thoughts on this gratefully accepted.

[The Dogmother]

I wouldn't bother. I have grass mesh under my lawn to stop the dogs and chickens digging it up, but I have slabs under the run.

[Patricia W]

Grass and chickens together don't go. If you cover your run, you can use woodchip or a hemp based product such as aubiose. The chickens love digging in it, it lasts a long time ( 6-8 weeks in my cube run) and is magic on the garden afterwards.

 

Good luck!

[Mrs_B]

I use the mud management method from Newland Poultry, the plastic turf protector doesn't hurt the chickens' feet but unless you put the membrane cover down there's no point as the idea is to stop the chickens getting muddy and the plastic protector protects the membrane from being shredded to bits. I use it in a large WIR and it's really helped me and my girls as they don't FR and the area they're always in remains dry and mud free. I hose it every so often to stop any poop build up and keep up with sanitiser/diatom

 

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