I’ve been doing my run completely wrong!

[Kvanderson]

I’m a beginner/self teaching dont be harsh. I’ve done quite a bit of reading about how to help my chicken run be less muddy in the spring and I didn’t find the best information. There were great tips but no help that went in depth. My problem is that my run gets very muddy and hasn’t drained properly (because I didn’t do it correctly for the first year) so it’s very tall deep mud. I threw some straw out today to clean their feet. I need to clean all of it out and get it to the bottom layer of clean dirt to start over. I have a few questions about this..

Should the run be covered? It has been partially covered the entire year and that didn’t help at all. I just removed it because the tarp was torn after a year.


Will straw alone do what I need as far as drainage and year round living? If not, what’s recommended.

what is the best way to get all of that mud out of there? I don’t compost or have woods near me
(That red coop inside the run is where I’m going to put the new chicks to introduce them then it’s coming out. The shed is the adult coop)

 

[3KillerBs]

For a permanent solution, you need to determine where the water is coming from and try to keep it out.

This cannot be emphasized too strongly.

There are three main types of water problem:

First, heavy rain falling into the run (possibly exacerbated by rain running off the roof of the coop and nearby buildings. The solution to this is to roof the run and add gutters to the roofs to divert water away from the run.

Second, groundwater running through the run due to the natural drainage pattern of the area in question. The solution to this is French drain, diversion ditches, grass swales, building up the ground level of the run, and, if necessary, using heavy equipment to re-grade the land so that water flows around and out of the run.

Third, water pooling in the run because it is located in a low spot. The solution to this is to move the coop and run. Building up actual low ground -- as opposed to an area between drainage channels -- is unlikely to be satisfactory over the long term because that water will still collect there, just below the surface.

Adding sand might look cleaner than clay mud, but it's still just as soggy unless you have fixed the drainage. Additionally, sand doesn't compost together with the poop. People who use sand in their runs successfully generally live in dry climate where the sand acts to rapidly dry the poop so it doesn't stink. Wet sand plus poop REEKS.

Instead of sand, think dry, organic material -- coarse wood chips of the sort you can get from tree-trimming services being the longest-lasting.

Unlike sand, organic material plus chicken poop creates a composting environment that actually digests and neutralizes the poop.

IMO, a mix of different materials and textures such as wood chips, wood shavings, straw, pine straw, dry leaves, dry grass clippings, and whatever other material might be locally available, is superior to any single material because it is less likely to pack, mat and develop stinky anaerobic pockets -- that being a particular problem with straw when used alone.

 

[Percheron chick]

First thing is to get the water out of the run. Are the timbers all the way around the run and holding the water in? Where does the water go off the coop? It's probably going to be a summer job to do it right. Throw down a wood pallet to give them a dry spot to stand on for now

 

[Ridgerunner]

Read this

Pat’s Big Ol' Mud Page (fixing muddy runs):

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-to-fix-a-muddy-run-chicken-coop.47807/

Should the run be covered?

Covering can help keep some water out, but rain or snow will blow in from the side. Covering can be part of the solution but it is usually not the complete answer.

Will straw alone do what I need as far as drainage and year round living? If not, what’s recommended.

Just throwing bedding in there is not a permanent solution, I don't care what bedding you use. Temporarily you can use bedding to give them a dry place to stand or toss in pallets or something for them and you to be above the mud. A good permanent fix for that is probably going to wait on dry weather.

For a permanent solution, you need to determine where the water is coming from and try to keep it out. That could be rain or snow from the open top or blowing in from the sides, if that is a low spot it could be draining from higher ground, the slope of the roofs could funnel water in there. The fix or fixes for that will depend on where the water is coming from.

A permanent solution also includes getting water out once it gets in. If it has somewhere to drain to, gravity will get it out. So does that have a lower spot to drain to? It's not that easy though. You probably have more clay than sand in that soil. Clay holds water, does not allow it to drain away. I see you are planning on a drain. Good.

what is the best way to get all of that mud out of there?

If you dig the mud out all you have done is dig a bath tub that will hold water if it is in clay, even if you fill it with sand. I would not dig it out. Read Pat's article, she talks about this some. You need to build it up so it will drain. She suggests gravel with sand on top if you go that route. I'd use some type of round rock like river rock or pea gravel instead a crushed gravel. Crushed gravel can have sharp edges which might cut their feet when scratching.

When I built my ground level coop I hauled in a few inches of clay soil to build the coop floor level up above the outside level to keep water out. And I did a swale and berm system on the uphill side to keep rainwater runoff out of both coop and run. The run is on a bit of a rise so it drains fairly well and it is mostly covered but when the weather sets in wet for long it still gets muddy. My chickens can get up out of it and I dump bags of pea gravel in strategic places so I can get out there without sinking into the mud. I just live with some mud but it doesn't get that bad.

Good luck, mud is frustrating.

 

[Lulu-Dixon]

I agree with cmobley. We put up a large aviary for some of our birds and it stays dry year long. Metal roofing and high side walls so it gets sun and air make a huge difference.

 

[cmobley]

Metal roof and sand in the run. Drys fast soaks up poop and wetness they scratch it covers. I go in once a month with a rake and just give it a good deep raking.

 

[Sally PB]

@Kvanderson, where are you located? Your climate will help us figure out a good way for you to get rid of the mud.

Oh, good, @Ridgerunner answered. Very knowledgeable person, so I'll just stop here.

 

[Noreaster Egger]

There’s lots of threads covering this topic over the past few weeks so I‘m sure you can find even more info and advice beyond the replies in this thread. I always recommend the coarse wood chips and the bonus is you can get them free from tree services or Chip Drop.

 

[jonalisa]

Metal roof and sand in the run. Drys fast soaks up poop and wetness they scratch it covers. I go in once a month with a rake and just give it a good deep raking. View attachment 2575208

Completely agree. I have sand and metal roof in my run, (Also have sand mixed with Sweet PDZ in my coop floor and on my poop board. Easy clean up.)

 

[LizzzyJo]

After you get the water out (however you manage that), you should consider covering the run. Likely not with a tarp, but something like clear plastic corrugated paneling can work well.