hello pete, when it comes to adding wood chips to my chicken run, i just tip it all out into a big heap on the floor. i find that the chickens will scratch and kick all the chips around looking for bugs and it is leveled off in a few hours, this saves me a job and gives the hens hours of entertainment. regards from England.
For everyone saying he just needs a roof.. that will only work if he puts up walls on the outside also. Rain does not fall perfectly straight down. It will absolutely come in from the sides. I have mine “roofed” and it’s like putting a bandaid on a bullet wound.
I’m in Central Texas. I use pine bark mulch in my runs. They turn it every day so the poop goes down. I get bags and just dump it and they spread it. I also have all 5 runs covered with tarps which keeps the runs pretty dry. If you run bedding is higher than the ground next to it, it will stay dry.
I love your setup. It is awesome. I love my chickens like you do & I have a run like yours. My chickens are my babies. They get up on my lap when I go out there. I spend a lot of time with my chickens. You are doing a great job. They look happy.
What a great idea! The woman from Chickenlandia also mixes in the pine pellets which are very absorbent & break down. They smell great, too! (I use them in my Breeze cat litter box & it’s a fabulous way to go!) Anyway, all this just to mention that I’ve also collected fallen pine needles & small branches to use in the run-they smell great and are nutritious snack for “the girls.” Thanks for sharing!
That's a nice chicken coop and run there. But, I think I'd build a run with a roof. That would probably help keeping the area more dry. It would also provide some more shade in the mid day, which the birds would love in summer. Also, I'd put a board or something all along the bottom of the run wall so the chickens can't kick too much of the bedding out. Maybe a board or some scraps from metal roofing, or anything, about 12 to 18 inches tall. The birds look happy and healthy, though.
take your cross support board off and put it on with the bottom in the back corner (hinge side), and the top (at the opening side) of the door. That will keep the door from sagging & binding in it's opening.
Hey Pete, im from Silsbee area. My son gave me a small Chicken coop w run. It had been out in weather, of course. We almost messed it up moving it. As i thought about the situation, i decidedto take P.T. 2 x 6 and put under it. Wow, coops up higher, screwed down coop to this. Higher and stronger. Just wanted to mention. This might be an agreeable idea for you. Take bottom of coop up off the ground. I painted my bottom most board before putting it down.
THANKS PETE I’m new to our part of TX and this fall 2021 will be a complete 4 seasons I have quail working out great in hutches I realllly want chickens too and thought I would only have meat chickens next spring and summer - you just showed me WHAT I CAN DO to have my egg layers THANKS FOR SHARING
Not sure if you care but I learned this myself. Your support crossbeam should go to the opposite corners of your gate. It would help with the drag and help keep it level I promise.
Hi Pete! We will be getting our chickens in about 3 weeks (they will be 16 weeks old). We built a chicken coop similar to yours...but with the nesting boxes on the platform and a slanted roof (with gutter). But I can't thank you enough for all the chicken video's. We've never raised chickens, but have neighbors that do. LOL But, with your video's and 2 books we've bought, I feel we'll be ready. Thank you for letting us learn with you.
I have half my run covered in a tarp it’s lasted 3 years so far. I’m in sandy Florida so no mud. I’m afraid of wood chips because of bumble foot but wood chips mixed with chicken manure makes wonderful compost. Looking good
Scatter the chips over your grass area and overtime the soil will repair itself and will not crack up in the summer and drain better in the winter,like the soil in a forest
Hi Pete, good video! I have a much smaller run for my 6 chicken but have the same problem. I used sand to absorb some of the excess water. Of course I didn't have a pile of sand to take it from. I bought some construction sand (6 baags). Keep the videos coming!
Hi Pete on the big gate you have attached the diagonal timber the wrong way that is why the gate has sagged remove and put it the opposite way so the bottom is at the hing side. Get someone to help you lift the left side while you screw the timber. That should fix it.
I've been getting a few comments like this telling me that the diagonal brace is wrong. Actually it works better this way. The diagonal brace is pulling the door from falling down. It's the same design that is used in cable bridges. Just think of the diagonal brace and the hinge side as a right triangle.
I would so love to have a place in the country where I could have chickens. I live barely in the city limits and can't have chicken. I've got a place picked out in the mountains as soon as I get the money.
Thanks for sharing this great tip. I live in Woodstock GA on an acre with 8 chickens. Living the dream! Always working on keeping the chickens safe, healthy and happy.
