clucknorris1
In the Brooder
- Nov 18, 2016
- 30
- 2
- 24
So, we have been free-ranging for the past year or so, but due to a stealth fox using our lawn as its own personal drive-thru this spring, we recently built an enclosed run. However (and yes, I realized we should have started with this, but too late now), I need to add drainage.
Our property is basically clay... it absorbs veeery slowly. We get tons of snow and broke records this year for rain (they've had to completely redraw the flood zones from here to about 200-300 km away, although thankfully we are on "higher" ground - further inland). We've backfilled a lot of our property so I have lots of options I can draw from (large stones, gravel, sand, dirt) so I'm looking to add layers above ground for drainage.
We're going to put a layer of geotextile at the bottom, followed by the stones, and possibly gravel, but I'm wondering if I need another layer between the stones/gravel and the sand that allows water to drain out of the sand but prevents the sand from seeping into the nooks and crannies between the rocks that are supposed to allow drainage. And if so, what?
On top of the sand we'll put lots of fun things for them to forage around in (dry grass clippings, maybe some hay, etc.) but I want it to be dry. It gets about half sun so I find the ground just isn't fully drying out but I'm worried the sand won't either (and we can't really move locations at this point).
Thoughts? I really wanted them to be free range and it was going so well for a year but now I really need a game plan. I love these little ladies! We do cover partially but not the full run (and in winter we'll have some side/above panels to limit snow) so I'm mostly focused on the 3 other seasons right now!
Our property is basically clay... it absorbs veeery slowly. We get tons of snow and broke records this year for rain (they've had to completely redraw the flood zones from here to about 200-300 km away, although thankfully we are on "higher" ground - further inland). We've backfilled a lot of our property so I have lots of options I can draw from (large stones, gravel, sand, dirt) so I'm looking to add layers above ground for drainage.
We're going to put a layer of geotextile at the bottom, followed by the stones, and possibly gravel, but I'm wondering if I need another layer between the stones/gravel and the sand that allows water to drain out of the sand but prevents the sand from seeping into the nooks and crannies between the rocks that are supposed to allow drainage. And if so, what?
On top of the sand we'll put lots of fun things for them to forage around in (dry grass clippings, maybe some hay, etc.) but I want it to be dry. It gets about half sun so I find the ground just isn't fully drying out but I'm worried the sand won't either (and we can't really move locations at this point).
Thoughts? I really wanted them to be free range and it was going so well for a year but now I really need a game plan. I love these little ladies! We do cover partially but not the full run (and in winter we'll have some side/above panels to limit snow) so I'm mostly focused on the 3 other seasons right now!
