Illinois...

[Molpet]

OMG the amount of rain and mud!!!! I know I need to seal up some stuff and that's going to be a problem every time we get a lot of rain until then, but some of it is just unfixable. Like the amount of mud in my entire yard which gets my previously mostly clean dogs filthy which makes my moderately clean house a mess and everything inside smells like wet dog and everything outside is gross.

I feel for you. Taking boots off at the door is easy, wiping off paws every time is not doable.

 

[homeschoolin momma]

I take the dogs out every morning with me. Today, they just stayed in. I just couldn't deal with the mud.

 

[BReeder!]

All this talk of mud... Fortunately my yard is mostly grass - I put a lot of work in this Spring to make that the case. I'll need to over seed next Spring but it's not mud puddles at least. Except for the duck run that is... All the drainage that's under that run and the fibrous matter (wood chips, wood shavings, shredded corn stalks, grass clippings, etc) that I've added are no match for mother nature and ducks combined. It's a mud bath in there! Leaves cannot fall soon enough for me to layer on shredded leaves to clean that mess of a run. I would go pickup some straw, but I'm not really keen on the idea of loading bales into the minivan. Wish I still had a beater SUV or a truck. The second car is just a Malibu and currently not drivable anyway until I fix the breaks.

 

[cavemanrich]

I would go pickup some straw, but I'm not really keen on the idea of loading bales into the minivan.

Try this idea. It worked for me when I needed bales of hay. Get contractors size black plastic bags. I think they come about 50 in a box-roll. before you load straw,,, skin these bags over bale,,,,,, and no straw shreds inside van
Another option;; If you have old bed sheets,,, take and wrap bales in there.

 

[BReeder!]

I went to home depot, kids in tow, and picked up a few fence pickets and a 2x4, all treated. Then I built a 6ftx2.5ft platform to put down in the duck run. This should give them an opportunity to be outside but out of mud and snow when it comes. I am going to get some sort of mulch down this weekend though still, but the platform will serve as a year round space for the ducks to be outside and comfortable.

 

[Molpet]

I went to home depot, kids in tow, and picked up a few fence pickets and a 2x4, all treated. Then I built a 6ftx2.5ft platform to put down in the duck run. This should give them an opportunity to be outside but out of mud and snow when it comes. I am going to get some sort of mulch down this weekend though still, but the platform will serve as a year round space for the ducks to be outside and comfortable.

Need something to scrape it off I have rotten 50 yr old pieces of plywood in the poultry yard and they sure get

 

[Molpet]

Did manage to harvest a couple randy cockerels that were tormenting old ladies. Had one locked in a carrier in the coop for a couple days. One of the old ladies used to hide in there. Found her with feathers on her beak and him away from the door. I think she was getting him back through the door


Anybody use this for bugs? Looks interesting , I haven't seen any, but I use sulfur in the dust bath.
https://www.southlandorganics.com/blogs/news/how-to-get-rid-of-chicken-mites

 

[homeschoolin momma]

Did manage to harvest a couple randy cockerels that were tormenting old ladies. Had one locked in a carrier in the coop for a couple days. One of the old ladies used to hide in there. Found her with feathers on her beak and him away from the door. I think she was getting him back through the door


Anybody use this for bugs? Looks interesting , I haven't seen any, but I use sulfur in the dust bath.
https://www.southlandorganics.com/blogs/news/how-to-get-rid-of-chicken-mites

Took a look at that bug spray. At 34.00 and concentrated, it looks to be a good deal. Might consider trying that!

 

[BReeder!]

Need something to scrape it off I have rotten 50 yr old pieces of plywood in the poultry yard and they sure get

I have shovels in the shed coop. A spade should do the trick.

 

[Molpet]

Last night the hens with poults tried to get them into a coop. Of course they picked a crowded coop. One wouldn't go in and it's missing this morning.
About 10 I took Annie out and seen a big raptor fly out , found a half eaten poult.