You and be both. I can have chickens but deal so often with a nasty neighbor and power tripping and uneducated, duplicitous authority which said neighbor constantly call.
Most cities allow them now. We live in a suburban type neighborhood and they are allowing people to have a couple chickens. I didn’t want a rooster because of the crowing but having two or 3 chickens won’t even be noticeable.
The door large enough to move the wagon into the run for clean up and to put in bedding is a great idea, thinking I might have to borrow that one...first time viewer, new subscriber...
You should rebuild your door making it shorter in height and putting a board at the bottom of the run across the door way that doesn’t move where your door will but up against the bottom board. You’ll have to step over the board whenever you go into the run. But you won’t have the problem with your door getting stuck on the ground any more! Btw, I thought I had a lot of water on my field at times, but you certainly got me beat! LOL
I use chips here in central MD a lot. If the mud gets deep, it sucks your boots off! I still sometimes sink even w the chips, but my boots stay on and much cleaner.
I’ve read that some farmers use pea gravel or some other small pebbles in their run. Rocks don’t decompose as fast! LOL But then again long as you don’t mind scraping it out every so often and adding the chips to your garden you can’t go wrong that way either!
Great problem solving, Pete. I LOVE the idea of wood chips as litter. I think I'll put down a base of wood chips and top it off with a layer of leaves! 👍👍👍
I can’t find wood chips where I live in NE Mississippi, I’m almost out of leaves, the chicken run stays so wet in the winter and spring. Still looking for options….
We use the wood pellets that are designed to be used in a pellet stove. They absorb a ton of water and work in dry pens just as well to line the coop with clean flooring. When it is applied to dry dirt, we just spray it lightly with water to dampen it just a bit and soften it up. It makes the coop smell fresh as well.
@Miss Jen 🐾 End DayZ R Now! No straw. The pellets dissolve into fine sawdust and lots of it. They soak up any moisture available. We add a small amount of sprayed water to help start the breakdown process. Once you try it, you will get a feel for how to go about it. It leaves the coop smelling fresh and clean for a very long time. We have a small flock, live in a relatively dry climate for the most part. We usually lay down the pellets every three months.
not to be rude but they're chickens...as long as it's not raining constantly for ever it will dry up and they will be fine. i have raised chickens for years in a 50 x 50 pen. sometimes it's muddy sometimes it's not. your run is great, its cleaner than some peoples houses. a chicken wont die from muddy feet...lol
@@petebeasttexashomesteading I had chickens many years ago so much fun , I"m getting some quail soon , My best chicken was nosy rosiey she had to be with me at all times .
I could just imagine How kind you are doing many things your property doing just for yourself well You keep your chicken You will be blessed. Abd someday you will Have plenty things organic eggs Why not hire somebody to help you You are very brave doing everything you are kind man God bless you
Problem with corrugated plastic roof is where we live. I'm in north Louisiana with the exact same climate as this guy and our summers are brutal. Even with all the sides open, the corrugated plastic is actually made for a greenhouse so it's designed to let all the sun and heat in it can, so it tends to make everything under it twenty degrees hotter. Which isn't good when it's already 110° outside with no breeze and 99% humidity. A light colored tin would be better, still a bit warmer than normal but it does better to reflect the sun and heat that the other.
Yeah, W/o is chips are great, worms love it too, protein for the girls and you can replace it putting the old wood chips on the garden with extra fertiliser.
Hi Pete, question why do you not put a roof on the coop to keep the rain out? The woodchip is a brilliant idea and it will be good for your garden, but a roof would stop the birds from getting wet.
I thought about putting a roof on but it would make it dark and gloomy 😞 I just need to stay on top of it and keep the run bedding higher then the ground level.
Just FYI, the roof might work. From personal experience on 2 acres where my chickens ran loose, they stayed out in the rain. Why? No idea. They had a lot of trees and large low hanging bushes, their 'bed or roost' an old shell of a trailer parked on a slab of concrete that was weather sealed (the doors wide open) and the open back porch. Did they use any of this? No. They'd rather all pile up under a small portable fire pit that had a hole in the middle for the ashes, which during rain, was as good as a running hose. During intense lightening storms, I'd invariably lose one to a lightening strike. Nothing really more dreary looking than a sopping wet chicken. Their choice. Good luck.
