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wood chips?

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Joined: 05/30/2009
User offline. Last seen 1 year 13 weeks ago.

we just finished our coop and are picking up our hens this evening. my husband put wood chips on the ground under the run that is attached to the coop. i thought chickens needed to forage in the grass and dirt and wonder if the wood chips will prevent them from that - should we remove the wood chips?

thanks!

Joined: 05/30/2009
User offline. Last seen 1 year 12 weeks ago.

I would let them forage in the grass/dirt. I use the wood chips inside the coop, it absorbs very well, and it's easy to replace/clean. I'm sure they can scratch through it, see how they like it then make a decision.

Bill Stites (not verified)

I am thinking about getting chickens and keeping them on the ground in a pen. What I wanted to know is if we need to get rid of the grass or should I leave it for them to eat and forge in?

Any information that you can give me on starting up a new pen would be very helpful.

Thanks
Bill Stites

Joined: 06/02/2009
User offline. Last seen 1 year 13 weeks ago.

We are new to chickens and I should mention it has been the most rewarding experience for our family. My two boys are taking an active role in their care and upkeep.
First, we use straw in the coop as a means for them to nest and burrow. However, we use woodchips in the pen. At first, we had grass, but quickly it turns to a slippery muck after they have scratched and eaten any bit of green in the pen and pooped like crazy. However, the chips have provided a nice non-slippery medium for them to move about. I am still trying to decide if I will use the chips in the coop as well.
As for letting your chickens scratch around in the grass, I would recommend a "chicken tractor". Google "Joel Salatin" and you will find out what I'm talking about. What we have is a rudimentary pen with a top that has no bottom. It's about 6' X 6'. We move it to various spots around our property and then put the chickens in for the day. That way, they have an opportunity to scratch and forage just like chickens should be doing. At night or when we are gone they are kept in the pen.
As for a coop. We are on a strick budget and I really had 0 dollars to spend. I searched on Freecycle for all the components of our coop and pen. For our coop I got an oversized doghouse. It measures about 3'wide by 4' deep and 3.5' high. It is made out of wood and the side opens. I am almost positive the previous owner used it for chickens...
We got donated scaffolding from a friend. We supported the doghouse on planks that run between two bars on the scaffolding. Then we encased the whole thing in chicken wire. The scaffolding is perfect as it allows for roosts for the chickens. Ingenuity and resourcefulness at it's best.

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Anonymous (not verified)

I haven't yet gotten my urban flock going, but we used to have a large backyard flock on our farm, and in between bouts of chicken-keeping we would let the chicken yard get pretty overgrown. Within a few weeks of re-introducing chickens it was always back under control. The chickens will eat/ scratch/ over-poop the grass away in pretty short order. I would just make sure that the grass is not so high that things like dangerous snakes could hide in it.

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I am thinking about getting chickens and keeping them on the ground in a pen. What I wanted to know is if we need to get rid of the grass or should I leave it for them to eat and forge in? Any information that you can give me on starting up a new pen would be very helpful.
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I suggest to better leave the wood chip as it is, it wont do any more harm to your chickens.
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I suggest to better leave the wood chip as it is, it wont do any more harm to your chickens.

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HI, Add wood chips to the inside of the henhouse but not in the run. The best flooring in the run is dirt/sand. Just make sure you have a roof over that area as it will get mucky when it rains. And chickens hate getting wet let alone muddy feet sliding in the mud. With the summer sun being exceptionally strong at this altitude, you will really want to provide shade for the chickens. The added bonus is calm happy birds and their feathers don't get brassy and dull. You can throw in a chunk of dried alfalfa, hay or even straw in the coop for entertainment. They will soon have scratched and spread it evely over the floor. But when they need to dust bathe, they will scratch an opening in the floor and make their "tub". For easy cleanup of the wood chips in the henhouse, put down a vinyl tile flooring and caulk the edges so that it is water tight. Then at cleanup (every 3 to 6 months) you brush out the chips and spray the tile with bleach and soap. Scrub. Rinse with a hose. Presto.

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I am thinking about getting chickens and keeping them on the ground in a pen. What I wanted to know is if we need to get rid of the grass or should I leave it for them to eat and forge in? Any information that you can give me on starting up a new pen would be very helpful.
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You'll want to leave that grass for the birds, it's very good for them, and they will remove it themselves. You may want to try a chicken tractor to keep you birds healthier, and keep your feed bill down. Chicken tractors also reduce sickness in a flock, as birds are not forced to stay in one spot that turns into a dead zone because of the high nitrogen in their droppings, and the constant scratching and pecking. Not only is it cleaner, but grass fed chickens with a fresh supply of bugs every few days lay the richest most flavorful eggs. Matthew L. Cravatt 

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