Muddy chicken run
- Thread starter JackieTS
- Start date
Can you post pictures of your setup?
Basics are a run and coop on high ground, solid pitched roof, divert water away from the run and provide a good organic litter like wood chips, dry leaves, pine straw, etc.
@JackieTS No secrets to it. You want to minimize the water entering your run, and maximize the speed at which water which does enter exits the run.
Many roof their run, for a host of reasons, which helps with water arriving vertically. Most muddy run problems I've seen here, however, involve water arriving horizontally - that is, falling elsewhere on the property and being channeled into the run...
Typically, that's best addressed by shallow berms and/or ditches to help redirect water away from the run, and to some other area of the property. Raising the run itself is also wise - just as the ground should fall away from your home, so too should it fall away from your chicken's home. Doesn't take much, 1/4" per foot is adequate (and can be done slowly via deep litter composting methods in the run.
Next you want water out of the run as quickly as reasonably possible. Some like sand for that, I do not - for a laundry list of reasons, but mostly because sand only drains well until it hits something "not sand", and because chicken droppings plus sand rapidly form something "not sand". Instead, I built a swale inside my (about 1000' sq ft) run to collect what water does arrive there, and a ditch to then direct it out.
The last thing you can do is look to your flooring, and try and provide a surface above the water when it does appear there. Wood chips, straw, leaf litter, grass clippings, etc all work well for that purpose. A mix of those materials is (my opinion) even better. I don't recommend pebbles or rocks, for many reasons.
The answer is always the same, implementation always differs. If, as @DobieLover suggested, you step back and take some good photos, we can probably help direct your efforts to make most efficient use of your time and resources. and if you post your location *click on user name at top right bar* - scroll half way down the account details page- we may know of local resources to assist as well.
Very best!
Many roof their run, for a host of reasons, which helps with water arriving vertically. Most muddy run problems I've seen here, however, involve water arriving horizontally - that is, falling elsewhere on the property and being channeled into the run...
Typically, that's best addressed by shallow berms and/or ditches to help redirect water away from the run, and to some other area of the property. Raising the run itself is also wise - just as the ground should fall away from your home, so too should it fall away from your chicken's home. Doesn't take much, 1/4" per foot is adequate (and can be done slowly via deep litter composting methods in the run.
Next you want water out of the run as quickly as reasonably possible. Some like sand for that, I do not - for a laundry list of reasons, but mostly because sand only drains well until it hits something "not sand", and because chicken droppings plus sand rapidly form something "not sand". Instead, I built a swale inside my (about 1000' sq ft) run to collect what water does arrive there, and a ditch to then direct it out.
The last thing you can do is look to your flooring, and try and provide a surface above the water when it does appear there. Wood chips, straw, leaf litter, grass clippings, etc all work well for that purpose. A mix of those materials is (my opinion) even better. I don't recommend pebbles or rocks, for many reasons.
The answer is always the same, implementation always differs. If, as @DobieLover suggested, you step back and take some good photos, we can probably help direct your efforts to make most efficient use of your time and resources. and if you post your location *click on user name at top right bar* - scroll half way down the account details page- we may know of local resources to assist as well.
Very best!
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It depends on your area & the weather. I'm in southern Delaware so when I moved here I had no idea it was so wet at times. My runs are too big to roof over, plus we get high winds at times. My neighbor tried to cover their hot front deck making it a porch & wind got under, picked it up & blew the whole thing off! I've had 2 tornadoes blow through my yard...nope, can't roof my runs. We have brutal hot & humid summers with periods of drought late July & Aug, and while winter is mild, Jan, Feb & Mar can be very cold with below freezing stretches & sometimes snow, but we get a lot of rain in general. Since moving here 2006 we've had 2 snowstorms with 3 to 4 foot snowdrifts blocking the entire road, which is private so no one plows it, a heck of a mess in my pens when it melted. I nearly killed myself "mud skating" while carrying feed & water jugs, so the newer coop is designed so I walk less often through the pen...coop has it's own entrance, the only time I walk into the pens now is to open or close chicken doors or put cabbage, corn or squash in their veggie holders.
Straw...the 1st time I spread straw & gave them a bale, it was cute the 1st week or so, jumping on the bale playing king of the mountain, then turfing it up, but then it rained...& rained & rained...ugh. Overall, it didn't help here, it was still a slippery mudhole only now I had straw, more of a mess really, & my chickens feet were more muddy as they tried to churn up the mud embedded straw! I added more straw, it just didn't matter, it became quite a mess, more trouble than it was worth as far as trying to keep things clean.
Adding 20 bags of safe playsand to create an entirely new surface seemed like a good idea, but it became too hot in spring & summer, so the chickens hated it & rarely came out. Also, over time the sand seemed to disappear, so adding more & more sand...ugh, those bags are heavy! Chickens hated it. Nope, it just didn't work out.
One year I decided to just put sod down one day in Autumn, as wet winter approached, until I could think of something better. Well, the sod actually was the best idea. I put it down in Oct, watered it every night, also planted a chickweed & other greens area abt 2x2 & covered that with a wire screen it grows through & the chickens will walk on top of the screen pecking at their greens, leaving the sod alone.
Generally, my chickens spend more time in their covered gazebos, on the perch or dustbathing in the back part where I churn up the dry soil. They naturally gravitate there, as it provides privacy from hawks. Before I put those gazebos inside the pens, the chickens were more nervous & high-strung, felt too vulnerable to even enjoy their pens, as they saw hawks flying over. I initially got the pet gazebos to serve as portable tractors, now I have 1 in every pen & the chickens spend most of their time in their gazebos. The pet gazebos are not so heavy as I can move 1 by myself, but metal & heavy enough that 50mph winds either do not budge them or just may move them a bit. When they forecast 75mph or more winds, I do remove the canvass tops of the gazebos.