When clearing our land of fallen branches and limbs, I use a tarp and pull it from place to place as I'm collecting the tree branches. It would also work for the wood chips. Just load up the tarp and pull it over to where you want it. Just a thought, belated. 🤪
Adding deep bed of my live oak leaves has helped mine. I'm waiting on a load of wood chips, but they say don't use cedar chips. Those are bad for chickens.
Keeping the run dry is very important for having healthy chickens. They need dry areas for walking in, keeping feathers dry (since they are not like other birds), and dry areas to dust bathe to keep mites away.
🙋🏼♀️🕊. This is a tough one 🥴🍀. How about 🧐🧐putting some pallets in ther then some wood chips ?? Good luck 🍀👍 may your 🐓🐓chickens stay healthy 🍀🕊🍀🕊🍀🕊. You have sure been hammered. With bad weather down south! I have been following it .be safe🍀🕊🍀🕊
Pete, with all of your resources why don't you install polycarbonate roofing panels on top your run? You would save yourself all of this trouble, effort and work.
You needed a bout a 4 inch gravel base with landscaping fabric over the top and then topsoil or dirt then woodchips so it would drain properly. It’s time to let your chickens out they will stay close and Will go back to the chicken coop to roost every evening just open the gate in the morning and close the gate at night. Just a suggestion
@@petebeasttexashomesteading Chickens are pretty smart when it comes to hawks. They will stay in tree cover during the day and RUN back and forth to the coop for water/food. The rooster does a good job of keeping an eye on the sky. Mine free range and I haven't lost one yet and we have a lot of hawks here too.
How about make the floor inside the coop higher than outside, then water will drain to the outside permanently. Then you could dig French drain around the coop to lead water away. This is how houses are built, always higher than street level, so rain water will drain to the street.
What if you build up the ground inside coop a couple inches to let water run away from the run instead of sitting stagnate. Also, what about a sandier bottom layer to allow more drainage. And as others mentioned, of course chickens thrive with the opportunity to access fresh air, sun and shade, but perhaps you could tarp or inexpensively use corrugated plastic sheeting on the first 1/3 of the run if it means they may be more comfortable outside of roost on rainy days. I also love the movable or temporary runs some ppl build that allow you to move flock around a little to different spots on the lawn periodically to allow the ground to recuperate a little and to give the chickens fresh greenery and bugs. Your set up is good/fine but generally any animal standing in wetness for long periods will develop problems. Thank you!
Yep good ideas, I'm building a chicken tractor now. So when I move them I'll probably take a out a few inches of the composted wood chips in their run for the garden, and raise the run floor with dirt and add wood chips again.
I really like your run design Just one thing on the woodchips and compost in a run like that you should be able to produce quite a bit of compost, those woodchips look like they're already breaking down
Pete being in Texas, do you have issues with ants, especially fire ants when using the wood chips? I am in GA, anytime I try something down ants take over and I have some silkies newly added to my flock. I am trying to keep their feet as dry as possible but their coop is on dirt because nothing so far hasn’t turned into an ant mound. Any suggestions would greatly be appreciated. I don’t have a roof on my run just shade fabric to d filter light and keep predators out. Thanks in advance
I enjoyed it. We just bought a bunch of chickens in August and September. We are trying to determine the run/coop areas We are currently using a dog kennel (10x10) with tarps around and a roof of tarp but want to do something better. I love your run. It must have cost a fortune for that hardware wire and those posts. We bought a couple rolls of hardware wire at Tractor Supply and it is very expensive for like 10 foot rolls.
Why did you choose to leave the roof with a mesh roof rather than a solid roof? I’m planning to build a run and I’m waffling between the two. I’m in NW SC so we get a hot July and August and there’s also trees over the the area, so I’m not sure if shade and cleanliness is more important than sun exposure.
I built the coop and run to be in the shade during the mid day. It'll protect them from the harsh summer sun. I thought with a solid roof, it might be too dark and gloomy for them.
Thanks for the video I really need a chicken run but my land is wet and spongy. It rains a lot around my area and to top it off I have a little stream at the back of the house so the back yard is mostly spongy. This is a great idea you just showed up. My question is, how is the smell with the wood chip compare to the leaves?
My poor chickens are going through the same thing and all of our vehicles are broke down. Im looking for a big enough bag that I can get delivered to my address. Also something I can use in the compost afterwards.
