Coop and run litter...in rainy area. Use rocks?

[winekntrychicks]

Our run is on a natural slope. However, DH put down pressure treated 2 by 8 boards as a base and nailed the hardware cloth to that instead of burying it. We planned to cover the run, but did so too late and the first rains came. The ground at the top of the slope of the run is drying nicely. The ground at the down slope of the run is not drying it smells bad, sour. I have since put down a sheet of plywood over that part of the run. I dug out a huge wheel barrow full of smelly earth. The girls were picking around in it and their normal poo smells really bad, I found some blood in the poo (again) and the poo is loose with lots of moisture in it. I have read that there are more than one species of Coccidia- I also understand that once a chicken gets Coccidiosis to that particular strain that they become immune, so if this is another cocci strain I am going to let them go through it without medication. Unless of course it gets too bad then I will medicate.

So, We have decided to put drain trenches filled with drain rock to drain water out of the run, then we will put down rock with sand over the top of that. Hope it works!!!!

 

[FractalFarmer]

Quote:
On another thread, somebody mentioned a possibility of the ground having poisons in it, say from old buried drums of chemicals that have rusted through and are leaching out something toxic that might be poisoning your chickens. You might consider this possibility and investigate your smelly patch of earth with that in mind.

Regarding the OP question on run litter, we have about 3" of pea gravel in ours. It was there before the rain started and is holding up well and keeping things clean so far.

 

[herechickchick]

I would suggest putting a roof over the run in the future. I covered mine with a metal roof and it is great.