Damn mud.

[divineangel94]

I know I'm not the only one with this issue. Constant rain.
My chicken run hasn't been dry in a while. I have put hay and grass over the mud but that just seemed to make it worse. Does anyone have any full proof way to get rid of mud? Hopefully cheap and easy. Due to this pandemic I'm not really going out but want and need to fix the issues for my babies.

 

[RaineyTN]

I put mulched leaves down in the run works pretty good for me

 

[so lucky]

Is your run wet because it is uncovered and it is raining a lot, or because it is in a low area that water collects in? Or both? If it is in a low area, you may have to do a little landscaping to divert the water away from the run.
In my experience, the lighter and larger the litter is, the more likely it is to stay at the top and keep chicken feet dry. So think pine needles, large landscape mulch nuggets, leaves and twigs.
I have found that hay stinks when it gets wet, and also packs down in the mud. Straw is only slightly better.

People say to not worry about chickens walking in wet areas, as long as they can get out of it when they want to. With this in mind, you might want to put down some wooden planks, concrete blocks or a bench or table in the run, to give the chickens a dry option.

 

[neo71665]

Growing up when my grandmas coop would flood (rarely happened) she would put a bunch of milk crates out so the chickens could get on them when they wanted to dry their feet. For the most part didn't really seem to bother the birds.

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Untreated mulch!!!

 

[aart]

Is your run wet because it is uncovered and it is raining a lot, or because it is in a low area that water collects in? Or both? If it is in a low area, you may have to do a little landscaping to divert the water away from the run.
In my experience, the lighter and larger the litter is, the more likely it is to stay at the top and keep chicken feet dry. So think pine needles, large landscape mulch nuggets, leaves and twigs.
I have found that hay stinks when it gets wet, and also packs down in the mud. Straw is only slightly better.

People say to not worry about chickens walking in wet areas, as long as they can get out of it when they want to. With this in mind, you might want to put down some wooden planks, concrete blocks or a bench or table in the run, to give the chickens a dry option.

Excellent post, questions and suggestions!!

 

[Ridgerunner]

The lady that wrote this said she lived in a swamp in Ontario. She has some good ideas.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-to-fix-a-muddy-run-chicken-coop.47807/

Why is your run getting wet? Even if it is covered, rain can blow in from the side. Constant rain is really a problem, it is real hard to stop, especially if your run is of any size. But is it in a low spot where water drains to? That's an additional issue.

Not sure how big your run is? That might affect what's reasonable for you to do.

There are two basic ideas. Keep water out to start with, or at least as much as you reasonably can. A roof can help. If the rain comes in from one primary direction maybe a sheet of plastic on that run fence to block rain. If water is running off a roof into the run maybe gutters and a downspout. Berms and swales on the uphill side may be beneficial.

The other idea is to get the water out when it gets in. Gravity will move water downhill if it has a place to go and a way to get there. Sand drains pretty well, clay doesn't. Most of us have something in between. Since you are complaining your soil probably has a lot of clay in it. That makes it harder. If your run is on a high spot or on a slope that can help, but they will dig holes where they take a dust bath which become mud puddles. Them and you walking on wet clay churns it into mud, a real mess. Clay is impervious, it does not allow water to drain through it. And the clay particles absorb water, holds it.

Sometimes, depending on your local geography, some type of French drain can help get at least some of the water out. If you dig a hole in the clay and fill it with sand, thinking that will drain, don't bother. All you are doing is making a bath tub that holds water as well as sand. But a trench filled with sand or gravel that leads to a low spot can move a lot of water. In clay the problem is often getting the water in the run to that trench.

There are issues with a wet run. One is that mud is not fun to deal with. It makes a mess on your boots, the chickens feet and feathers, equipment, they may track it into the nests where you get dirty eggs. If their feet stay wet it can lead to feet problems, like it would with you if your feet stayed wet.

The other issue is that if the run stays wet the microbes eating the organic matter (poop or bedding) become anaerobic instead of aerobic. That means the water keeps air away from them. Anaerobic microbes cause it to stink and become slimy. Also a muddy run is a breeding ground for the bugs that cause Coccidiosis. It can be unhealthy.

If you can't keep water out and can't get it to drain, what can you do? Just giving them places to get up out of it can help protect their feet. Maybe cinder blocks or pallets? You can put different kinds of bedding in there. If it doesn't stink and keeps them out of the mud, you are good to go. If it stinks you may need to dig it out and replace it. That's work but with a small run it is doable. My run is sort of on a hilltop and mostly covered but it becomes a mess when it sets in wet. I dumped a few bags of pea gravel in strategic places to firm it up and mostly live with it. At least it doesn't stink which is kind of surprising. But mine also have a huge area inside electric netting where they spend most of their time and do most of their pooping. We all have different circumstances. What works for me could easily not work for you.

This might be a dry weather project, but when I built my coop I hauled in enough dirt to raise the coop floor a few inches above the surrounding area, plus put a berm and swale on the uphill side outside. The coop dirt floor stays dry. Something like this might help if your run is fairly small, maybe top it with sand that drains well.

I wish you luck, these are not pleasant to deal with and can be really frustrating.

 

[divineangel94]

alright this is what it looks like. And if you have any ideas of fun things to add or how to make the coop look better thatd be cool.

 

[Friendly_Lurker]

View attachment 2071244 alright this is what it looks like. And if you have any ideas of fun things to add or how to make the coop look better thatd be cool.

I've heard of a coop swing, tried to make one but my birds wouldn't use it. They might enjoy a tire filled with sand and a hanging cabbage to jump to .

 

[mominoz]

you can also buy either rubber horse stall mats or those mats at home depot that are for restaurants or doorways that have holes in them ....I got a deal on them when they went on clearance for 4.$ normally they are around 20$+... I mat my ducks aviary so I can just hose it off...but should work with chickens...except if not shaded it will get too hot in summer.. the ones with the holes work well, cause water can go thru... Also some gravel or deep wood mulch. Not dyed, it has toxins. Cypress or hardwood is best... I did buy some Cypress mix, no float for my outdoor duck yards this year as I was desperate...