Just a thought. If you were to put a drain system in under ground in you chicken run. Would you get a type of chicken tee you make with the 5 gallon buckets? Thanks just a thought
The chicken tea is much more concentrated as far as nitrogen, but I plan on removing a few inches of the chicken run soil in a year or two and putting it in my garden beds.
Using a Honda Pioneer ATV with a Cargo Max aluminum trailer with a tilt bed would be much more efficient and cause less damage to your site when moving wood chips, manure, gravel etc.
ever think of putting tarp on the top of the run? I would rather keep the run dry to avoid having to add stuff like that, it can harbor mold and mildew not good forthe chickens or you breathing all that in. but it was better than leaving the yucky mud
Pine shavings is really bad for chickens mine has been getting respiratory infections so I haven't put anything in there yet but it's nasty right now with the rain and I shread paper for there house
A better solution in my view would be to raise the structure away from the ground by putting it on two layers of breeze blocks. This would of course require you to put boards for a floor too.. Then, as others have suggested, put a roof on the coop to keep out the rain. Good luck with it all.
I am often thankful our lot is on a slope...No standing water, ever here in Raleigh, NC.. I'm from Charleston SC.. called the low country...so I'm familiar with wet boggy ground, glad I got out of that situation..
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hello pete, when it comes to adding wood chips to my chicken run, i just tip it all out into a big heap on the floor.
i find that the chickens will scratch and kick all the chips around looking for bugs and it is leveled off in a few hours, this saves me a job and gives the hens hours of entertainment. regards from England.
My chickens love to get into my piles. They go right to them in the morning and are obliterated by the time I come out.
For everyone saying he just needs a roof.. that will only work if he puts up walls on the outside also. Rain does not fall perfectly straight down. It will absolutely come in from the sides. I have mine “roofed” and it’s like putting a bandaid on a bullet wound.
I’m in Central Texas. I use pine bark mulch in my runs. They turn it every day so the poop goes down. I get bags and just dump it and they spread it. I also have all 5 runs covered with tarps which keeps the runs pretty dry. If you run bedding is higher than the ground next to it, it will stay dry.
Yes I have tarp to that’s a good idea
Love your coop with the swings- what a great idea!
I love your setup. It is awesome. I love my chickens like you do & I have a run like yours. My chickens are my babies. They get up on my lap when I go out there. I spend a lot of time with my chickens.
You are doing a great job. They look happy.
Thank you 🙂
What a great idea! The woman from Chickenlandia also mixes in the pine pellets which are very absorbent & break down. They smell great, too! (I use them in my Breeze cat litter box & it’s a fabulous way to go!) Anyway, all this just to mention that I’ve also collected fallen pine needles & small branches to use in the run-they smell great and are nutritious snack for “the girls.” Thanks for sharing!
That's a nice chicken coop and run there. But, I think I'd build a run with a roof. That would probably help keeping the area more dry. It would also provide some more shade in the mid day, which the birds would love in summer. Also, I'd put a board or something all along the bottom of the run wall so the chickens can't kick too much of the bedding out. Maybe a board or some scraps from metal roofing, or anything, about 12 to 18 inches tall.
The birds look happy and healthy, though.
👍
take your cross support board off and put it on with the bottom in the back corner (hinge side), and the top (at the opening side) of the door. That will keep the door from sagging & binding in it's opening.
Hey Pete, im from Silsbee area. My son gave me a small Chicken coop w run. It had been out in weather, of course. We almost messed it up moving it. As i thought about the situation, i decidedto take P.T. 2 x 6 and put under it. Wow, coops up higher, screwed down coop to this. Higher and stronger. Just wanted to mention. This might be an agreeable idea for you. Take bottom of coop up off the ground. I painted my bottom most board before putting it down.
I really like this guy! He would be a great neighbor!
THANKS PETE I’m new to our part of TX and this fall 2021 will be a complete 4 seasons
I have quail working out great in hutches I realllly want chickens too and thought I would only have meat chickens next spring and summer - you just showed me WHAT I CAN DO to have my egg layers THANKS FOR SHARING
Yes cover your top so rain will not full plenty
If water chicken are best keep them you are kind person and
God bless you more to come
Not sure if you care but I learned this myself. Your support crossbeam should go to the opposite corners of your gate.
It would help with the drag and help keep it level I promise.
