Chicken run and rain.

[ChickenMama91]

I live in Washington State and it rains like CRAZY here and I'm also new to raising chickens.
Yesterday I went out to my run and parts were flooded and the whole thing was super muddy, I'm hoping to find some ways to help the run drain and keep it moderately dry during the rainy season. I'm roofing the run this month, however that will only help a little bit.
I've read that medium grain sand is great and can help with drainage issues, I've also heard that it can cause respiratory problems and could cause harm to chickens.
Does anyone have advice or tricks on how to solve my problems or at least make it more comfortable for the girls? Also, what are your thoughts on sand?
Thanks for all of the help!
Much love!

 

[Kiki]

Can you post pictures of your set up?

 

[aart]

Also, what are your thoughts on sand?

Sand with poop and wet = Stinky.

Best to fix the drainage issue(s) then add coarse wood chippings.
But yes we need to see your setup and the surrounding areas.
Is there lower land close that you can dig a trench to?

Also....
Welcome to BYC! @ChickenMama91
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[aart]

or a better idea is number 57 washed stone under the old mulch . The 57 is just like a rounded river stone that's about the size of a quarter and makes for nice drainage and it's cheep here in Ohio where you at?

If there's standing water gravel is not a good idea.

 

[Alaskan]

If there's standing water gravel is not a good idea.

X2.

You first have to fix the water issue.

Sculpt the land around the coop and run to make water run away from the run.

Or, once a roof is over the run, if it keeps all or most falling water out, then make the run edges bathtub like, so no water running overland can get in.

 

[Alaskan]

temporary fix... toss a pallet over the puddles.

 

[3KillerBs]

I agree that the first thing is to solve your draining problem.

Install French drains, dig diversion ditches, add fill to build up the level of the ground -- whatever is necessary to separate the chickens from the water.

Then add plenty of well-aerated, absorbent bedding.

And give the chickens things to sit on up out of the wet -- pallets, intact straw bales, in-run perches, etc.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Agreed with solving drainage issues first. If drainage is bad there's no bedding that can possibly "fix" it.

My ground is very porous and absorbs water so any mud issues I was having was from lack of good run litter to stabilize the existing soil. Look into deep litter - it helps control mud and odors, and with all the greenery in the PNW it's pretty easy to source the wood chips and other plant matter you'd need for it.

 

[Schie]

Does anyone have advice or tricks on how to solve my problems or at least make it more comfortable for the girls? Also, what are your thoughts on sand?
Thanks for all of the help!
Much love!

I'm in WA as well... it was raining so hard today! I have a roof that overhangs a little on my coop and run; and probably a foot thick wood chips inside and on the ground outside. I passed by a company chopping down a tree in the neighborhood and gave them my address in case they needed a dump site. Came home from work to a pile of chips the size of a car. It is awesome for the rain. No more mud or puddles! You can find aborists looking for dump sites on craigslist.

 

[aart]

Came home from work to a pile of chips the size of a car.

Hopefully they dumped somewhere it can sit and age a bit.