I have had it with the mud! It's so bad that I have almost fallen. There are puddles too! I have tried straw, sand and cedar toe. The cedar helps until it gets mixed in with the mud. What about pea gravel? Would that hurt their feet? I could put cedar toe over it. My poor little white cochin roo is permanently brown on the bottom. The duck poop is mixing with the mud and it smells so bad! I hate winter!