Hi Pete! We will be getting our chickens in about 3 weeks (they will be 16 weeks old). We built a chicken coop similar to yours...but with the nesting boxes on the platform and a slanted roof (with gutter). But I can't thank you enough for all the chicken video's. We've never raised chickens, but have neighbors that do. LOL But, with your video's and 2 books we've bought, I feel we'll be ready. Thank you for letting us learn with you.
Awesome thank you, chickens are the best animal to start on a homestead and you'll enjoy getting plenty of fresh eggs.
I have half my run covered in a tarp it’s lasted 3 years so far. I’m in sandy Florida so no mud. I’m afraid of wood chips because of bumble foot but wood chips mixed with chicken manure makes wonderful compost. Looking good
👍
You can tell that you care about the comfort of your flock! How nice to see!!!
Thank you 👍
I'm in Northern Illinois and have colder temps to deal with.
I used to live in Michigan, I know all about the cold temps and I can assure you I don't miss it one bit. 😬
Scatter the chips over your grass area and overtime the soil will repair itself and will not crack up in the summer and drain better in the winter,like the soil in a forest
Hi Pete, good video! I have a much smaller run for my 6 chicken but have the same problem. I used sand to absorb some of the excess water. Of course I didn't have a pile of sand to take it from. I bought some construction sand (6 baags). Keep the videos coming!
👍
Hi Pete on the big gate you have attached the diagonal timber the wrong way that is why the gate has sagged remove and put it the opposite way so the bottom is at the hing side. Get someone to help you lift the left side while you screw the timber. That should fix it.
I've been getting a few comments like this telling me that the diagonal brace is wrong. Actually it works better this way. The diagonal brace is pulling the door from falling down. It's the same design that is used in cable bridges. Just think of the diagonal brace and the hinge side as a right triangle.
it is on backwards, thats why your door sags and you couldn't open it. Turn the bracing 2X4 THE OTHER WAY, bottom on hinge side top on open side.
I would so love to have a place in the country where I could have chickens. I live barely in the city limits and can't have chicken. I've got a place picked out in the mountains as soon as I get the money.
That's awesome, in the mountains is best and far enough away from the city to grow your own food and from all the restrictions and high taxes.
We are all pulling for you brother - you will make it to that mountain! I know it!
Thanks for sharing this great tip. I live in Woodstock GA on an acre with 8 chickens. Living the dream! Always working on keeping the chickens safe, healthy and happy.
You and be both. I can have chickens but deal so often with a nasty neighbor and power tripping and uneducated, duplicitous authority which said neighbor constantly call.
Most cities allow them now. We live in a suburban type neighborhood and they are allowing people to have a couple chickens. I didn’t want a rooster because of the crowing but having two or 3 chickens won’t even be noticeable.
The door large enough to move the wagon into the run for clean up and to put in bedding is a great idea, thinking I might have to borrow that one...first time viewer, new subscriber...
Thank you 👍
Then when we clean the coop, which is quite large and they are free range hens.. we use the pine shavings and debris for a compost😊👊🏻
You should rebuild your door making it shorter in height and putting a board at the bottom of the run across the door way that doesn’t move where your door will but up against the bottom board. You’ll have to step over the board whenever you go into the run. But you won’t have the problem with your door getting stuck on the ground any more! Btw, I thought I had a lot of water on my field at times, but you certainly got me beat! LOL
I use chips here in central MD a lot. If the mud gets deep, it sucks your boots off! I still sometimes sink even w the chips, but my boots stay on and much cleaner.
👍
I’ve read that some farmers use pea gravel or some other small pebbles in their run. Rocks don’t decompose as fast! LOL But then again long as you don’t mind scraping it out every so often and adding the chips to your garden you can’t go wrong that way either!
Love your choice of music, and awesome chicken run.
Thank you 🙂
Great problem solving, Pete. I LOVE the idea of wood chips as litter. I think I'll put down a base of wood chips and top it off with a layer of leaves! 👍👍👍
Awesome 👍
I can’t find wood chips where I live in NE Mississippi, I’m almost out of leaves, the chicken run stays so wet in the winter and spring. Still looking for options….
Love your set-up and the music. My chickens love swings too
👍
We use the wood pellets that are designed to be used in a pellet stove. They absorb a ton of water and work in dry pens just as well to line the coop with clean flooring. When it is applied to dry dirt, we just spray it lightly with water to dampen it just a bit and soften it up. It makes the coop smell fresh as well.
