Keeping a Chicken Run From Getting Muddy?

[aart]

Thinking deep litter method in the parts where it is muddy, but another idea is to cover just the extremely muddy part. What do you guys think?

Why is that one part muddier than the rest?
Is there copious runoff standing in puddles there...or....???

I bet that I could get it dropped off on my driveway area

These loads are large...you really want someplace a pile can sit for months as you transfer a bit at a time to the run.
This 2 loads:

 

[Lilyput]

I use straw for muddy areas. I don't have your issues quite as bad in Raleigh, NC. Straw works fine for me.

 

[Starburst]

Just wonder you don’t consider the proposition in the quotes below. If the ground has a impermeable layer, the best way to deal with stagnating water is to break through this layer.
Do you know what type of ground/soil youre garden is ? Is it possible there is a layer of clay underneath the top soil?

my garden, (Which is quite pitifully small) is in a raised bed, so I put all the soil in it. I would agree that making it well-draining is the first order of buisness

 

[Coop54]

Hi, everyone! This may be a silly question, but does anyone have any tips for keeping chicken runs from getting muddy? I live in Western Washington, where it's raining most of the time. My chicken run is big, about 30' square and I can't cover it. While I do have two huge evergreens growing in the middle, they don't stop most of the rain. The dirt is packed as hard as rock in half of it, and during storms, my chickens are sloshing around in the water, which can not be good for them. To sum it up, do any of you have any tips for making the dirt better draining and getting less muddy? Thanks!

Sand!!!!!

 

[PioneerChicks]

I lay wood chips on the ground. I get new ones every year or two. Works great for me!

 

[Starburst]

Thanks!

 

[Starburst]

Hi, everyone! An update: I am planning on putting a covered area over the muddy area, but in the meantime, I will be doing the deep litter system, mixing shavings into the soil, is there anything else any of you would suggest I do? A big thank you to everyone for their help!

 

[Boccom]

I live in western washington too what county/Area are you In Im in lewis county

 

[AquaDuck]

Hi, everyone! An update: I am planning on putting a covered area over the muddy area, but in the meantime, I will be doing the deep litter system, mixing shavings into the soil, is there anything else any of you would suggest I do? A big thank you to everyone for their help!

Dig ditches around the exterior of the pen! At least a food deep. Either open, with pipes or filled with gravel. You can dig shallow ditches inside the pen too, that slants down and out to the outside ditch, and fill these with gravel (not sand, too compact and the chickens will scratch it away). Then you can put whatever bedding you want on top of that.

 

[Motojeff]

We use fill sand from the local sand and gravel place its not as fine, got some little pebbles in it. Its just un-screened local river sand, a yard is normally pretty cheap, much less than chips or straw. Any place that sells gravel will have it. It works good, packs down some but not to much, drains well for those always wet NW climates.