Bock Bock Flock logo

The Substrate Trial Journal

Eight materials, one question: what should the floor of a chicken run be, if it has to survive getting soaked? This journal is the documentation of the trial I am running at my own coop: the methods, the numbers, and the failures, published as they happen. No winner until the data says so.

October 20, 2026

Why I Ripped Out My Sand: The Substrate Trial Journal Begins

A nor'easter soaked my run right before the winter panels went up, and the sand never recovered. Instead of guessing at a replacement, I am testing eight materials head to head, with the rules published in advance.

Read the entry