3 years, 10 months ago-
Posts
-
-
@HI Everyone
Need advice on my outdoor run areas. I have over 15 breeding pens/with runs. So the area has a coop with outdoor area – covered/not covered. I dont move these areas, they are permanent. Obviously the run areas turn from grass to complete hard dirt in a matter of a month… We also live in Vermont so we have very harsh winters summers, springs, etc. What can I do with the run to maintain a healthy environment that is economical and will work in my weather? So for example if we put down shavings, they decompose pile up then the run gets so tall over time I have ro re-grade. Sand does not work here. Ive tried everything!
-
@Sounds daunting, Nicolle! I hope others chime in. Just wondering, though, why sand hasn’t worked for you in the past?
-
@Why doesn’t sand work?
-
@It gets frozen in the winter and also really hard to maintain…unless you have ideas? Maybe I’m not doing it right
-
I have a few 3 x 4 pens set up to see what works best. One has sand and one with clean pea gravel. So far, I am leaning towards the pea gravel. I put an empty molasses tub, filled with used compost in a big pen and they tore that up. So, I plan on setting one of those 3 x 4’s with used compost, just to see how that works. I am guessing it would be similar to the way Kenny uses horse dung. Then there is regular dirt, but that gets messed up when it rains.
-
@I do shavings and shovel out twice a year. I can’t think of anything that would be zero maintenance. Covering the runs to reduce wetness would definitely help in that you wouldn’t have to throw so many shavings in to keep it dry.
I tried sand, I didn’t like it either. I think maybe sand is for people that find raking the poop out to be a zen-like activity or something? Poop patrol is not my favorite part of raising birds. 😀
-
@HI thanks for the advice. So far nothing really works. I also have clay soil so that doesnt help too. I just try different methods – not sand and some work for a bit and some dont. I basically have to get in ther 2 x a year and turn the soil. Appreciate the responses
-
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.