I need advice..... Muddy chicken area!...wanting to be nicer and cleaner

[Mrsroeder2012]

I have a 1,852 sqft area for my chickens outside and it is so muddy when it rains, I also have water flow right threw there area so tat makes it worse, I put hay Down but the first rain it washed away and now it looks like crap. So my question is.
What can I use to make it look better and not have to worry about it being washed away or muddy and making my chickens nasty, please give me some advice to want u use or what u think might work, cuz I have really nice chickens that I don't want nasty......I am going to show u some pictures of the area and Maybe u can help me!

 

[tajuano]

I would like to hear some advise as well. We have similar problem. Our run is covered, but the way it is location is, all of the backyard water ends up there. Hate it, so I feel your frustration. Perhaps digging around a ditch and filling it with gravel will help, that way water will stay in the ditch and will not spread all over the place. I noticed that hay and straw seems to make it worse rather than help.

 

[ellie32526]

I have a 1,852 sqft area for my chickens outside and it is so muddy when it rains, I also have water flow right threw there area so tat makes it worse, I put hay Down but the first rain it washed away and now it looks like crap. So my question is.
What can I use to make it look better and not have to worry about it being washed away or muddy and making my chickens nasty, please give me some advice to want u use or what u think might work, cuz I have really nice chickens that I don't want nasty......I am going to show u some pictures of the area and Maybe u can help me!













Try this link to see some pictures of Grazing frames. It will take some work to get them going but I think this will work for your area. I have a small area and I plan to build some so my girls always have fresh grass.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/627048/grazing-frame-plans-to-protect-grass-for-chickens

 

[liz9910]

When you say you have water running through the area, do you mean like a stream or do you mean run off from after the rain? I have sand in my run so the chickens don't get muddy. But sand would wash away if there is running water.

 

[mustangruss]

Those grazing frames are a great idea. I have the same mud problem in my run.

 

[Mrsroeder2012]

I guess it would a run off after it rains but during it to when it floods Liz9910

 

[Mrsroeder2012]

Tajuano I hate it and I hope u find a idea on here to I want this fixed....I hate it ,and Ellie32526 I really don't care for that I'm sry good idea but I think I wouldn't like tho, and mustangrusswhat are u talking about grazing frames ?

 

[tajuano]

Tajuano I hate it and I hope u find a idea on here to I want this fixed....I hate it ,and Ellie32526 I really don't care for that I'm sry good idea but I think I wouldn't like tho, and mustangrusswhat are u talking about grazing frames ?

I think grazing frames are good idea, but how those frames are to help us with the mud and flood?

 

[MCraft-NPoultry]

I have the same problem!

 

[johnnyg07]

When the town collects the christmas trees each year they bring them to our local recycling center. There they put them in the wood chipper and make a giant pile of wood chips. They are nothing fancy like mulch for a flower bed but they are free and i fill up my truck with the wood chips and load up the area around the coop. The birds love scratching for bugs but they provide good drainage when it rains and gives enough separation from feet to mud. No matter what you do you will have mud..if there is no grass when dirt gets wet and birds are walking making it that much softer it will be a muddy mess but i find the wood chips almost completely eliminate the problem.. Basically the same concept as laying hay but lasts longer and is more effective