Storms and chickens

[eggysoldiers]

I should have got a cube to start with. I knew it. 🙈 Although I know it’s not as good as the original I’m quite excited about the new arrival tomorrow.

Today is being spent moving all the old bark off the slabs and laying them better.... The age old question - what do people have in their runs?

The run will just be the normal cube one. I’ve bought the baffles for the back and the clear cover. I’ve no idea how easibed would fare as there would still be water getting in and it would escape.... Do I stick with (flyte so fancy) woodchip.... Any other suggestions? What do other people with the same have? 
 

thanks 🥰

[Patricia W]

Cover the run, top and at least the side with the prevailing wind, and use aubiose.   I get my clear tarps from Tarpaflex and it stays dry.  The Omlet  ones  don’t fit well so I’d send those back if you can.  I have wavy plastic roofing sheet from Wickes which I attach along the other side if it is really bad weather, but it’s not needed very often.  I have log roll round the perimeter.   Aubiose fossilises the poo and if you rake ground sanitiser through regularly, will last about 3 months.  I use it in the nest box and poo trays too.  Composts beautifully 

Edited February 28, 2021 by Patricia W

[eggysoldiers]

Thanks!! Do you have a pic at all? 

what do you fix the tarps with, I don’t find the bungee cords very good.

the “open” side faces our house so is fine in most weathers but will remember that for nasty. Does aubiose cope with getting a little bit wet? I find no matter how I cover it water comes in the door end or somewhere 🙈

[mullethunter]

Alternatively I have flyte so fancy hardwood chips because although my run is covered on top and three sides it still gets quite wet. I do muck out quite often and sprinkle ground sanitising powder when I think of it but only need to replace the woodchip every 18 months or so. That’s with 9 bantams in a 10 sq meter run.

[eggysoldiers]

1 hour ago, mullethunter said:

Alternatively I have flyte so fancy hardwood chips because although my run is covered on top and three sides it still gets quite wet. I do muck out quite often and sprinkle ground sanitising powder when I think of it but only need to replace the woodchip every 18 months or so. That’s with 9 bantams in a 10 sq meter run.

That’s what I had in the current classic run. Although there were some fairly compacted slightly stinky bits after a year 🙈

[Patricia W]

I’ll see if I can get a pic later, but a bit of damp around the edges doesn’t matter for the aubiose as long as the main part of the run stays dry.  I use a network of bungees which go right from one side of the run to the other.  If you don’t want your tarps to wear out make sure they are kept as close to the run as possible so they can’t flap. 

Edited March 2, 2021 by Patricia W