Yard is 24x24, with a 10x 20 wing. Only section staying muddy is by the waterer. I have 15 chickens, 6 ducks. Ideally once i finish the ducks there personAl water trough the 10x20 wing will be for them. Any suggestions tho for now how to keep the mud down ??
Keep mud down - suggestions?
- Thread starter jus10inla
- Start date
5
592667
Guest
Personally, to keep mud down in my own run, I rocked it with 3/4 in. grey rock.
I chose rock because I didn’t want parasites and other nasty bacteria to start to grow, in straw, chips, etc…. I can rake it regularly, and not have to change the run bedding daily or weekly
So far, it has been amazing! Keeps the run from getting muddy and gross, and also keeps many parasites and bugs from growing/living in my chickens’ run.
Make sure to get rock that is not super big, but not super small like pea gravel.
It also helps keep my chickens’ feet bacteria free!
Also, after rocking your run, make sure to create a dust bathing area for your chickens. I made a frame of wood and rocked around it, then filled it with dirt. You could even get a small trough, pot, etc… for dust bathing
I chose rock because I didn’t want parasites and other nasty bacteria to start to grow, in straw, chips, etc…. I can rake it regularly, and not have to change the run bedding daily or weekly
So far, it has been amazing! Keeps the run from getting muddy and gross, and also keeps many parasites and bugs from growing/living in my chickens’ run.
Make sure to get rock that is not super big, but not super small like pea gravel.
It also helps keep my chickens’ feet bacteria free!
Also, after rocking your run, make sure to create a dust bathing area for your chickens. I made a frame of wood and rocked around it, then filled it with dirt. You could even get a small trough, pot, etc… for dust bathing
Last edited by a moderator:
Coarse wood chips, the kind you get from a tree-trimming service.
They'll suck up the moisture and, unlike gravel, will engage in a composting reaction with the poop, neutralizing it instead of allowing it to wash down in between the pieces of gravel and rot.
The land looks pretty flat. Does rainwater run through or accumulate in the run? If yes, diversion ditches might help.
They'll suck up the moisture and, unlike gravel, will engage in a composting reaction with the poop, neutralizing it instead of allowing it to wash down in between the pieces of gravel and rot.
The land looks pretty flat. Does rainwater run through or accumulate in the run? If yes, diversion ditches might help.
- Thread starter
- #4
Yes to rainwater . Diversion ditches are a no go. Im in south Louisiana swamp. Everything stays wet down here for 2 weeks after a rain.
flood of 2016 it was 4 ft there. Flood of 2021 april it was 2 ft. Chickens stayed on there perch & coop for 3 days
flood of 2016 it was 4 ft there. Flood of 2021 april it was 2 ft. Chickens stayed on there perch & coop for 3 days
Ducks are EXTREMELY messy with their water. Maybe a base under the water and out 3' all the way around using patio pavers can help by the water dish.
For a wet muddy run using coarse wood chips works with chickens in my much drier climate. I am not sure how duck feet work with coarse wood chip.
Some people swear by coarse sand. Again my climate is much different. Here poops would get mixed with it and it would reek every time it rains. There it may be worse or better depending on if the rain either buried the poo is soggy muck reeking constantly or if it washed it through.
I do not use sand so have no idea if it will actually work or what climate it is best used in.
For a wet muddy run using coarse wood chips works with chickens in my much drier climate. I am not sure how duck feet work with coarse wood chip.
Some people swear by coarse sand. Again my climate is much different. Here poops would get mixed with it and it would reek every time it rains. There it may be worse or better depending on if the rain either buried the poo is soggy muck reeking constantly or if it washed it through.
I do not use sand so have no idea if it will actually work or what climate it is best used in.
Last edited:
Curious, @The-Chicken-Keeper what is your climate?
"The Henhouse" isn't a helpful location
....and how do you rake chicken poop off of 3/4" rock?
Got pics?
5
592667
Guest
I actually scoop the waste off of the rock, unless it has rained really hard, which cleans the waste off of the rock, then I rake the rock.Curious, @The-Chicken-Keeper what is your climate?
"The Henhouse" isn't a helpful location
....and how do you rake chicken poop off of 3/4" rock?
Got pics?
Raking helps get oxygen into the ground/rock, keeping bacteria and other parasites from growing/living.
Jenessa_096
Crowing
I agree bark chips are very good!
That’s a lot of flood waters!
to deal with normal wetness, elevating the waterer would possibly help if the ducks are making it wet over there.
overall, you need to provide drainage. Many people suggest chipped wood, like from a tree guy. We did this, and put about 17-20 yards of chipped wood (his entire load) in our 50x10 run. It seemed like the chickens were eye level with us at first (they weren’t, of course). It settled down pretty quickly. We added random boards around the perimeter to keep the wood in. Water drains through…etc.
adding a roof. But, I don’t think that will really fix anything in your situation.
using pallets laid on the ground. Drawback: rodents may like the spaces underneath.
raising up one side with dirt, so it is sloped in a logical way to allow non-flood water to run off to a logical destination. LA is wet, so you would know best if this could work.
gravel- can work. My neighbor did this in his smaller run that was muddy. Lots of gravel to where normal rain did not have standing puddles or really wet mud. Neighbor did keep it well layered with straw/ mulch so they weren’t only on gravel.
pavers laid down in part of the run. Find free ones/broken ones, remodel throw seats -who cares if they match? Chickens don’t.
but, if you get floods, you may want to additionally consider elevated platforms made out of scrap or pallets (shade in non flood situations) so they can fly between the platforms and their roosts, move around if possible.
FWIW, we brought in 102 tons (4 truckloads) of dirt to level out the back and side of our property-low spots, minor flooding, water trapped. It has helped tremendously, and the ground was elevated only a couple inches, but low spots were filled in. We redirected the down spouts of the barn (next to chicken run) to actually flow away, and through longer pipes. We finally (after 3 years) have a roof over the run. But, our run backs up to the barn, so it is protected on one side.
to deal with normal wetness, elevating the waterer would possibly help if the ducks are making it wet over there.
overall, you need to provide drainage. Many people suggest chipped wood, like from a tree guy. We did this, and put about 17-20 yards of chipped wood (his entire load) in our 50x10 run. It seemed like the chickens were eye level with us at first (they weren’t, of course). It settled down pretty quickly. We added random boards around the perimeter to keep the wood in. Water drains through…etc.
adding a roof. But, I don’t think that will really fix anything in your situation.
using pallets laid on the ground. Drawback: rodents may like the spaces underneath.
raising up one side with dirt, so it is sloped in a logical way to allow non-flood water to run off to a logical destination. LA is wet, so you would know best if this could work.
gravel- can work. My neighbor did this in his smaller run that was muddy. Lots of gravel to where normal rain did not have standing puddles or really wet mud. Neighbor did keep it well layered with straw/ mulch so they weren’t only on gravel.
pavers laid down in part of the run. Find free ones/broken ones, remodel throw seats -who cares if they match? Chickens don’t.
but, if you get floods, you may want to additionally consider elevated platforms made out of scrap or pallets (shade in non flood situations) so they can fly between the platforms and their roosts, move around if possible.
FWIW, we brought in 102 tons (4 truckloads) of dirt to level out the back and side of our property-low spots, minor flooding, water trapped. It has helped tremendously, and the ground was elevated only a couple inches, but low spots were filled in. We redirected the down spouts of the barn (next to chicken run) to actually flow away, and through longer pipes. We finally (after 3 years) have a roof over the run. But, our run backs up to the barn, so it is protected on one side.
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