Muddy Chicken Runs.

[MysteryChicken]

I brought up with my dad about putting a roof on the runs his response: "There's no way, it's impossible."

I replied back to him: The People on BYC says there are ways.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I have a couple curious questions.

Is it safe to use a truck load of regular untreated sand, or should we use only treated/play sand for the runs? I'm concerned about diseases that the birds can pick up from untreated sand.

Does untreated sand pose any risk of Disease for the birds?

 

[MysteryChicken]

My grandpa had an idea about putting sand in the runs, then planting grass. He said something about it creating better drainage.

He built his own house, so he has more building experience then my dad.

 

[CrazyCochin]

We also suffer from muddy runs! How about Gravel?
I read about sand, it says that it is the safest choice as it is non-toxic and dries quickly.

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
View attachment 2394457View attachment 2394458Standard coop with Project birds, & meat birds.View attachment 2394460View attachment 2394461

 

[MysteryChicken]

We also suffer from muddy runs! How about Gravel?
I read about sand, it says that it is the safest choice as it is non-toxic and dries quickly.

A gravel, sand mix could work maybe? Was just a thought.

Not sure how the birds would be able to dust bathe with a gravel run, but I'll think about that one too.

 

[CrazyCochin]

A gravel, sand mix could work maybe? Was just a thought.

Not sure how the birds would be able to dust bathe with a gravel run, but I'll think about that one too.

Oh, yeah, they kinda need to dust bathe...
Ours get a real muddy run, but we get rain.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Oh, yeah, they kinda need to dust bathe...
Ours get a real muddy run, but we get rain.

We get lots of rain too. We were getting snow earlier.
The gravel may work for half of the run, but not the entire thing.

 

[3KillerBs]

Gravel is very hard on the birds' feet and can lead to bumblefoot.

The only way to use sand effectively in a run is to be able to keep it absolutely dry so that it dehydrates the poop and enables you to scoop it frequently like cat litter.

Since sand (or gravel), does not create a composting environment to digest the poop the poop will just build up and then when it gets wet it will stink.

Organic bedding like wood chips, shavings, straw, pine straw, fall leaves, etc. digest the poop and is odor-free as long as you use enough bedding. BUT any run that is constantly wet will end up stinking. The first thing with mud is always to fix the drainage to get the water away from the chickens.

 

[CrazyCochin]

We get lots of rain too. We were getting snow earlier.
The gravel may work for half of the run, but not the entire thing.

Hmm, good luck!

 

[CrazyCochin]

Gravel is very hard on the birds' feet and can lead to bumblefoot.

The only way to use sand effectively in a run is to be able to keep it absolutely dry so that it dehydrates the poop and enables you to scoop it frequently like cat litter.

Since sand (or gravel), does not create a composting environment to digest the poop the poop will just build up and then when it gets wet it will stink.

Organic bedding like wood chips, shavings, straw, pine straw, fall leaves, etc. digest the poop and is odor-free as long as you use enough bedding. BUT any run that is constantly wet will end up stinking. The first thing with mud is always to fix the drainage to get the water away from the chickens.

We use straw and shavings too, mainly in the hen house, but when we clean it out we threw it out into the run, we have a huge chicken yard.