Flooring or lack of

[sarahdell]

Hello! I am having a dilemma, I have a run that is on a hill. The hen house is level, but the run its self is on a hill (which is attached to the gen house). I live in TN and finding a flat area to put the coop is not an option..... There is no flat spots. So my question is, what can I put in the run to not have so much mud? I've been putting straw, but they kick it to one corner of the run an then there is mud again. Also when it rains all the straw washes away.... I have one hen, who refuses to lay in the hen box. She lays in the run, then the egg gets horribly muddy, an cracked. I dont feel safe eating her eggs, but it hurts my soul to throw them out. Any help would be great! Thanks

 

[dandan111]

Maybe if you put her in at night she will lay in the house? Being on a hill will always be on a hill
But you could make a step design. Maybe level areas going down the hill?

 

[sarahdell]

She is new to laying an just drops em like its hot when an where ever lol. So I should just level the land?

 

[ChickenMumma15]

Personally, I would consider putting rocks down. Ones that are large enough to cover some of the mud. Then cover over the rocks with your choice of material so that they aren't walking directly on rocks

 

[sarahdell]

I need to come up with something, would a wooden floor work for the run? They are only in the coop/run at night or if the weather is bad.

 

[FridayYet]

Can you build a retaining wall on the low side and bring sections up to level? (or terracing like mentioned above.)

Then you could put a french drain at the bottom and backfill with sand, gravel, then deep litter to have areas with no mud.

 

[sarahdell]

I could but its a big difference, it if was a few inches that would be fine but its feet. To give you a better picture when you walk out of the back door of my house which is on the 2nd level you step right on the ground, when you walk out my front door 1st level you are on the ground lol its not a little slope. I would have to build basically a platform an fill it

 

[aart]

Can you post a pic of the area?

Terracing the ground is the only option I an think of.

 

[FridayYet]

Yes, a picture would really help.

 

[sarahdell]

Let me see if I can get a picture to upload