When we get a hot drought July & Aug, despite a lot of watering at night, the sod has died 2x out of 4 years, so I have dug the old thatchy crap out & put more sod down. The sod from a local sod farm does best, not the stuff at Lowe's or Home Depot, the reason is the sod farm cuts & rolls it the morning you order it, the box stores have their sod rolls laying there drying out for weeks. It is hard work digging, raking & prepping, but the actual rolling out laying new sod isn't bad, what the heck, I view it as working out, think what I'm saving on a gym membership lol.
Plus it will last at least 10 mos or maybe 2 yrs, it's not that expensive & saves me from breaking my neck & best of all my chickens have clean feet! It has definitely improved the condition of a few rescued hens that had bad bumblefoot & are prone to recurrence.
What works for me may not work for everyone. It depends on your weather & how much digging & turfing your chooks do. Breed may make a difference, my Wyandottes, Buff Orpingtons & Ameracaunas turf the least, the Marans & RIR turf more.
I've given mine other things to do, hanging veggies to peck, an outdoor perch in their covered gazebo, dustbath area towards back of gazebo (not under perch obviously), another dustbath or privacy area under steps in front of chicken doors, and grazing greens. Inside the coop is food & water, a flock block, suet holder with compressed mealworm & Sunflower & xylophone to peck at. So if you offer stuff to do, they turf less.
I take 20 min every night at dusk to check everyone over as they roost, close coop chicken doors, then abt 20 min more to water sod & scoop any big poops off of it.
After the mud, straw & sand fiasco, the sod works best here. After 1st laying sod, water daily 2-3 weeks & either keep chooks off while roots get established or cover with wire mesh (I made mesh panels, ez to move). Once sod gets established it does great. Hope you find an idea that works best for you.
Straw...the 1st time I spread straw & gave them a bale, it was cute the 1st week or so, jumping on the bale playing king of the mountain, then turfing it up, but then it rained...& rained & rained...ugh. Overall, it didn't help here, it was still a slippery mudhole only now I had straw, more of a mess really, & my chickens feet were more muddy as they tried to churn up the mud embedded straw! I added more straw, it just didn't matter, it became quite a mess, more trouble than it was worth as far as trying to keep things clean.
Adding 20 bags of safe playsand to create an entirely new surface seemed like a good idea, but it became too hot in spring & summer, so the chickens hated it & rarely came out. Also, over time the sand seemed to disappear, so adding more & more sand...ugh, those bags are heavy! Chickens hated it. Nope, it just didn't work out.
One year I decided to just put sod down one day in Autumn, as wet winter approached, until I could think of something better. Well, the sod actually was the best idea. I put it down in Oct, watered it every night, also planted a chickweed & other greens area abt 2x2 & covered that with a wire screen it grows through & the chickens will walk on top of the screen pecking at their greens, leaving the sod alone.
Generally, my chickens spend more time in their covered gazebos, on the perch or dustbathing in the back part where I churn up the dry soil. They naturally gravitate there, as it provides privacy from hawks. Before I put those gazebos inside the pens, the chickens were more nervous & high-strung, felt too vulnerable to even enjoy their pens, as they saw hawks flying over. I initially got the pet gazebos to serve as portable tractors, now I have 1 in every pen & the chickens spend most of their time in their gazebos. The pet gazebos are not so heavy as I can move 1 by myself, but metal & heavy enough that 50mph winds either do not budge them or just may move them a bit. When they forecast 75mph or more winds, I do remove the canvass tops of the gazebos.
When we get a hot drought July & Aug, despite a lot of watering at night, the sod has died 2x out of 4 years, so I have dug the old thatchy crap out & put more sod down. The sod from a local sod farm does best, not the stuff at Lowe's or Home Depot, the reason is the sod farm cuts & rolls it the morning you order it, the box stores have their sod rolls laying there drying out for weeks. It is hard work digging, raking & prepping, but the actual rolling out laying new sod isn't bad, what the heck, I view it as working out, think what I'm saving on a gym membership lol.
Plus it will last at least 10 mos or maybe 2 yrs, it's not that expensive & saves me from breaking my neck & best of all my chickens have clean feet! It has definitely improved the condition of a few rescued hens that had bad bumblefoot & are prone to recurrence.
What works for me may not work for everyone. It depends on your weather & how much digging & turfing your chooks do. Breed may make a difference, my Wyandottes, Buff Orpingtons & Ameracaunas turf the least, the Marans & RIR turf more.
I've given mine other things to do, hanging veggies to peck, an outdoor perch in their covered gazebo, dustbath area towards back of gazebo (not under perch obviously), another dustbath or privacy area under steps in front of chicken doors, and grazing greens. Inside the coop is food & water, a flock block, suet holder with compressed mealworm & Sunflower & xylophone to peck at. So if you offer stuff to do, they turf less.
I take 20 min every night at dusk to check everyone over as they roost, close coop chicken doors, then abt 20 min more to water sod & scoop any big poops off of it.
After the mud, straw & sand fiasco, the sod works best here. After 1st laying sod, water daily 2-3 weeks & either keep chooks off while roots get established or cover with wire mesh (I made mesh panels, ez to move). Once sod gets established it does great. Hope you find an idea that works best for you.
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This has been a much-discussed issue with the many storms passing through various parts of the US in the past few months. If you search "muddy run" you'll find a number of threads with more details, but the basics are:
#1. FIX THE DRAINAGE.
#2. Add plenty of organic bedding to absorb the water you can't divert.
#3. Consider roofing all or part of the run.
#1. FIX THE DRAINAGE.
#2. Add plenty of organic bedding to absorb the water you can't divert.
#3. Consider roofing all or part of the run.
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