What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[DorianGray]

Hello

 

I don't know about the rest of the country but the past few months have been a bit wet here is Suffolk, and as a result the outside area of the run that my 6 girls share is now little more than bare mud. I do my best to keep it fresh with a weekly dusting of 'ground de-contaminating' powder, and they regularly get straw inside their run to dig around in, but I am conscious that things could be better for them. So, does anyone have any ideas please?

 

I'm thinking I could put down some pea-shingle for them to scratch in, and maybe some sand - but I'm worried that sand might get into places where a girl really doesn't want sand... I have tried chipped bark in the past but this soon goes damp & less than aromatic. Ideally I'd like to turf the area, but this will require the current Gangsters to have shuffled off this mortal coil to allow a fallow period for the grass to establish.

 

Lastly (thank you for the attention!) I'm wondering if there are some small-ish 'hen proof' shrubs that I could plant in order to give them some shade / variety if that big burny yellow thing in the sky ever comes back.

 

Thanks!

[gavclojak]

I have ornamental grasses and some lavender I n pots in my run, as for the for the ground, I use wood chip but I understand the dilemma. If it's really muddy how about a pallet for them to stand on till the ground drys up? I have to say, we have had constant rain but my wood chip has held up amazingly well, but then again it was three foot deep!!!

[Chortle Chook]

I use small pea shingle, 10mm, and my chooks also love a small log pile (with small logs put close together) that they can then play 'king of the castle' on. They also like to look for grubs around the edges of the logs. For shrubs, I've found bamboo to be a real success with chickens. They love the leaves so keep the stalks nice and stripped back near the bottom, and stop it spreading the way it does normally. Meanwhile the leaves look nice to us humans and give the chooks some nice shade. Another thing for chook shade are mini apple trees. You can get really little ones for planting in tubs and I put one like that in the ground. Meanwhile you can use pots raised up on either another pot or on something like a chimney pot for some flowers for you.

I think you can see the log idea and the chimney pot thing in this picture (It all looks a bit brown now but will look so pretty once the wee tree flowers)

Another plant that seems to be chook proof is that Australian big leafed plant as in this picture

[Guest]

I love your set up Chortle Chook, do you have any other photos you would be willing to share? How have all the plants and pretty things stood up to the constant rain.

 

Despite my WIR being covered and fully slabbed the rain still got in and was seeping up through the slabs.

 

My flock had few logs which they loved, I swapped the logs over for fresh ones but apparently the new one are not suitable as they have been ignored. Blimey chickens are such divas.

 

I am moving house soon so buying a new run, I have a folder full of ideas lol

[Grandmashazzie]

I have a castor oil plant which was in run area before girls came,they don't peck at it at all and it gives some shade along with two camellias .

[Chortle Chook]

I love your set up Chortle Chook, do you have any other photos you would be willing to share? How have all the plants and pretty things stood up to the constant rain.

Well I have a dry as dust garden normally so it has stood up quite well to the rain. I've been lucky I think. Also the hard-wood chips that I covered it in last spring helped though the chooks have now dug it all in like nice compost. If we ever get any sun I'll take some more pix for you

[Guest]

[Patricia W]

I've got a choisya ( Mexican Orange Blossom) which they ignore and they leave feverfew alone - and nettles. Anything else they eat....