Once a week I dig the run over as it gets compacted. I am a bit disappointed that the newest part of the run doesn’t stay dry despite the panelled roof. Rain drips in and also blows in and although it is dry from above for the girls the soil is wet and compacts making it harder for me to poop pick and harder for the girls to scratch in.
Luckily the old part has a dry area under the tarpaulin which gives the girls plenty of space for dust baths.
Once a week I dig the run over and the girls follow me to see what goodies they might find. I feel like head hen with my little flock grouped around me following my every move.
Once the run is dug over the girls joyfully scratch together and it is so nice to see this.
All scratching together in the newly dug run
What do they find to peck at!
Scratching on both sides of the run
What are they finding!
I just love watching them scratch and peck, scratch and peck, scratch and peck again. It’s one of the things that chickens are really good at!
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Even if you make it completely waterproof from above, water will still soak through from underneath and from the surrounding soil.
Yeah, I know you are right. The dry triangle that provides the dust bath area has tarpaulin above and the concrete path outside so works quite well. The new area just doesn’t stay as dry as I had hoped, as you say it seeps in from all sides. At least all the perches are dry and they have some dry bits but I had hoped it would work better. It is better once I have dug it over each week and I guess that’s the best I can do. The girls do love it when I dig it over.