Pendlewitch Posted October 12, 2008 Report Share Posted October 12, 2008 Am I being a miserable Pendlewitch? OH wanted the chooks and as he always goes over the top he, in my humble opinion, got too many, (8) and now their run is just earth. There was a compacted hard standing in the run which the chooks have excavated up and are now making potholes all over the place! They can do what they want up in the run which is 20 x 40 yards but I have put my foot down about him letting them into the garden, they have just about destroyed the lawn and have wrecked the beds, I do the garden and I'm sick of sweeping the paths where they have scratted earth out and sick of dodging chicken poo! He buys them cabbages and gets cauli cut offs from the market so they get some greenery but he is still sulking about them not being allowed in the garden. They look healthy enough and are laying well so are they ok just to be on soil? I'm sure that within a month the entire garden would be a bomb site if he got his way and that is just not going to happen! PW wanders off mumbling and ranting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sproggie14 Posted October 12, 2008 Report Share Posted October 12, 2008 I think their run is fine for them. If he's concerned about them having grass then you could maybe ask around friends, neighbours etc for grass cuttings to throw in with them in the summer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOB Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 We keep ours in a soil run and only let them out for a wander around the garden when we are with them. They get an couple of hours every evening and are out most of the day at the weekend. Could you come to some arrangement like that with your hubby ie an hour a day in the garden? There is no problem keeping chickens in a soil run but you need to treat for worms more often and dig the soil over or replace in on a regular basis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoebejo Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 Mine only have a smallish run because they free range 95% of the time. It's on soil but I've put two bags of woodchip from B&Q on top of the soil. 4 bags for £10 I think. It's been down almost two months now and needs replacing but it's been brilliant. I rake it over a few times a week, the poo gets buried under and as you know is a fantastic fertiliser! They love scratching around in it, searching for tasty bits of food that might have got buried Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzannej Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 I use easibed on the base of my run. You will find it at horse tack shops, animal feed merchants. It seems to absorb the poo,keeps odours to a mnimum as it has eucalyptus oil in it whick keeps the flies away. I do a whole run change every month.Its great. It composts down reallt quickly too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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