Dusty Run- Advice?

[raingarden]

Would a fan help?

 

[Chold05]

That’s a great idea, I’ll try that! Thank you!

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I did add some leaves the past fall. I don’t love the idea of deep litter in the run… maybe I need to research up it more but it seems so… messy?

It is messy. But I find chickens are messy in general. I am hesitant to use sand since it gets so hot here in the summer

 

[bajabirdbrain]

Love the idea of sand. Seems like it would be better for their feet! Any type of sand in particular you recommend?

We just buy sand at a local nursery. Since our run is covered, the sun only hits the sand in some areas depending on time of year, also, no rain in the run, further shielded by the shower curtains in the winter. Can't imagine an easier set up to clean and the girls are able to dig some holes DESPITE having their own kiddie swimming pool with sand, peat mulch, and wood ash for boutique bathing.

 

[DobieLover]

Can't imagine an easier set up to clean

Well... I use wood chips and have never HAD to clean my run. Just shy of 3 years now. So that does seem easier. I just add more wood chips once a year and rake. The chickens dig holes for cool spots and scratching the soil underneath and dust bathe in the decomposed wood chips.

 

[bajabirdbrain]

Well... I use wood chips and have never HAD to clean my run. Just shy of 3 years now. So that does seem easier. I just add more wood chips once a year and rake. The chickens dig holes for cool spots and scratching the soil underneath and dust bathe in the decomposed wood chips.

Never having to clean your run sounds to me that ALL the poop has remained there? What happens to the poop? Magically disappears? 2 minutes every day or two with a slotted shovel and the poop is removed from the run, forever.

 

[DobieLover]

What happens to the poop?

It's a really neat thing called decomposition. It is broken down by the bacteria in the soil and becomes nutrients.
My run doesn't smell at all.

 

[DobieLover]

2 minutes with a slotted shovel and the poop is removed from the run, forever

Two minutes??
In here??

 

[bajabirdbrain]

Might be a concept you are not familiar with. The chicken's poop is picked up individually, and the number of pick ups depends on how many chickens there are. One does not have to pick up the ENTIRE run; surface, only where there is a poop. For, hopefully the last time, it takes literally 2 minutes to pick up the poop deposited by 11 chickens in the run from the previous cleaning. To each their own. Enough said??

 

[linguini]

Well... I use wood chips and have never HAD to clean my run. Just shy of 3 years now. So that does seem easier.

We use sand, and similarly, never had to clean the floor of my run. We throw all the yard waste into the run, everything decomposed quite well (except for the corn husks that did not breakdown and need to be raked after an entire winter). No smell either. We also partially cover the sides of the run with marine vinyl for the winter. Plenty of ventilation also helps.

I do use power wash to rinse the frame of the run and the perches perhaps in spring and fall.
They LOVE digging holes on the floor and take their dust spa! I am afraid dust just comes with the territory!