Mud in Run

[TheChiggens]

A very annoying problem is mud in the run. Because it clumps onto feet and soils nestboxes, feathers, roosts, etc.

I was thinking of laying down hay.

What do you guys think would be good to use?

 

[NuggetTheChicken]

I have used hay before but don't have a good experience with it. It stays clean when the mud is wet, but when it dries, the mud dries with the hay in between and everything clumps up together, turning the ground hard and compact. Maybe try using wood chips or pine pellets. Hay is helpful, but once it gets hard and compact, it is very hard and stinky to clean it up .

 

[gtaus]

I get wood chips for free at our local landfill. Wood chips work great in a chicken run. If they get wet and muddy, then just dump some more on top. Eventually the wood chips breakdown into compost and you can use it for the garden. Depending on how low/wet your chicken run is, you might have to put down 6 inches or so of wood chips. That's OK with me because the deep litter wood chips works best for me.

 

[TheChiggens]

I have used hay before but don't have a good experience with it. It stays clean when the mud is wet, but when it dries, the mud dries with the hay in between and everything clumps up together, turning the ground hard and compact. Maybe try using wood chips or pine pellets. Hay is helpful, but once it gets hard and compact, it is very hard and stinky to clean it up .

Ok I will keep that mind!

 

[Mybackyardpeepers]

Is your run covered at all?

 

[aart]

Show us your run...and the surrounding area.
Are there any drainage issues?
No bedding will fix that.

Wood chippings have worked best here.
Doesn't take much and I just add a layer(~2") when it's needed.

 

[Soy Milano]

Hay will just make it worse. Perhaps you need to raise the floor up some or improve drainage.

 

[UKchooks]

I use builder's sand as it drains well and is cheap. The chickens also like to dust bathe in it when the weather is dry I dump another couple of bags in every month or so after sweeping out the worst of the soiling. I just dump it in the middle and let the chickens kick it about, which results in a convex surface.

 

[Acre4Me]

We had to improve the run after the horribly wet year we had. We contacted a tree guy and he brought us chipped wood. We ended up with about 1 ft deep of chipped wood after it settled. We added boards around the fence to keep it in as the run is chain link fencing. It really helps a lot!

 

[TheChiggens]

Thanks for the advice everyone!