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  • Run floor

    Well, as you know, we've got the hen-house. The next job is to make the weldmesh run (covered by a weldmesh roof). It will go on part of the vegetable potager (there's posh!) so it has good solid paths around 3 sides and half of the 4th - with buried wooden edging etc. so shouldn't get dug into once we've secured the half side (veg bed which continues round a corner.)

    So I'm after picking the brains of people who have made runs on previously well dug and fluffy soil. I know it will very quickly be trashed and I wonder what you all use. I know about straw/wood chippings but I wonder whether they should go straight on the soil (which will be well compacted by the time we've stood all over it to build the run.) Or should I put down a good layer of gravel first?

    What has everyone else done?

    And thank you in anticipation of your usual helpful answers. (It's like having your own google!)
    Last edited by Flummery; 26-01-2009, 11:38 AM.
    Whoever plants a garden believes in the future.

    www.vegheaven.blogspot.com Updated March 9th - Spring

  • #2
    How exciting for you!! I've put some pallet tops (they're flat rather than raised) in the areas that got muddy. I then put wood chippings (tree surgeon delivers to allotment site free!) on top of them and straw if it's cold or really wet. This means I can lift them up regularly and clean under them and I lift them completely when the girls are in the alternate run so I can throw ***** fluid down followed by garden lime. This is all under the covered area of the run. The remainder is just left with wood chipping plus dead leaves and sometimes some straw. I do it this way so I can clear properly and compost everything. I did try pea shingle but on the soil it just sunk in and got muddy.
    I've just ordered a new chook hut so I'm about to start again on another part of the allotment!
    Have fun!!!
    Sue

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    • #3
      Bark maybe? The sort they can have and not the one thay can't (have forgotten which is which )

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      • #4
        We initially put down wood chip on top of the soil, but after a sustained period of rain it got really muddy and yuk, we lifted it all then put down some weed proof membrane then wood chip on top, which is fine.

        Got any piccies for us Flum?
        Last edited by lainey lou; 26-01-2009, 01:47 PM.
        Imagination is everything, it is a preview of what is to become.

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        • #5
          I was thinking straw straight on top of soil for my run, with maybe a paving slab path up the middle for easy human access (though I suspect the girls will love making this just as muddy as the rest of it).

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          • #6
            I wouldn't bother with the gravel as at some point you will have to scrape up the floor covering and chuck it in the compost...gravel would be wasted.

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            • #7
              As the grassy area that the chooks had originally is now almost all a muddy quagmire, I use Easibed (wood chippings) and straw. I feel that the chooks need to be able to scratch around and find the odd seeds, grubs, grit etc so I'd not be inclined to put anything solid on the surface
              My girls found their way into my heart and now they nest there

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              • #8
                Thanks for the ideas so far. I've got a couple of pallet tops and suggested these to Himself who said they'd just rot! I wondered about memberane too but thought the chooks would then not be able to dig into the soil - or maybe they don't need to if there's enough chippings? My reason for asking is that I thought that anything I put down will just sink into the soil - but then I can rake off and compost the layers as I change the stuff so maybe I'm just looking for problems. It was wood chip I was really expecting to use - or maybe occasionally straw.
                Whoever plants a garden believes in the future.

                www.vegheaven.blogspot.com Updated March 9th - Spring

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                • #9
                  My girls have scratched through a few holes in the membrane (it was cheep stuff) to get to the soil, plus I put in a trug with some sandy soil in it for them to dust bathe in.
                  Imagination is everything, it is a preview of what is to become.

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                  • #10
                    I've had my pallet tops down for a couple of years and no signs of rotting yet. They're easy to replace anyway and you can do a "rot inspection" when you clean out! I've also treated mine with some stuff thats safe for animals.
                    What chooks are you having?

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                    • #11
                      Just remember Mr fox is around Flum!

                      If you are wanting to move the run around your Potager I would just use a very coarse mesh on the floor directly on the soil. The term 'sly as a fox' springs to mind so whatever you do, try and be one step ahead!
                      My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
                      to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

                      Diversify & prosper


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                      • #12
                        Our coop is on legs which are concreted in using huge blodges of concrete. The girls have done so much dust bathing that they've excavated the heavy clay soil around it to a depth of about two feet down and hubby's worried that the whole lot is about to subside

                        I think whatever you put down, consider it temporary as it's just a matter of time before the asbo mob destroy it totally!
                        http://www.justgiving.com/Vicky-Berr...-Marathon-2010

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                        • #13
                          Flummery, well done sounds great. I used Gravel and wood chip which has worked very well. I turn it over evry now and again and the chooks love it as they have little seedlings and loads of worms to eat. I do top up the wood chip as it breaks down over a period of time but i have found it works well for me and my chooks.

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                          • #14
                            Hi Flum, was chatting to folk in the local ag. suppliers before Christmas and they recommended Easibed.

                            I know I've read somewhere not to use straw because it pretty much guarantees you'll have mites - don't know if this is true

                            Originally posted by Suechooks View Post
                            This means I can lift them up regularly and clean under them and I lift them completely when the girls are in the alternate run so I can throw ***** fluid down followed by garden lime. This is all under the covered area of the run.
                            Sue - how often would you do the *****/lime treatment and how much lime per squard yard (sorry, I am too old to happily do metres!)

                            Bilbo

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Snadger View Post
                              Just remember Mr fox is around Flum!

                              If you are wanting to move the run around your Potager I would just use a very coarse mesh on the floor directly on the soil. The term 'sly as a fox' springs to mind so whatever you do, try and be one step ahead!
                              We were intending to move it around Snadger, but having read so many heartbreaking fox stories, both here and on other forums, it will be easier to secure if it's permanent, so that's why I'm wondering about a more permanent flooring. Coarse mesh a couple of inches below the soil does sound effective. Will have another think!
                              Whoever plants a garden believes in the future.

                              www.vegheaven.blogspot.com Updated March 9th - Spring

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