Help! Freeze/Thaw Cycles and Flooded Run

[Dreammaker]

Our coop is located on a slope. The run is fairly level, but as a result of its placement, it has been prone to flooding. Particularly, the issue seems to be caused by freeze/thaw cycles exacerbated by rain. The run being covered helps greatly with overhead precipitation but does nothing for the water coming from the ground. We can't move it; it's way too big and this is the flattest, most ideal spot on our property (somewhat hidden from neighboring properties, away from the kids' playset, away from our deck and entertaining areas).

It's a mess and making me crazy. The run is filthy because their feet track mud everywhere and their poop doesn't decompose as easily with the ground being so cold. Flooding + chicken poop + dirt = Horrible, muddy, poop mess Aesthetically, it totally kills the look of it too, though I know that's not the #1 goal of chicken-keeping.

Thoughts? Advice? We're thinking of a French drain but I don't know if it'd even work. Horse pellets are another thought: how much for a 6x16 run and how often are they added?

 

[3KillerBs]

Photos, please?

The only way to fix a problem like this is to fix the drainage issue.

If the problem is water running across the ground into the chicken area -- either as a sheet or in a channel -- you will need to create diversion ditches and/or grass swales to move the water around the run instead of through it.

Coarse wood chips -- the kind you get from a tree-trimming service -- can help with the mud problem, but managing the waterflow is #1.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Ditches and swales to divert the water. French drains are great for static water pressure (like around the foundation of the house, where wet soil tries to drain in every direction - including by trying to push into the home), they are not good for swift moving surface waters.

You can also help mitigate with deep litter - it provides a mostly dry-ish surface hopefully above the elevation of flowing water, and as it composts, it creates a natural hill, helping to divert water around the coop with time.

But mostly? Grab a shovel. Expect that you will have to do this more than once until lndscaping is established to help keep the ditch from filling in, and the swales or berms from cut out or being washed away.

 

[aart]

We were thinking originally of digging a trench about 1-1.5' deep just beyond the apron,

Just leave an open trench until you know it works there.....or for always, then it can be dug out again.

They dug them out so quickly. I think perhaps we need to dig, add gravel and dirt, and maybe bring add some more pavers inside the run near the corners.

Pavers are a good bet, or logs, or boards....I did a bit of each.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/excavation-by-birds-a-word-of-warning.1086535/

 

[Acre4Me]

We had water issues and addressed them a few ways.

1. We brought in dirt (102 tons, which is 4 truckloads) to level out the back area so water wasn’t finding all the low spots where we have our raised bed garden.

2. We dug a deep ditch and placed smooth interior/double wall pipes to move water from one area to the farm field waterway behind us.

3. We built a raised coop, 2.5’ above the ground.

4. We replaced the gutters on the barn, and redirected their flow, via flexible pipes laying on the ground to the field behind us. Those pipes were buried just below the surface the next season.

5. We added about 20 yards of chipped wood from a tree guy to the 50’x10’ chicken run. The first day, the chickens were exploring it and it almost seemed like they were eye level with us on top of that quantity of chipped wood. We placed 2x4s along the run fencing, which is chain link, to keep in the chipped wood. It settled down fairly quickly.

6. We roofed the entire run, but putt run backs up to the barn, so no rain comes in from the west.

7. On the other side of the raised bed garden, there is a natural low area for water to flow between yards to the waterway in the farm field behind us. We lowered it (by hand…that was A LOT of work), and created an earthen berm to keep the water in that area during rainy times when it is flowing through.


Overall, these things took time and we studied where the water was going, after each change was made.

You may be best served by either in ground perforated pipes that will take the water away - looks like it goes downhill on the other side of the fence. Or by raising the dirt around and in the coop area, so that it is a high spot.

 

[3KillerBs]

we studied where the water was going, after each change was made.

This is key. Looking at where the water is going, trying to get it where you want it to go, then seeing if what you're doing has done what you wanted.

 

[3KillerBs]

The corners of the run are really bad, as you can see in the pictures. They dug them out so quickly. I think perhaps we need to dig, add gravel and dirt, and maybe bring add some more pavers inside the run near the corners. Basically reinforcing them

Chickens are incredible excavators. A lot of people end up putting rocks or logs against the inside perimeter of the wire to prevent unwanted digging.

 

[blackdog043]

For the ground thaw and freeze, put a layer of natural wood chips or undyed mulch all over the run. Make it at least 3 - 4 inches thick. Think of your run like walking on a thick mulched flower bed. The poop will mix with the mulch as it dries out and you won't even know it's there. You can also add some yard/ garden waste. This was my old run, just after adding garden and plant waste.

 

[Dreammaker]

MA= rocky soil…can’t always dig down very far? Is that true in your yard?

Eh, somewhat. I bet we could dig at least a foot (though I'm not certain). Our house is part of a subdivision built in the 80's. When they built the house, they actually raised the terrain of the lot quite a bit with sandy/loamy soil. Included in the property is a septic system, so the choice to use sandy/loamy soil was intended to help with drainage. Normally, drainage here is great. It's really the frozen ground that makes the water level rise in the run. We were great on that front until January.

One other thing to note: There's a predator apron around the base of the run that extends about 2' out. We were thinking originally of digging a trench about 1-1.5' deep just beyond the apron, filling with gravel and/or sand and perforated pipes, then backfilling. This would run the perimeter of the run. Then, on the inside of the coop, we'd add way more topsoil, woodchips or leaf mulch, etc. The corners of the run are really bad, as you can see in the pictures. They dug them out so quickly. I think perhaps we need to dig, add gravel and dirt, and maybe bring add some more pavers inside the run near the corners. Basically reinforcing them.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. This freeze/thaw stuff is a P.I.A., but learning is part of the fun of chickens.

 

[Dreammaker]

Wood chips are perfectly fine, don't even worry. I don't know if you were told on here to avoid them, but a lot of us on here use chips.



I personally wouldn't add topsoil, for freeze thaw. If you want to raise the level more, instead of putting 3 - 4 inches of chips like I said earlier, put 4 - 5 inches to start. With all those chips it will give your chickens a lot of scratching and dust bathing area. The chips will help absorb water and break down, so you will have to add more as needed.

It was a local FB group that vehemently warned against wood chips. They're generally helpful, friendly folks. But, like all of FB, it can be very divisive. My dad's town dump has free chips for the taking, so I might pick some up.

Noted about topsoil. I think chips would be helpful and enjoyable for the chickens. I figured topsoil would be needed just to raise the level of the ground in the run.