Mud!

[jellybelly]

Hi All.
We sectioned off part of our back yard for our 2 chickens to roam around in and they seem very happy there. This is the first winter we have had chickens and with all the rain and snow it has turned to a complete mud bath. Any suggestions on what I can do about it? Is there a very coarse grass that I can plant there or will this just turn into mud too. All ideas welcome!
Thanks.

 

[annie3001]

you can spread out some hay

 

[patandchickens]

See my "fix a muddy run" page, link in .sig below, for some suggestions

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[95yj]

just embrace it...

 

[fasbendera]

I had the muddiest run this past year. My run and coop are on a slope so the rain does run off but we had a week of rain it seemed like and it was really bad plus I had the meat birds so my flock was huge. I spread pine shavings in and it worked. The chickens walked on them and the mud did dry up and I just raked it up and threw it in the garden after a week or so and used it for weed control. I bet the hay or straw would accomplish the same thing. I am also thinking of making a wire frame and seeding the areas and placing that over it so there is greenery in the pen. I would use a quick sprouting grain of some sort. I am still in the plannig phase of that and the new ducks may push it onto the back burner.