Erosion in Chicken pen

[Mid Tn Mama]

The inside of our outdoor chicken pen has eroded away because of the chickens scratching in it. There would be no way to grow things in it because they would just scratch it away. I think that at least three inches of soil is gone and the posts may fall if it goes on like this.

My thought was to dump lots and lots of organic matter (but what? Don't want wood chips with termites that might hurt the barn (inside of pen is a stall).

Anyone?

[emke]

Rocks would be your answer. We have put big flat rocks inside our chicken house that we picked up along the side of our gravel road. Also put some large type of gravel that they can't scratch up.

[EasyDay]

I don't know your setup, but is there a way to relocate the chickens? Maybe something like put the chicken door on a different side of the coop and fence that area for them? Then while the old side can be reseeded and resting, they can have something worthwhile to be scratching for. A rotational kind of thing, without having to relocate the coop.

Just a thought,
~Easyday

[Ana Bluebird]

What EasyDay suggested is exactly what I do. First I make sure I don't have too many chickens for the square footage, then I cut open another door on the other side of the chicken house, fenced off an area there, then rotate the areas that the chickens have access to, plus I frequently let the chickens have access to the whole yard when I have time to be out there to supervise their protection. It's a real holiday for them. I can get them to go back into their pen by calling them and throwing down scratch inside the pen. Having them trained in this way has made life so much more fun. The area that is sitting dormant, I bring in fresh dirt and sow it in fast growing grasses if I have time.

[Elizabeth]

I have always used a deep litter system with my chickens and really recommend it. I have used wood chips and never seen a termite, but I also use just about anything organic that I can get my hands on for free. Including- shredded paper, grass clippings, leaves, coffee grounds, old hay, any organic kitchen waste which the chickens won't eat (which isn't much!), sawdust, weeds, stable bedding, etc. I try to add several inches every week as it breaks down fast. Keeps the chickens occupied, and makes awesome compost when you finally clean it out..