Mud in Coop.

[Emmey]

Hello i live in Louisiana so naturally we get a lot of rain. I have a coop that old 2 ducks and 8 brahmas. We are building another coop for the ducks. My question is, is the mud hurting my chickens. They don't mind it and prefer the coop over going in the grass when I let them out. The land i live on has had chickens before that were own by my great grandfather. And the only injury mine have is overmating which i have medicine for.
So is hurting them, I feel like I being mean to even when I rplace the dirt. Someone please explain?!
P.s they're is a lot of flies they like to eat.

 

[9SpiceyChickens]

Hello i live in Louisiana so naturally we get a lot of rain. I have a coop that old 2 ducks and 8 brahmas. We are building another coop for the ducks. My question is, is the mud hurting my chickens. They don't mind it and prefer the coop over going in the grass when I let them out. The land i live on has had chickens before that were own by my great grandfather. And the only injury mine have is overmating which i have medicine for.
So is hurting them, I feel like I being mean to even when I rplace the dirt. Someone please explain?!
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P.s they're is a lot of flies they like to eat.

Mud is probably not hurting them. They may not be a fan, but it doesn't hurt. When ever my coop gets super muddy or wet, we always put some rock slabs they can hop on so that they can keep their feet dry. The picks don't work btw.

 

[Emmey]

Mud is probably not hurting them. They may not be a fan, but it doesn't hurt. When ever my coop gets super muddy or wet, we always put some rock slabs they can hop on so that they can keep their feet dry. The picks don't work btw.

I know about the pics sorry, I'll post them tomorrow when the sun is up. The reason they got me so worried is because they have feathered feet, but everyone says they look healthy. Thank you for the advice.

 

[9SpiceyChickens]

I know about the pics sorry, I'll post them tomorrow when the sun is up. The reason they got me so worried is because they have feathered feet, but everyone says they look healthy. Thank you for the advice.

With feathered feet I would definitely have blocks for them. Also, I know this might be hard, but if you can, get them to stand in a large tub of water if the feathers become matted, then dry with a towel thoroughly. But as long as they seem happy, healthy, and feathers aren't matted they'll be fine!

 

[Emmey]

With feathered feet I would definitely have blocks for them. Also, I know this might be hard, but if you can, get them to stand in a large tub of water if the feathers become matted, then dry with a towel thoroughly. But as long as they seem happy, healthy, and feathers aren't matted they'll be fine!

I try every month to clean and somehow half are soft and half have dirt on them, but not incased. They seem to have developed a technique i call the twinkle toes dance. They fly and step lightly to make it to dry patches in the mud. Unless its a roo in which it just goes around the mud. Thank you for the advice .

 

[3KillerBs]

Are you talking about mud in the coop itself or in the run?

Is there a reason that you keep bare dirt with no bedding?

 

[Emmey]

Are you talking about mud in the coop itself or in the run?

Is there a reason that you keep bare dirt with no bedding?

I think is the run now that you mention it. I just call the whole building the coop. But they do have boxes with bedding. Sorry if I confused you.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't know how old they are, how long you've had them there, what it looks like, or what their other options are so I'll go through some general possible problems with mud.

Mud is inconvenient and messy. It can get your shoes and clothes dirt, may be slippery for you to walk in, they might track mud into the nests and get the eggs dirty. It can make it harder to care for them.

If they have to stand in mud, over the long term the wet can harm their feet. If they can get out of it and let their feet dry it's not that big of a deal. But constant wet can be harmful.

Chickens poop wherever they are, including in mud. If chicken poop builds up and stays wet it can stink to high heaven. It is a horrible sour smell. It also produces ammonia. Ammonia is dangerous for them to breathe but it is also lighter than air. Breathing ammonia is not good for them or you. It is even more dangerous if it gets trapped in the coop and cannot rise. If they are trapped in that muddy area all the time all their poop goes there. If they spend most of their time somewhere else the poop may not build up that badly.

Mud can become unhealthy, especially if it has poop in it. The protozoa that causes Coccidiosis thrives in in mud that has chicken poop in it. Mold might grow in there. If water stands, mosquitoes can breed. Wet poopy mud is not healthy.

For a lot of us the run is going to get muddy when it sets in wet for a while. That's just something many of us have to live with. But I think it is important to keep the run as dry as you can and give hem options to be other places.

 

[3KillerBs]

I think is the run now that you mention it. I just call the whole building the coop. But they do have boxes with bedding. Sorry if I confused you.

I like deep litter in the run to keep it dry and clean.

The bedding -- a mix of wood chips, wood shavings, pine straw, straw, fall leaves, and whatever else I have handy -- absorbs the poop and neutralizes it in a cold composting process while keeping the chickens' feet dry and clean (important for me because I like Brahmas and other feather-footed breeds). Putting down layers of the above would go a long way toward solving your mud problem.

Also, if you have drainage issues with ground water running into or collecting in your chicken run you should consider using grass swales and/or French drains to correct the drainage before long-term health problems occur.

 

[Emmey]

I don't know how old they are, how long you've had them there, what it looks like, or what their other options are so I'll go through some general possible problems with mud.

Mud is inconvenient and messy. It can get your shoes and clothes dirt, may be slippery for you to walk in, they might track mud into the nests and get the eggs dirty. It can make it harder to care for them.

If they have to stand in mud, over the long term the wet can harm their feet. If they can get out of it and let their feet dry it's not that big of a deal. But constant wet can be harmful.

Chickens poop wherever they are, including in mud. If chicken poop builds up and stays wet it can stink to high heaven. It is a horrible sour smell. It also produces ammonia. Ammonia is dangerous for them to breathe but it is also lighter than air. Breathing ammonia is not good for them or you. It is even more dangerous if it gets trapped in the coop and cannot rise. If they are trapped in that muddy area all the time all their poop goes there. If they spend most of their time somewhere else the poop may not build up that badly.

Mud can become unhealthy, especially if it has poop in it. The protozoa that causes Coccidiosis thrives in in mud that has chicken poop in it. Mold might grow in there. If water stands, mosquitoes can breed. Wet poopy mud is not healthy.

For a lot of us the run is going to get muddy when it sets in wet for a while. That's just something many of us have to live with. But I think it is important to keep the run as dry as you can and give hem options to be other places.

I do try and replace the mud with fresh dirt. And they can get out as they jump on top their boxes and get under the tin were their dirt baths are.