Advice please on flooring!

[Morgs]

I have had four ex battery hens for a month now - they have a big run which is on one of my lawns.They have decimated the grass and turned it into a muddy mess in just four weeks! I knew that would happen, but didn't think it would happen quite so quickly! I am loathe to move the whole run to the other lawn as I want to keep some part of my garden relatively chicken-free! I do move them in the afternoons into an A Frame on the other side of the garden so they get some fresh grass. My question is:

Can I put bark chippings down to cover all the grass in the run? Would it be safe for them? Would it be more absorbent in the rain etc? Or is it just going to make cleaning up the poo more difficult?!

Thanks guys

[melons]

Lots of people, me included use bark chippings, I rake them out once a week, they are so cheap to replace this often, as I get them from a re-cycle place for a £1.00 a bag, they drain well & dry out quickly in the sun. They also like to dig about in them as i sprinkle treats in there for them too.
How do you like your ex batts? I've had mine for 6 weeks now & I am totally smitten by them, I want more! We've got our first feathers coming, one is quite bald, so i'm over the moon with her new clothes.

[T_Steadman]

Would it be ok to use bark chippings on top of grass? I don't have my chickens yet, but I was just wondering if doing that would keep the grass for longer, so that I wouldn't have to move the run so often. I would use them sparingly so that they could still get to the grass.

[Morgs]

Thanks for the reply - my ex batteries are wonderful - have never kept chickens before and thought about it for about 18 months beforehand...one was very lame and didn't come out of the coop for two days, but it is a joy to see her hopping around on her knock kneed legs now! Mine are quite bald, but so friendly and rewarding. However, I think I would've thought twice if I had realised how much they poo! cor blimey - I'm cleaning it up twice a day!!

will def try the bark - it might keep the grass better and also be a bit more absorbent with all this rain we're having. cheers everyone

[melons]

Ex batts are "the most" rewarding pet to give a home to, we had them as kids, I always remember them walking about in a group, unable to move independently of each other, then the mad dashing flappings about, it had me in stitches, so there was no way I would have got hens any other way, other than ex batts.

Like you say poo galore, I pick it up every day off the garden after they have free ranged, sadly only when I get home, so much so, that I had to also wash the grass last week, as I had been at home all week, so they'd been out all day every day, & it was covered in ......well skid marks really, can't think of a better description, sorry.
But I wouldn't have it any other way.

[Dave]

how big is the run?
if the run is big enough divide it in two
turf half
leave the other bit mud but keep it turnd over and loose
and sprinkle mixed corn on it
that way they can sratch about
also hang some greens up over the mud side
i have a 18ft circle of mud on which i do the above
and my grass in the rest of the garden is short but it is
still grass!