Muddy Run Solutions?

[the poppster]

As fresh cut grass is 98% water, it won't help with a moisture/mud issue.

Too much will actually clump into a slimy anaerobic odorous mess...unless placed on about 12 inches of wood chips... .

Hope this helps.

I use sawmill sawdust....it's more like little white cedar wood chips....and before anyone starts on the dangers of cedar...my birds have been walking...digging....scratching and dusting in it for two years....and I haven't lost one...it's about 12 inches deep...and I turn it over with a fork a couple times a week...the girls love it...they pick the sprouts from the oats I give them and the bugs..it's moist but not muddy...and the poop composites the chips/sawdust....works great.

 

[RonP]

I use sawmill sawdust....it's more like little white cedar wood chips....and before anyone starts on the dangers of cedar...my birds have been walking...digging....scratching and dusting in it for two years....and I haven't lost one...it's about 12 inches deep...and I turn it over with a fork a couple times a week...the girls love it...they pick the sprouts from the oats I give them and the bugs..it's moist but not muddy...and the poop composites the chips/sawdust....works great.

Just a thought,

Are you sure it is white cedar chips?

White cedar is a prefered wood for use in composting bins because of it's ability to withstand decay...

My 45+ year old shed/coop is planked with the same, and still shows no significant signs of deterioration, except for the squirrel attacks...

It should take quite a few years for white cedar to decompose with optimal conditions for such.

Even then, cedar contains a natural herbicide that may make the finished compost undesirable for many plant species.

 

[the poppster]

Just a thought,

Are you sure it is white cedar chips?

White cedar is a prefered wood for use in composting bins because of it's ability to withstand decay...

My 45+ year old shed/coop is planked with the same, and still shows no significant signs of deterioration, except for the squirrel attacks...

It should take quite a few years for white cedar to decompose with optimal conditions for such.

Even then, cedar contains a natural herbicide that may make the finished compost undesirable for many plant species. 

The people I get my sawmill sawdust from are retired Loggers....the make lumber and paneling for the local area...besides Northern White Cedar is the only type of cedar that is logged commercially in the U.P. of Mich...I wouldn't use Red Cedar even if I could get it....that's the stuff they use in closets....and cedar chests...the smell of it makes me want to gag...as to it breaking down for compost...Ya it takes a long time but I don't plan on using it for growing anything in the near future....and in the meantime it keeps the birds dry and happy...it drains well...if you turn it occasionally....it doesn't compact into mud cement....it can't be to disagreeable to the earth worms...once the dirt from below starts to get incorporated into the sawdust and the poop gets turned in...along with grass clippings and fallen leaves...when I fork it over....and the hens go through it ......it breaks down. It works for me....I don't mind having to turn it...the covered run is 10 x 20 ft...it seems to keep any smells away....when I turn it it just smells like dirt.

 

[RonP]

I create compost for Rutgers Master Gardeners. These are trained volunteers who assist Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) Cooperative Extension in its mission to deliver horticulture programs and information to the general public.

I know a bit more than most about compost...

.

The kind of cedar that some people say may be toxic is the kind used for shavings, which is Eastern Red Cedar, or Aromatic Cedar. It's actually not a cedar, it's a juniper. This is not what you are using.

Cedar in compost is undesirable. The resin in the cedar makes it smell nice, gives it resistance to decay, repels some insects (particularly fleas and moths), and has some allelopathic properties, not just to plants, but to the microbes in your compost heap.

It's your compost, and the stuff will eventually decay. You should though expect a slow, cool decay, mediocre results in the crops if grown in it, and continued similar results for several years. It does make for an excellent bed cover around some shrubs (cedar or junipers).

Not sure how much you are adding to your run, but it will also accumulate. The leaves and grass of course will compost within months.
Could be a drop in a bucket if your property is large enough, and if it works for you, excellent!

 

[PapaChaz]

As fresh cut grass is 98% water, it won't help with a moisture/mud issue.

Too much will actually clump into a slimy anaerobic odorous mess...unless placed on about 12 inches of wood chips...

.

Hope this helps.

