Help! Freeze/Thaw Cycles and Flooded Run

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.
 
Agree with woodchips being a good option. So many have told me to avoid because of the risk of splinters/bumblefoot
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 am also considering adding a yard or 2 of topsoil and raising the level of the dirt up a few inches in there.
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
Excellent idea! Rocks might work better, just to keep wet wood from touching more wet wood. But yes, they could probably dig us a swimming pool if we let them.
 
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/
 

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