@Miss Jen 🐾 End DayZ R Now! No straw. The pellets dissolve into fine sawdust and lots of it. They soak up any moisture available. We add a small amount of sprayed water to help start the breakdown process. Once you try it, you will get a feel for how to go about it. It leaves the coop smelling fresh and clean for a very long time. We have a small flock, live in a relatively dry climate for the most part. We usually lay down the pellets every three months.
not to be rude but they're chickens...as long as it's not raining constantly for ever it will dry up and they will be fine. i have raised chickens for years in a 50 x 50 pen. sometimes it's muddy sometimes it's not. your run is great, its cleaner than some peoples houses. a chicken wont die from muddy feet...lol
Good idea to add the wood chips and great background music!
Thanks!
Yeah the background music is awesome and ideal...lol
I like reading all the comments to see all the suggestions everyone makes to you. I think your coop is great!
Thank you
@@petebeasttexashomesteading what size is your chicken run?
@@dariusjohn625 It's 24'x10'
i think half of the chicken run may be covered with polythene and half may be uncovered to rain come into in.
Lol..The dogs are having a party in the background.
👍
@@petebeasttexashomesteading I had chickens many years ago so much fun , I"m getting some quail soon , My best chicken was nosy rosiey she had to be with me at all times .
Wood chips r good when the rain gets bad I use pine shaving from tractor supply dump bags in let the chickens spread it dry it up guick
Pete it looks great and I'll bet they really like it. Your chicks look really healthy !
Thank you
I love watching you look after your chickens
Thank you 🙂
I could just imagine
How kind you are doing many things your property doing just for yourself well
You keep your chicken
You will be blessed.
Abd someday you will
Have plenty things organic eggs
Why not hire somebody to help you
You are very brave doing everything you are kind man God bless you
I also like the idea of building up compost in there. That is an excellent idea!
Thank you
My neighbor is a tree guy , chips are free and plentiful, over my run I use corrugated plastic for a roof , works ok especially come the snow.
Chips are plentiful here too.........but not cheap 🙁
Problem with corrugated plastic roof is where we live. I'm in north Louisiana with the exact same climate as this guy and our summers are brutal. Even with all the sides open, the corrugated plastic is actually made for a greenhouse so it's designed to let all the sun and heat in it can, so it tends to make everything under it twenty degrees hotter. Which isn't good when it's already 110° outside with no breeze and 99% humidity. A light colored tin would be better, still a bit warmer than normal but it does better to reflect the sun and heat that the other.
Love woodchips for the chickens. Works great!
Yeah, W/o is chips are great, worms love it too, protein for the girls and you can replace it putting the old wood chips on the garden with extra fertiliser.
Hi Pete, question why do you not put a roof on the coop to keep the rain out? The woodchip is a brilliant idea and it will be good for your garden, but a roof would stop the birds from getting wet.
I thought about putting a roof on but it would make it dark and gloomy 😞 I just need to stay on top of it and keep the run bedding higher then the ground level.
What about if you used the clear plastic sheet (corrugated) they put on green houses?@@petebeasttexashomesteading
@@C80ree Thanks, that would work and something I might try later.
Just FYI, the roof might work. From personal experience on 2 acres where my chickens ran loose, they stayed out in the rain. Why? No idea. They had a lot of trees and large low hanging bushes, their 'bed or roost' an old shell of a trailer parked on a slab of concrete that was weather sealed (the doors wide open) and the open back porch. Did they use any of this? No. They'd rather all pile up under a small portable fire pit that had a hole in the middle for the ashes, which during rain, was as good as a running hose. During intense lightening storms, I'd invariably lose one to a lightening strike. Nothing really more dreary looking than a sopping wet chicken. Their choice. Good luck.
Dear pete it will not dark if u put roof on top only rest of three sides will b open
I also use wood chips. I have a lot of brush and small saplings on the property, so I just chip them up in my chipper/shredder and use it.
👍 yep wood chips work great.
When clearing our land of fallen branches and limbs, I use a tarp and pull it from place to place as I'm collecting the tree branches. It would also work for the wood chips. Just load up the tarp and pull it over to where you want it. Just a thought, belated. 🤪
The brace on the door should run in the opposite direction. Transferring the weight of the door to the hinged side.
It is on the hinged side. Just look at the 2x4 brace and hinged side as a right triangle.
Adding deep bed of my live oak leaves has helped mine. I'm waiting on a load of wood chips, but they say don't use cedar chips. Those are bad for chickens.
