Muddy Chicken Runs.

[MysteryChicken]

Hello, I have 2 chicken coops with terribly muddy runs. The ground is flat, soil type is dirt, & sand.

My largest coop, with a mixed flock has no run gate, so I can't access the yard without having to crawl through the chicken door.

The first coop with my project birds, & meat birds in it have a really muddy run too, & I have to clean the henhouse out because there's 4 inches of mud on the floor. It's getting cleaned out Monday.


I need run fixing ideas to cure the mud problem, & all the ideas given will be appreciated alot.

What are you're ideas?

Mixed Flock Coop

Standard coop with Project birds, & meat birds.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I want to use Sand as run litter.

My dad wants to plant grass.

 

[RainbowHen]

Try to slope the floor of the run away from your coop. Sand can work but works best with a covered run, otherwise you get stinky wet sand. I use sand in my covered run. I do like it. I rake the poop out and it stays dry. However it is not insulating at all and my girls feet were getting cold (Wisconsin). I filled the run with dry leaves on top of the sand. They are much happier. For an uncovered run I would suggest wood chippings. You can often get them for free from tree removal services and the city. You can use sand underneath the wood chippings for improved drainage, but definitely slope the run away from your coop as well.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Try to slope the floor of the run away from your coop. Sand can work but works best with a covered run, otherwise you get stinky wet sand. I use sand in my covered run. I do like it. I rake the poop out and it stays dry. However it is not insulating at all and my girls feet were getting cold (Wisconsin). I filled the run with dry leaves on top of the sand. They are much happier. For an uncovered run I would suggest wood chippings. You can often get them for free from tree removal services and the city. You can use sand underneath the wood chippings for improved drainage, but definitely slope the run away from your coop as well.

I don't think we have any tree removal place close by to get wood chips.

How would I slope the run?

 

[RainbowHen]

I don't think we have any tree removal place close by to get wood chips.

How would I slope the run?

I get wood chips, leaves, grass, logs, etc from our local city dump. You can also buy wood chips. Take dirt from the far side of the run and pile it on the side closest to the coop. Rake it smooth and tamp it down. Be sure to continue the slope outside the run. You want the water to flow out of the run away from the coop. Doesn't need to be a drastic slope. It can be a gentle one. Then even if you do fill the run with sand and level it out, the ground underneath will be sloped allowing water to escape. I did this with my run and found it to be very effective.

 

[RainbowHen]

I have a little garden tiller that I found to be very helpful. I tilled up the hard ground so it was easier to rake. I used a garden rake to move the soil and make a high side and a low side. Smoothed it out and tamped it down to firm it up. If you are gonna add sand I would also add a board or blocks around the perimeter to contain it. This will allow you to fill the run in nice and level but still have great drainage.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Good ideas, but I'll wait for more.

 

[aart]

Do you get standing water when it rains?
How long does it take for puddles to drain away?
Gutters on the roofs next to runs would probably help a lot.

 

[aart]

I want to use Sand as run litter.

My dad wants to plant grass.

Sand is not great for our climate, and the chickens will just tear up the grass.

My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Do you get standing water when it rains?
How long does it take for puddles to drain away?
Gutters on the roofs next to runs would probably help a lot.

After a hard rain, it can take up to a few weeks, or a month for the coops to dry out.
We have gutters, but my grandpa wanted over hang on the new metal roof, so now the gutters are useless.