keeping covered run dry.

[aart]

update:

went out this morning to check on the run. in almost all of the run, the leaves, wood chips, and new pine shavings did their job and absorbed all of the moisture and are sitting well above the dirt floor.

ive got a plastic deck box that holds food, extra bedding, etc that i left against the back wall of the run. the water coming off the roof was splashing off of the box and making a muddy mess

i threw a wheelbarrow full of dry dirt on that spot and leveled it out. until the gutter is on, i moved the box a few feet away from the run.

the coop was bone dry, which has me feeling good because we got a TON of rain.

@Allsfairinloveandbugs ill pick up some zeolite this weekend and throw it in the run and then take everything around. thanks.

Must mean you have decent drainage in the run and the' flooding' was due to extreme rainfall.
Don't bother with the zeolite in the run. Yes, it will absorb moisture but it's real purpose is to absorb ammonia. It works great on poop boards.

 

[Sally PB]

I'm still working on the overhead bit. It's amazing how dripping water finds a way around the edges! Think I've got it figured out using an over-sized tarp and boards underneath to direct flow. Won't know for sure till the next storm!

If you use tarps, be sure they can handle the snow load.

My run is built with the metal frame of an unused green house. I put chicken wire over the top for some protection (hawks, eagles) and the tarp was over that. There is a 2.5' span between the poles that form the roof. I kept it broomed off every time it snowed, but I was still surprised at how much sag there was in the chicken wire when I took off the tarps this last spring.

 

[Boise-girls]

If you use tarps, be sure they can handle the snow load.

My run is built with the metal frame of an unused green house. I put chicken wire over the top for some protection (hawks, eagles) and the tarp was over that. There is a 2.5' span between the poles that form the roof. I kept it broomed off every time it snowed, but I was still surprised at how much sag there was in the chicken wire when I took off the tarps this last spring.

We don't typically get a lot of snow, but there's always the year that goes rogue! I have two of the Universal poultry pens from TSC, so a reasonably sturdy surface, but brooming off is still sound advice!

 

[burt4750]

Has anyone bought Sweet PDZ lately? The price has more than doubled! Gotta find a different product. Any suggestions?]

 

[aart]

Has anyone bought Sweet PDZ lately? The price has more than doubled! Gotta find a different product. Any suggestions?]

It's gone up a bit here at my local TSC, but more than doubled, nah.
Feed price for Flock Raiser has increased more, probably about 25%.

Where and what size are you buying at what price?