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Muddy Mess in the run, what to do????

post #1 of 12
4/21/12 at 3:38pm
Thread Starter 

We had some storms today and our chicken run (our big girls run) is a muddy mess.  Our white chicken is no longer white, she is nearly brown. lau.gif

 

When we built this coop and run I have to level the land so we tilled it up and didn't have time to put grass seed in before putting the chicks in at the time.  What can we do now?  I have tried straw but after a few days, the straw is pushed down into the mud and it gone.

 

We are going to have rain for the next few days, some strong storms are possible.  The only dry place is in the coop or under the coop and they won't stay in either place. idunno.gif

 

I am hoping to put a roof on this summer, but until then what is the best thing to do??

Mommysongbird wife of 11yrs to one hardworken' man, mom to 3 peeps Josh 24, Kelsey 21, Curtis 9, also have 7 grand peeps Kayla 6, Cadence 6, Wyatt 4, Pheobe 3, Annabelle 2, Rain 1 and Gracie still in the bator!

I am a SAHM homeschool my youngest child, this is our VERY FIRST chicken experience!!
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Mommysongbird wife of 11yrs to one hardworken' man, mom to 3 peeps Josh 24, Kelsey 21, Curtis 9, also have 7 grand peeps Kayla 6, Cadence 6, Wyatt 4, Pheobe 3, Annabelle 2, Rain 1 and Gracie still in the bator!

I am a SAHM homeschool my youngest child, this is our VERY FIRST chicken experience!!
Reply
post #2 of 12
4/21/12 at 3:45pm

Might get a tarp and some bungee cords and make a temporary top till you can put on a permanent one. Of course it's gonna take a while to dry out but...

I'm not an expert,"ex" is a has been and a "spurt" is a drip under pressure!

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I'm not an expert,"ex" is a has been and a "spurt" is a drip under pressure!

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post #3 of 12
4/21/12 at 3:54pm

Have you tried wood chips? They absorb water well, the tarp is also a good idea but neighbors call those eye-sores.

 

Whit's Flock (My Chickens, Rabbit & Pigeons) (Click to show)

 

~Whittni, a happy owner of: 2 Wyandottes, 2 Prodution Reds, 1 Buff Orpington, 1 Black Sexlink, 1 Rosecomb Bantam rooster, 2 Japanese Bantams, 3 Barred Rock Bantams, 1 Cochin Bantam, 1 OEGB and 1 Silkie Bantam.

 

 

 

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Whit's Flock (My Chickens, Rabbit & Pigeons) (Click to show)

 

~Whittni, a happy owner of: 2 Wyandottes, 2 Prodution Reds, 1 Buff Orpington, 1 Black Sexlink, 1 Rosecomb Bantam rooster, 2 Japanese Bantams, 3 Barred Rock Bantams, 1 Cochin Bantam, 1 OEGB and 1 Silkie Bantam.

 

 

 

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post #4 of 12
4/21/12 at 4:14pm
You could try emptying out several 100lbs of sand (50lb. bags of quickrete Construction/play sand will do) and leave in 3" inch layer around door of coop - your usual walkway to and from coop in run. This will provide some relief from most acute problems (cleaner feet for chooks/humans) and then, later on, add a LOT more sand over time (having it delivered by the ton is far cheaper).

This was a mud/clay mess during our first Spring - plenty of sand has solved that problem:

c290af45_runs0212.jpeg
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post #5 of 12
4/21/12 at 5:02pm
Thread Starter 

Do you mean like the pine chips that you can buy at Tractor Supply??

 

We had plastic over the top for the winter, but we have mainly gotten rain and no winter, there ended up being holes all in it.  So we took it off.

 

Our other run is great.  We didn't have to dig that one up.

 

I have 2 bags of saw dust and chips that I was going to use for the coop, but wondering if I should just throw them in the run now??


 

Mommysongbird wife of 11yrs to one hardworken' man, mom to 3 peeps Josh 24, Kelsey 21, Curtis 9, also have 7 grand peeps Kayla 6, Cadence 6, Wyatt 4, Pheobe 3, Annabelle 2, Rain 1 and Gracie still in the bator!

I am a SAHM homeschool my youngest child, this is our VERY FIRST chicken experience!!
Reply
Mommysongbird wife of 11yrs to one hardworken' man, mom to 3 peeps Josh 24, Kelsey 21, Curtis 9, also have 7 grand peeps Kayla 6, Cadence 6, Wyatt 4, Pheobe 3, Annabelle 2, Rain 1 and Gracie still in the bator!

