Muddy run...does it get better?

[art teacher]

Our coop has a roomy ten by ten fully enclosed run. The ground has gotten very muddy this fall and the chickens track it inside the coop on their mucky feet. Is it bad for their feet? Is there something we should be putting down on the ground? Will it eventually freeze and become a non issue? Or is this just par for the course? Any tips on run maintenance would be helpful.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

You don’t say where you’re located but in much of the country, it will, of course, freeze over. But it is a problem. The run needs good drainage because mud + poop is an ugly combo (smelly, actually), and a breeding ground for bacteria.

I’ve also read that it’s bad for their feet to hang out in mud for any length of time.

Do you have any material on the floor of the run?

 

[blackdog043]

A picture of your coop and run will help a lot, so we can see what your working with and to give you the best answers.
Does water drain into your run and sit there?

I use a mixture of wood chips, leaves, yard/garden waste and some straw on occasion. It gives the chickens something to scratch in and the chicken poop breaks down into it. There is no smell and it doesn't draw flies.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Lay straw or shavings, leaves

 

[trumpeting_angel]

Covering or roofing the run, or part of it, helps a lot, and provides shade in the summer. We have had a lot of rain, and when more torrential downpours were predicted, I was tired enough of the soggy leaves (in my run with wood chips, pine cones, etc) that I put a tarp over the unroofed part of my run. Improvement was rapid.

But you need to think about drainage, and how to design and slope the area so it isn’t a mud bath.

 

[Gray Farms]

Fix the drainage problem first. Then a deep layer of pea gravel with mulch on top. Don't use straw, hay, or pine shavings. They just hold the moisture and make more mud and eventually mold.

 

[rosemarythyme]

No it's not good for their feet and it's not good for you either - it's a hazard for you to walk in (I've gotten my boots pulled off my feet due to thick mud in the run) and it's smelly too.

As many others have noted drainage is the first consideration. You need to fix any drainage problem so water doesn't just pool and sit in the run area. A roof may help but the water still needs a place to drain. In my case I have super porous soil so drainage issues weren't the cause of the mud, it was just because the soil was left uncovered once the chickens destroyed all the grass and the roots holding it down.

Deep litter using chunky aged wood chips as the base with other organic materials mixed in such as dried leaves, dried grass, garden trimmings, pine needles, etc. is one option for litter that works well in many muddy runs. It lets water drain through while providing a drier surface on top and the chickens enjoy digging around in it. My muddy run is now a thing of the past and is pleasant smelling and easy to walk on even after heavy rain.

 

[aart]

Yes, it will freeze, but then it will thaw, so best to get some bedding in there now before it freezes.

Yep, drainage in and around the run is important to look at,
remember snow melt season.
..and Yep, wood chippings for bedding.

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.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.

Oh, and...Welcome to BYC! @art teacher
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!