Help!!! Rain!!!!

[Jolyn]

It started raining yesterday and my run is a mess. Dh put a roof on half of it but it's still wet. I guess the rain is blowing that direction. Anyway what should i put in on the ground? Would putting hay down help keep it from getting too sloppy. What about pee gravel?? Would the birds eat that? I wasn't expecting this much rain so soon so i didn't prepare the run to the best of my ability. I don't want my birds getting ill from the run being soggy and wet.

Help...what should i do? Should i keep them in the coop until i can get the run dry?

 

[LoneCowboy]

I wish I had a good answer for you. You might try laying a layer of sand or something that helps it drain well. I think hay or straw will just make adobe and it would be really gross. How about adding a bunch of leaves? At least it won't be sloppy like mine gets.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

Hay or straw probably wouldn't be a good idea. If it gets wet, it can become moldy and will smell awful. I suggest rigging a tarp around at least part of the run fence to block the wind, and filling the run with pea gravel or mulch.

 

[BeckyLa]

Does the run just not drain? If so, sand will help. If it will drain fine once the rain stops, then there are several things you can do. You could put mulch or leaves in there or even pallets to give them something to walk on out of the mud. I, for one, just leave mine. It doesn't hurt them to walk in mud, if it doesn't stay that way forever, and they go in the coop to get out of the rain. Hay would work but be an awful mess to clean up after the rain. And it will turn moldy, which make the chickens sick, if it's left there too long.

 

[Jolyn]

Thanks for all the info!!!

I think my husband has some pallets. Maybe i will put those in there. I will also get some sand and pea gravel.

Thanks again!

 

[Pumpkinpup]

Sand does help a good deal in that situation.

 

[RockyToggRanch]

I agree that hay or straw would be a nightmare to pick up after it's wet and muddy. (Learned the hard way.) Tarp idea sounds good and sand or crushed stone. I know what you're going through. My horse paddock has been flooding and I've been digging trenches to try to divert the rain and SNOW melt already this season. Trying to figure out the problem. What a pain right?

 

[Jolyn]

It is a pain. We had a rain not too long ago and the run didn't seem to flood and puddle as much. Alot more rain this time and puddles and flooding.....YUCK.

 

[cmom]

Pee gravel would probably be ok. Maybe some sand too. I have sand.

 

[Jolyn]

I put sand in half of my run...will get more for the other side. Until then i put some pallets on the other side.

Thanks everyone for your replies and ideas. Thanks also for letting me know about the hay and straw.....I'm so happy to have this board!!!