I put about 6 inches of cut grass inside my coop and run a few weeks ago. The girls and boy LOVE it. They're keeping it all turned on a regular basis, and it smells very good!

as for long grass causing crop issues, most mowers will cut up even the long grass into small enough pieces that's not really an issue. Unless you're talking about thick stemmed grass and not just regular grass blades

 

[RonP]

I put about 6 inches of cut grass inside my coop and run a few weeks ago. The girls and boy LOVE it. They're keeping it all turned on a regular basis, and it smells very good!

as for long grass causing crop issues, most mowers will cut up even the long grass into small enough pieces that's not really an issue. Unless you're talking about thick stemmed grass and not just regular grass blades

I also put cut grass in my run, as I know the grass I put in the run has no chemicals or fertilizers.

But...my run is dry and has no moisture issues.

The original poster has moisture issues, and adding more moisture laden fresh cut grass will not help with muddy run.

 

[PapaChaz]

I also put cut grass in my run, as I know the grass I put in the run has no chemicals or fertilizers.

But...my run is dry and has no moisture issues.

The original poster has moisture issues, and adding more moisture laden fresh cut grass will not help with muddy run.

let it lay in the sun and dry out, it'll be like fresh cut hay. anything on top of mud is better than nothing on top of mud. however, I am firm in the belief the first 12 to 15 inches should be wood chips

 

[allpeepedout]

Kingheman, you might try a solution that we horse people use. It's a bit of work but provides a long-term solution for mud.

For horse runs and stalls, you dig out and completely remove all topsoil down to expose the clay base. (Sounds like you have clay, so that's good.)

Then from a quarry, bring in a load of road base. This is variable sized crushed limestone and stone dust, used to build roads, just like it sounds. You could substitute straight crushed gravel. Pack this in onto the clay to a depth of about 6 inches. You need to really compact it down as solid as you can. On top of this, add about 4-5 inches of stone dust (limestone fines). Compact hard.

You then have a nice natural base that will never turn to mud, hopefully with a slight slope or sited for drainage. The limestone dust also reduces odor.

Onto this base, add your bedding material, whether pine chips, clippings, straw, whatever. It will stay cleaner and dry faster, and be easy to change out or freshen. You will never be dealing with mud. As the bedding disintegrates and builds up, you can also leave a very fine layer of that in place to soften the surface for your chickens.

You'll need to make or retain special dust bathing areas for your chickens so they will still have access to good dirt for dusting.

 

[Cluckies]

Kingheman, you might try a solution that we horse people use. It's a bit of work but provides a long-term solution for mud.

For horse runs and stalls, you dig out and completely remove all topsoil down to expose the clay base. (Sounds like you have clay, so that's good.)

Then from a quarry, bring in a load of road base. This is variable sized crushed limestone and stone dust, used to build roads, just like it sounds. You could substitute straight crushed gravel. Pack this in onto the clay to a depth of about 6 inches. You need to really compact it down as solid as you can. On top of this, add about 4-5 inches of stone dust (limestone fines). Compact hard.

You then have a nice natural base that will never turn to mud, hopefully with a slight slope or sited for drainage. The limestone dust also reduces odor.

Onto this base, add your bedding material, whether pine chips, clippings, straw, whatever. It will stay cleaner and dry faster, and be easy to change out or freshen. You will never be dealing with mud. As the bedding disintegrates and builds up, you can also leave a very fine layer of that in place to soften the surface for your chickens.

You'll need to make or retain special dust bathing areas for your chickens so they will still have access to good dirt for dusting.

This sounds great! I'm on clay as well and have been looking for something. I put sand over the top of the clay right now, but it is wet right under the sand cause the clay holds so much water, then things start to get moldy and stink (wood chips etc.) I'm expanding my run right now, when i'm done hopefully I'll have time to do this before winter.

 

[allpeepedout]

This sounds great! I'm on clay as well and have been looking for something. I put sand over the top of the clay right now, but it is wet right under the sand cause the clay holds so much water, then things start to get moldy and stink (wood chips etc.) I'm expanding my run right now, when i'm done hopefully I'll have time to do this before winter.

The depth of layers I describe will stand up to horse weight and vehicles. This is also how you might build a base for a riding arena, then put footing like sand on it.

Probably much thinner layers -- maybe a couple inches -- would do fine for chickens!