Keeping the run dry is very important for having healthy chickens. They need dry areas for walking in, keeping feathers dry (since they are not like other birds), and dry areas to dust bathe to keep mites away.
👍
Just did the same thing, except I used wheat straw. It's been raining every other day in NW Georgia.
So they get slivers/bumblefoot from the chips? I was thinking cedar mulch.
I just dump the load and let the chickens have fun spreading. In 2 hours they complete the job and kept busy.
I realize it's 4yrs later ...but try the horse stall pellet great for inside n out. Only $7 a bag. Doesn't take alot
How did this work long term… I’m down here in Fayetteville Texas having the same issue…
Woodchips are the best, they break down in time and keeps the chickens dry and off the mud.
That is exactly what I did, I had chip drop deliver and it worked out great..
I live in Ohio and it's always raining
we have same mix of chicks leghorn and NH reds hens right down to the one austrlorp rooster, crazy
🙋🏼♀️🕊. This is a tough one 🥴🍀. How about 🧐🧐putting some pallets in ther then some wood chips ?? Good luck 🍀👍 may your 🐓🐓chickens stay healthy 🍀🕊🍀🕊🍀🕊. You have sure been hammered. With bad weather down south! I have been following it .be safe🍀🕊🍀🕊
Pete, with all of your resources why don't you install polycarbonate roofing panels on top your run? You would save yourself all of this trouble, effort and work.
Arent you concerned they will get bumblefoot from splinters in the geet from the wood chips?
Enjoyed this vid mate,all the best from the UK🇬🇧…..subscribed 👍🏼
Awesome, thank you!
nice music and a very well produced and edited Vlog... kudos... 👍😎👍
Thank you very much!
You needed a bout a 4 inch gravel base with landscaping fabric over the top and then topsoil or dirt then woodchips so it would drain properly. It’s time to let your chickens out they will stay close and Will go back to the chicken coop to roost every evening just open the gate in the morning and close the gate at night. Just a suggestion
I would love to let them out but I have lots of hawks here.
@@petebeasttexashomesteading Chickens are pretty smart when it comes to hawks. They will stay in tree cover during the day and RUN back and forth to the coop for water/food. The rooster does a good job of keeping an eye on the sky. Mine free range and I haven't lost one yet and we have a lot of hawks here too.
The best thing to use is horse bedding pellets. It's the best thing I've ever used
First time viewer, really like your idea's, I'm going to tell my son about putting wood chips in his chicken run!
How about make the floor inside the coop higher than outside, then water will drain to the outside permanently. Then you could dig French drain around the coop to lead water away. This is how houses are built, always higher than street level, so rain water will drain to the street.
What if you build up the ground inside coop a couple inches to let water run away from the run instead of sitting stagnate. Also, what about a sandier bottom layer to allow more drainage. And as others mentioned, of course chickens thrive with the opportunity to access fresh air, sun and shade, but perhaps you could tarp or inexpensively use corrugated plastic sheeting on the first 1/3 of the run if it means they may be more comfortable outside of roost on rainy days. I also love the movable or temporary runs some ppl build that allow you to move flock around a little to different spots on the lawn periodically to allow the ground to recuperate a little and to give the chickens fresh greenery and bugs. Your set up is good/fine but generally any animal standing in wetness for long periods will develop problems. Thank you!
Yep good ideas, I'm building a chicken tractor now. So when I move them I'll probably take a out a few inches of the composted wood chips in their run for the garden, and raise the run floor with dirt and add wood chips again.
I really like your run design
Just one thing on the woodchips and compost in a run like that you should be able to produce quite a bit of compost, those woodchips look like they're already breaking down
Thanks, Yeah the chickens do a fantastic job of breaking down the run bedding.
Pete being in Texas, do you have issues with ants, especially fire ants when using the wood chips? I am in GA, anytime I try something down ants take over and I have some silkies newly added to my flock. I am trying to keep their feet as dry as possible but their coop is on dirt because nothing so far hasn’t turned into an ant mound.
Any suggestions would greatly be appreciated. I don’t have a roof on my run just shade fabric to d filter light and keep predators out. Thanks in advance
Good Job, Pete.
Hey Pete B. Where'd you get that 4 wheeled cart?? Really like it
Thanks, I put the link in the description under the video.