I am a SAHM homeschool my youngest child, this is our VERY FIRST chicken experience!!
Reply
post #6 of 12
4/21/12 at 5:07pm
Thread Starter 

We did sand about 175 pounds back last June and that only lasted till the first hard rain (about a month or so later).  I don't have a way to have it hauled in, can't get a truck or anything up in the yard.  I just wish we could grow some grass.  Wonder if I put down straw with grass seed under it, if the girls would scratch it up imediately??


 

Mommysongbird wife of 11yrs to one hardworken' man, mom to 3 peeps Josh 24, Kelsey 21, Curtis 9, also have 7 grand peeps Kayla 6, Cadence 6, Wyatt 4, Pheobe 3, Annabelle 2, Rain 1 and Gracie still in the bator!

I am a SAHM homeschool my youngest child, this is our VERY FIRST chicken experience!!
Reply
Mommysongbird wife of 11yrs to one hardworken' man, mom to 3 peeps Josh 24, Kelsey 21, Curtis 9, also have 7 grand peeps Kayla 6, Cadence 6, Wyatt 4, Pheobe 3, Annabelle 2, Rain 1 and Gracie still in the bator!

I am a SAHM homeschool my youngest child, this is our VERY FIRST chicken experience!!
Reply
post #7 of 12
4/21/12 at 5:16pm
175 pounds ain't gonna do anything... You need more like a yards worth. Layer of pea gravel underthe sand.
At the very least, wipe the poop off your feet before getting in the car.

"Member of the Derperella Club-- We're just all goin' round' the rooster, here!"
Good night sweet Trousers, The Derp Club will miss you.
Treasure the love you recieve above all. It will survive long after your gold and good health have vanished. Og Mandino
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At the very least, wipe the poop off your feet before getting in the car.

"Member of the Derperella Club-- We're just all goin' round' the rooster, here!"
Good night sweet Trousers, The Derp Club will miss you.
Treasure the love you recieve above all. It will survive long after your gold and good health have vanished. Og Mandino
Reply
post #8 of 12
4/21/12 at 6:45pm
Thread Starter 

I got the sand free, so I wasn't that choosy.  Our run is only 4 foot wide by 6 foot. 
 

Mommysongbird wife of 11yrs to one hardworken' man, mom to 3 peeps Josh 24, Kelsey 21, Curtis 9, also have 7 grand peeps Kayla 6, Cadence 6, Wyatt 4, Pheobe 3, Annabelle 2, Rain 1 and Gracie still in the bator!

I am a SAHM homeschool my youngest child, this is our VERY FIRST chicken experience!!
Reply
Mommysongbird wife of 11yrs to one hardworken' man, mom to 3 peeps Josh 24, Kelsey 21, Curtis 9, also have 7 grand peeps Kayla 6, Cadence 6, Wyatt 4, Pheobe 3, Annabelle 2, Rain 1 and Gracie still in the bator!

I am a SAHM homeschool my youngest child, this is our VERY FIRST chicken experience!!
Reply
post #9 of 12
4/21/12 at 6:50pm

i was just thinking about this for our temp run. There is no plant life growing where the run/coop is going to be for a little while. I won't have time to grow any either.   I was thinking wood chips to start with....

1 easter egger (skittles), 1 buff orphington (superman), 1 speckled sussex (boots), 1 california white (spiderman), 1 delaware (dora), 1 black sex link (batman), 1 rhode island red (flower)

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1 easter egger (skittles), 1 buff orphington (superman), 1 speckled sussex (boots), 1 california white (spiderman), 1 delaware (dora), 1 black sex link (batman), 1 rhode island red (flower)

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post #10 of 12
4/21/12 at 6:55pm
Just use a lot more straw, like a couple bales, cover the floor of the run and add more as needed. You could also use wood chips.

BTW, sawdust is not a good choice inside a coop. it is too dusty (bad for lungs) and is usually too high in moisture, as it has not been kiln dried like wood chips.

Home of the world's cutest dachshund, one crazy blue heeler, two cats,
              one fat pony, and many (but not too many!) chickens

              Can anyone tell me, how many are too many chickens?

 



My Chickens
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/1muttsfans-chickens
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Home of the world's cutest dachshund, one crazy blue heeler, two cats,
              one fat pony, and many (but not too many!) chickens

              Can anyone tell me, how many are too many chickens?

 



My Chickens
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/1muttsfans-chickens
Reply
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