Chicken bald back

[AndyRoo]

Hello

 

Does anyone have an opinion on what the best surface to place a run is?

 

Although I was going to lay down chipping or dust free sawdust for the substrate, I wasn't sure what to place that on? I thought about chucking it straight on top of the dirt, but I am guessing that gets muddy quite quickly in the rain?

 

TTFN,

Andy

[mullethunter]

There are loads of threads on this. But...

 

I removed turf, levelled, lined with weed mesh, laid sand, laid paving slabs. Topped with hard wood chip. It's been the best thing I ever did (having completed it all in one weekend on my own I was then more or less unable to move for the next week!)

 

(See my current thread in new girls for photo)

[AndyRoo]

Ah!

 

I was thinking something like that myself. Or possibly laying down some acrylic sheeting or something.

[Cat tails]

I would line it with something that drains water too. If it gets wet, you want the water to go somewhere.

 

I did something similar, although much less fancy or professional looking.

Dug out dirt (grass? What grass?) to about 20 deep. Laid some paving slabs (not flush, but with big gaps in between) lined the sides of the hole with bricks, to place the run and frame on to. And then just put all the dirt back. They effectively have one big dustbath. And it works for me.

[AndyRoo]

Yes, I am kind of imagining making myself something like a giant kitty-litter box in the ground: layer of sand/gravel for drainage, weed cover, compact it all down and then a layer of something more solid... just not sure what the 'solid' thing should be.

[Cat tails]

I just used some paving slabs lying around. The cheap kind.

[Alis girls]

Slabs and auboise - easy to clean - had the equivalent of the Somme with mud - never again. We left one slab free hole for dust bath. Its a deep hole as they have been watching Chicken run and trying to dig out.