Might want to think about a tarp over that coop but also putting in a French drain outside the coop. You need to drain that water away.
I enjoyed it. We just bought a bunch of chickens in August and September. We are trying to determine the run/coop areas We are currently using a dog kennel (10x10) with tarps around and a roof of tarp but want to do something better. I love your run. It must have cost a fortune for that hardware wire and those posts. We bought a couple rolls of hardware wire at Tractor Supply and it is very expensive for like 10 foot rolls.
Thanks, yes it wasn't cheap and yes the hardware cloth is stupid expensive.
How come you don't have a roof over your run? It would go a long way to keeping the bed nice and dry.
Why did you choose to leave the roof with a mesh roof rather than a solid roof? I’m planning to build a run and I’m waffling between the two. I’m in NW SC so we get a hot July and August and there’s also trees over the the area, so I’m not sure if shade and cleanliness is more important than sun exposure.
I built the coop and run to be in the shade during the mid day. It'll protect them from the harsh summer sun. I thought with a solid roof, it might be too dark and gloomy for them.
@@petebeasttexashomesteading thank you for your reply
Beautiful chicken coop brother.I wish u good luck n great income.
Thanks for the video I really need a chicken run but my land is wet and spongy. It rains a lot around my area and to top it off I have a little stream at the back of the house so the back yard is mostly spongy. This is a great idea you just showed up. My question is, how is the smell with the wood chip compare to the leaves?
The wood chips will last much longer than leaves and there's really no smell as long as you put enough wood chips in there to keep them off the water.
My poor chickens are going through the same thing and all of our vehicles are broke down. Im looking for a big enough bag that I can get delivered to my address. Also something I can use in the compost afterwards.
Nice job looks good disaster averted.
How did you create that cool perch in the run?? How is it affixed to the ground??
Having the same problem this year in Fayetteville TX
Beautiful coup and run. I am jealous.
Thank you 👍
Add plastic curvy on top m Home Depot have those roof , light and last long too ,
Good idea
Good looking setup 👊🏻
Great as a temporary solution but the woodchips will eventually rot down and become soil (dirt)
Just a thought. If you were to put a drain system in under ground in you chicken run. Would you get a type of chicken tee you make with the 5 gallon buckets? Thanks just a thought
The chicken tea is much more concentrated as far as nitrogen, but I plan on removing a few inches of the chicken run soil in a year or two and putting it in my garden beds.
Using a Honda Pioneer ATV with a Cargo Max aluminum trailer with a tilt bed would be much more efficient and cause less damage to your site when moving wood chips, manure, gravel etc.
Very good advice
Wow! Great work! Great care!
Thank you!
How do you plan to clean this out after much time ???
Hey Pete, have you tried hemp bedding before? I use it in my chicken coop and it lasts over a year. Really absorbent too.
Can't find it around here but woodchips last a long time.
Are wood shavings the same thing as mulch (that they sell at home depot/ Lowes)?
No, wood shavings are not the same as mulch/wood chips.
ever think of putting tarp on the top of the run? I would rather keep the run dry to avoid having to add stuff like that, it can harbor mold and mildew not good forthe chickens or you breathing all that in. but it was better than leaving the yucky mud
Pine shavings is really bad for chickens mine has been getting respiratory infections so I haven't put anything in there yet but it's nasty right now with the rain and I shread paper for there house
Yesssss it’s like that here too
Good stuff!!!
I use chipped tree too.
What is the music you used for the wood chip part?
It's in the description, it's by Benjamin Thompson - Lullaby. Here's a link to it. th-cam.com/video/3LpIOUmImLE/w-d-xo.html
A lot of rain here in N.E. Oklahoma too.
A better solution in my view would be to raise the structure away from the ground by putting it on two layers of breeze blocks. This would of course require you to put boards for a floor too.. Then, as others have suggested, put a roof on the coop to keep out the rain. Good luck with it all.
I am often thankful our lot is on a slope...No standing water, ever here in Raleigh, NC.. I'm from Charleston SC.. called the low country...so I'm familiar with wet boggy ground, glad I got out of that situation..
Will be more cost effect in the long run just to put on a solid roof on the run
Do your chickens get on the swings?
hi Pete
I was wondering what type of fork that your using is? looks very good at picking up woodchips
It's a ten tine bedding fork. Here's the link: www.homedepot.com/p/Ames-10-Tine-Welded-Bedding-Fork-2826300/204476209