Muddy Chicken Runs.

[Foxinthehenhouse]

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.

The coops or the run to dry out?

 

[Gordonsetter2007]

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

The outdoor run in one of our coops had poor drainage, and of course it was right in front of the opening to their coop. We got bags of the largest wood chips (sold at Lowe’s) and put a thick layer of them in. The chickens seem to like scratching around in them and their feet are dryer now.

 

[Wishuponmyp51]

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

I’m relatively new to backyard chickens but grew up on a chicken farm. I’m currently using cedar shavings mixed with pine shavings in the run to cut back on bugs and bacteria. After a hard rain, I’ll see rake it out and lay new shavings, a couple inches thick. As far as I can see you really dont have to rake it out that often though, just lay fresh shavings on top of it. Hope this helps!

 

[DuckyDonna]

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.

You can also sign up on chipdrop.com if they have it up in MI. It's a service that directs landscape companies to you. They drop off chips for free and it saves them from having to go to the dump and pay to get rid of them.

I use wood chips in my run as does @Isaac 0 and we both like it very much.

 

[Coop de Grass]

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

Look for a private school with property in your area. I worked for the maintenance dept as a temp recently and discovered that they have tons of wood chippings from the trees on the property. Also good to check if they treat their trees with chemicals!

 

[mr-fancy feet]

I want to use Sand as run litter.

My dad wants to plant grass.

We use sand and love it! We have a combo-run... and the grass we planted is all gone(chickens scratched it all out within 2 days- so a waste of time unless you can keep them off of it for weeks). We also have mulch- which is great! We found a colourless mulch and it keeps them off the mud and keeps the run nice and dry. I would recommend the same combo... some sand in drier areas and mulch the wetter area. An easy and quick fix...

 

[Coop de Grass]

Whatever you do PLEEEASES do not use straw in a muddy run. I did that and since I scatter scratch for the flock, they were ingesting it. I ended up with nearly impacted crops and was lucky to save them.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Look in the phone book for tree services.

I got a trailer load for free this September from Asplundh. Not sure where you live, but they are the government sanctioned trimmers (at least in the midwest) who clear the trees around power poles. (typically in a orange truck)

Or post a wanted ad on Craigslist/local facebook classifieds. (did that this summer looking for rhubarb and someone gave me a free plant they needed to move!)

I'm in Michigan.

I can do some looking around for some.

I don't use Facebook, or Craigslist.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I just throw down straw. the chickens will pack it in and after awhile it will be higher than the ground around it. kind of how they use to make bricks in the old days

I have to buy more, & I use straw for the henhouse floors, & nesting boxes. I'm down to 2 bales. Been cleaning the henhouses, before winter hits.

 

[MysteryChicken]

The coops or the run to dry out?

The runs.