What is the best litter for a chicken run that is over clay soil and tends to hold water when it rains?

[WhyKnott]

I recently purchased a house built in 1900 and the entire property is basically compacted clay; the property is graded properly for living in a city, meaning the rainwater flows from the front away from the house to the lowest spot on the property which is the very back of the backyard, close to the property line that butts up against the property behind me. I have a small back yard and am limited as to where I can place my chicken coop and run. As I mentioned, the soil is compacted clay, it has standing water all fall, though out the freeze/thaw cycle in the winter and all spring. Although the standing water will eventually dissipate, the soil never really drys out, it's always damp and frequently soggy. The area tends to be fairly shady due to the huge, old maple and oak trees in my neighbors' yards as well as a huge maple in my own yard, but it does receive some sun throughout the morning and early afternoon. I started amending the soil last year by putting down 4 in thick of wood chips, knowing they will eventually break down and add organic matter to the soil, but wood chips are about amending the soil, not soaking up water and my biggest concern is what I should use for the floor of the chicken's run, which is basically 25ft x 40 ft. I want to keep the run dry because, as we all know, wet chicken poo stinks, it's not good for the chickens to be in constant muddy conditions and no one wants to be slogging through muddy chicken poo, least of all my chickens. I know using chopped up straw, hemp and wood shavings will help, but with the amount of water that area gets in the spring, fall and through out the freeze/thaw winter cycle it won't really dry out even if I put in a 12 in deep layer of it. Realistically this is the only place I can put the coop and run since I have a small yard. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do or use to prevent the run from being in a continually damp, if not wet state?

 

[SmiYa0126]

I think you're going to have to put a French drain to wick the moisture away, but that is a huge area! We had water in the front of our house, same issue, clay and rocky soil. It was always damp, North side so it got hardly any sun, about two hours in the evening. The soil was dug out and replaced with two or three different layers of stone and then a pipe was placed on the one side to draw the water away from the house and into the woods.

 

[21hens-incharge]

How big is the area?

A couple things come to mind...

Build a 12" deep frame and fill that with new soil then top it with coarse chopped wood chips and leaves. Basically raising the run to above the flood area. I would go 2' wider and longer than the run will be to help keep water out. Depending on how deep the water tends to be you may need to set that frame on cinder blocks or build the whole thing out of cinder blocks.

Roofing the run can help with rain and snow but it's not great at doing that if the run will be long and narrow.

A french drain system can certainly help but where to send the water to....

 

[Iluveggers]

We have that horrible clay soil. Decided a covered run is best, and a sloped roof to one side. We have drainage on the one low side (could put a gutter there as well. Added sand around all the sides and what a difference it made! Keeps the run dry and walkway dry. I also throw spent pine shavings from the coop & dry leaves on occasion into the run. If you want to give them some dry ranging space, the wood chips can get sporadically spread around in the worst places.

 

[SmiYa0126]

We have that horrible clay soil. Decided a covered run is best, and a sloped roof to one side. We have drainage on the one low side (could put a gutter there as well. Added sand around all the sides and what a difference it made! Keeps the run dry and walkway dry. I also throw spent pine shavings from the coop & dry leaves on occasion into the run. If you want to give them some dry ranging space, the wood chips can get sporadically spread around in the worst places.

How big is the area?

A couple things come to mind...

Build a 12" deep frame and fill that with new soil then top it with coarse chopped wood chips and leaves. Basically raising the run to above the flood area. I would go 2' wider and longer than the run will be to help keep water out. Depending on how deep the water tends to be you may need to set that frame on cinder blocks or build the whole thing out of cinder blocks.

Roofing the run can help with rain and snow but it's not great at doing that if the run will be long and narrow.

A french drain system can certainly help but where to send the water to....

My BIL.had.to do something similar, he lives in a development. There was a pipe below ground already at the bottom of his yard that he was able to connect to. Since there is some drainage maybe there is something like that in your yard too?

 

[3KillerBs]

I started amending the soil last year by putting down 4 in thick of wood chips, knowing they will eventually break down and add organic matter to the soil, but wood chips are about amending the soil, not soaking up water and my biggest concern is what I should use for the floor of the chicken's run,

Actually, you are 100% on the right track.

Coarse wood chips, the sort you get from a tree-trimming service, are usually considered the gold standard for managing mud and odor.

A french drain system can certainly help but where to send the water to....

Yes.

Likewise diversion ditches to move water around the chickens' area. But there has to be somewhere for the water to go and neighbors don't appreciate it being sent into their yards.

Building up the ground level with layers of dry organic material is probably the best option unless there is a clear place to send the water.

"First, fix the drainage," is my usual advice, but it's not always feasible on a small city lot.

 

[David61]

Wood chip, end of story. I even made a small drainage ditch and filled it with wood chips so it would not be a trip hazard. It made a beautiful walking path. This pic is after a flooding rain right after construction. It drained nicely so i got with the wood chips. My finished project.

 

[3KillerBs]

Wood chip, end of story. I even made a small drainage ditch and filled it with wood chips so it would not be a trip hazard. It made a beautiful walking path. This pic is after a flooding rain right after construction. It drained nicely so i got with the wood chips. My finished project.

The proverbial pictures worth 1000 words.

 

[WhyKnott]

I think you're going to have to put a French drain to wick the moisture away, but that is a huge area! We had water in the front of our house, same issue, clay and rocky soil. It was always damp, North side so it got hardly any sun, about two hours in the evening. The soil was dug out and replaced with two or three different layers of stone and then a pipe was placed on the one side to draw the water away from the house and into the woods.

The only problem with that is there is no where for the water to be wicked away to.... I appreciate your taking the time to respond though

 

[WhyKnott]

My BIL.had.to do something similar, he lives in a development. There was a pipe below ground already at the bottom of his yard that he was able to connect to. Since there is some drainage maybe there is something like that in your yard too?

I wish there was...