help with deep litter method (pics too)

[yellowchicks]

Thanks! I did think of drilling some holes in the wood base to let some water drain out so that's on my to do list. The current fence is 1/2 hardware cloth so it should hold all the material from escaping. I would love a roof but cost wise I don't think I can do it any time soon. Which leaves me with an open run. I'm wondering if it will work to put the material over the mud. I can walk on the mud mess without sinking more than an inch or so. So I would think the flooring would do about the same right?
Could I load it down with forest materials thenmmaybe put 2 or 3 inches of pine shavings on top? The birds will stir it anyway right?

If you can't put up a permanent roof, at least tarp over the run or at least a portion of the run, make the center higher so the water can drain off to the outside of the run. Drill the perimeter holes on the bottom, large enough that the holes won't get clogged. Slope the ground with more top soil. Let it dry up a bit before putting in the forest material. The forest materials are not very moisture absorbent, it will just rot in standing water. Once you have a dry base, then put down pine shaving or wood chips on top so it won't melt into a mush.

I have 1/2 hardware cloth as the run fence, and our chickens still successfully kick the pine shaving to the lawn. I had to put in garden planter edging all around to hold the bedding in. In you situation, a solid ledge may just create a higher pool, so I suggested a screen ledge which is permeable. Try without it see how it goes before doing the work. One step at a time so you can evaluate what works for you.

 

[biteme2134]

If you can't put up a permanent roof, at least tarp over the run or at least a portion of the run, make the center higher so the water can drain off to the outside of the run. Drill the perimeter holes on the bottom, large enough that the holes won't get clogged. Slope the ground with more top soil. Let it dry up a bit before putting in the forest material. The forest materials are not very moisture absorbent, it will just rot in standing water. Once you have a dry base, then put down pine shaving or wood chips on top so it won't melt into a mush. 

I have 1/2 hardware cloth as the run fence, and our chickens still successfully kick the pine shaving to the lawn. I had to put in garden planter edging all around to hold the bedding in. In you situation, a solid ledge may just create a higher pool, so I suggested a screen ledge which is permeable. Try without it see how it goes before doing the work. One step at a time so you can evaluate what works for you.

Thanks. I think that's a good plan. I know where the water pools against the wood barrier so I can drill all my holes in the right spots. I'll do that asap so it'll drain better. My main issue is a coyote I can't kill that keeps killing birds so I have to keep them confined in the mud... I do have a covered portion that the birds have dry ground and a place to get out of the rain.

So if I keep them in they could get sick... Let them out they'll die one at a time... That's why I want to fix this now

 

[yolksonus]

Did you say that the floor of the run is wood? Or did I read that wrong?
It looks like you need to elevate the run a little bit. We put our coop/run in a low area of the yard and used crushed pebble and then general purpose sand over that, all surrounded by cement blocks. So Farsi good and we have had constant rain the past few days. Out run is covered though, so that may be why we have been okay. Can you cover the run with a tarp if it isn't covered? At least to avoid so much wetness.

 

[16 paws]

Part of my run is not covered and when it rained it was a muddy mess. Even thou it doesnt rain a lot, when it did it was a mess. Until I started using wood chips. Wood chips from a cut down tree then put into a chipper. Some tree service companies will come and dump them in your yard for free if you have easy access for the truck to get in.

Now my run stays nice and dry and smells great. I use the deep litter method in my coop and run.

I think the forest stuff you have will work as well but I would try and get some wood chips in there as well.

Good luck,
Marie

 

[biteme2134]

Did you say that the floor of the run is wood? Or did I read that wrong?
It looks like you need to elevate the run a little bit. We put our coop/run in a low area of the yard and used crushed pebble and then general purpose sand over that, all surrounded by cement blocks. So Farsi good and we have had constant rain the past few days. Out run is covered though, so that may be why we have been okay. Can you cover the run with a tarp if it isn't covered? At least to avoid so much wetness.

Our floor was sand... now it's sandy mud haha - I thought about pebbles as a sole base but read it wasn't good for the chickens feet. That wouldn't be cheap either to cover around 150 square feet with pebbles. There really isnt any way to cover the run mostly because I dont have the funds to put posts in the ground and cover it the right way.

 

[biteme2134]

Did you say that the floor of the run is wood? Or did I read that wrong?
It looks like you need to elevate the run a little bit. We put our coop/run in a low area of the yard and used crushed pebble and then general purpose sand over that, all surrounded by cement blocks. So Farsi good and we have had constant rain the past few days. Out run is covered though, so that may be why we have been okay. Can you cover the run with a tarp if it isn't covered? At least to avoid so much wetness.

Do the wood chips soak up water and stop it from pooling somehow? I searched craigslist and didnt see any free chips... I could get mulch but that would cost quite a bit to cover the whole bottom of the run. Right now i'm leaning towards getting about 3 inches of coverage from pine shavings on the bottom and then putting my forest material on top until I feel there is no way water will ever make it to the top...

 

[TalkALittle]

Wood chips would allow more aeration than shavings. I was battling wet and stinky conditions in my 7'x12' sand run and put down about 6 inches of wood chips then added 2 bags of shavings, 1/2 bale of straw, a large garbage bag of chopped hay, 2 wheelbarrows full of dried leaves and about 4 five gallon buckets full of mostly composted yard waste. The girls have turned it all over with their scratching into a nice homogeneous mixture. The wood chips create air pockets and prevent it from packing down. Without air it would remain too wet and you'll get mold and anaerobic bacteria growth in the bottom layers.

I have no stink anymore. My run is covered and that helps tremendously but it just rained for two days and though the litter around the edges where the rain blows in is wet, it's still light and spongy, not packed down and doesn't stink.

 

[biteme2134]

Wood chips would allow more aeration than shavings. I was battling wet and stinky conditions in my 7'x12' sand run and put down about 6 inches of wood chips then added 2 bags of shavings, 1/2 bale of straw, a large garbage bag of chopped hay, 2 wheelbarrows full of dried leaves and about 4 five gallon buckets full of mostly composted yard waste. The girls have turned it all over with their scratching into a nice homogeneous mixture. The wood chips create air pockets and prevent it from packing down. Without air it would remain too wet and you'll get mold and anaerobic bacteria growth in the bottom layers.

I have no stink anymore. My run is covered and that helps tremendously but it just rained for two days and though the litter around the edges where the rain blows in is wet, it's still light and spongy, not packed down and doesn't stink.

My plan today was to go get some pine shavings so maybe I'll grab a few bags of wood chips too and mix that in.

I wish I had a bag for my mower. I looked online and it's like $400 to add a bag to a riding mower! I wish there was a way I could get the grass clippings in there

 

[TalkALittle]

Rake and wheelbarrow?

 

[wlantry]

My plan today was to go get some pine shavings so maybe I'll grab a few bags of wood chips too and mix that in.

I wish I had a bag for my mower. I looked online and it's like $400 to add a bag to a riding mower! I wish there was a way I could get the grass clippings in there

My county has a reclamation/recycling center. All I have to do is back my pick up next to the pile of wood chips and start shoveling. Free run litter! I've done it three times this spring, which means I've got six inches of wood chips above the impervious red clay soil. The water drains right through, and the chicken feet stay dry. Then I go out to the woods next to the house, and get some of that forest-floor material like you showed. The Chickens love it: they scratch through it for bugs, etc. And while searching for all those bugs and worms, they keep it turned over. I really should put a tarp over the run roof, which is just welded wire (and I'll have to when winter comes), but even though I've got standing water outside the run all over the place, the run itself is high and dry.