Ground cover for duck run?

[BReeder!]

What do you use in your duck pen to cover the ground? I am open to just about anything? Right now there's small/medium boulders and river rock around the pond (much of which the ducks kicked into the pond). The rest of the duck pen has become dirt/mud. It used to br grass and wild plants (weeds). I am open to adding more gravel, mulch or sand. I'd like to find a ground cover plant that will grow faster than they can eat it and weather the traffic. I doubt anything will survive their appetite though.

 

[Jpat]

How big is the pen and how many ducks?

 

[BReeder!]

How big is the pen and how many ducks?

Currently we have 4 Rouens. I may be rescuing 2 Pekings (at least that's what they're thought to be). That would make 6 ducks total. The duck pen is 12'x15' with a 5'x10' pond in it.

 

[DuckyDonna]

I just throw out the "used" hay from their nite time pen into the yard which used to be grass but is now dirt/mud. That makes it a bit nicer to walk on. We've had a lot of rain but I'm starting to see a few bits of grass trying to grow.

I have closed off one part of the run so that the grass can grow and it is doing very well. I'd like to keep it closed off until the grass gets good and thick. Then I'll close off another part until that grass comes back. I do have a big run though, it's about 40' x 40'.

See the green grass on the top part of the picture, that's where I've closed it off.

 

[chickens really]

I have rock chips covered in sand. My pen is also a covered pen. Keeps out Snow and rain.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I do like @DuckyDonna just toss out shavings from my coops over the areas that get muddy. Gave up trying to grow anything my chickens make sure nothing lives.

 

[BReeder!]

I think I may try to source barley straw in bulk. It naturally clarifies pond water, so I would not necessarily mind it getting into the pond. That's part of the problem right now, mud is being carried into the pond in excess because there's nothing covering the ground. My pond is currently brown... I'll be creating a new DIY filter soon, but suspended soil particles are particularly difficult to filter out because they are so tiny.

 

[Miss Lydia]

What about large flat stones if your pond is in the ground I’ve seen a few on here where that helped a lot.

 

[BReeder!]

What about large flat stones if your pond is in the ground I’ve seen a few on here where that helped a lot.

I do have some flag stone... Perhaps I'll move it to surround the pond.