hey folks. last year i built a new coop on what i thought was the dry section of the yard. it was previously lawn. by late summer their run was a muddy mess. any ideas on how i can fix this? i was thinking i may have to add some crushed rock to allow the manure to run thru.
muddy run
- Thread starter mosse71
- Start date
Leaves, add lots of leaves. They love that. If course you have to wait a bit before you can get some though. Shavings can work, too. They poop all over the yard, so I say leaves us your best bet and helps entertain them for awhile.
If drainage is sufficient deep litter is what I'd recommend. The issue with having the poop fall through gravel is it can build up under there and start getting really stinky, whereas in a deep litter set up it will compost with the materials in the litter.
- Thread starter
- #4
i have it on a gravelly dry spot that barely used to grow grass. I've added bales of straw, leaves, wood chips and grass clippings. still all turned to muddy crap after about a month. i would let them free range but we have a lot of foxes and coyotes here.
First, read this.
Pat’s Big Ol' Mud Page (fixing muddy runs):
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-to-fix-a-muddy-run-chicken-coop.47807/
There are two basic concepts, keep the water out to start with or get it out once it gets in. Pat's article might give you some ideas for either since you are looking at it and I'm not.
It sounds like your soil may be clay. Clay is pretty much impervious so water will not drain out of it. Chickens often dig holes in it by taking dust baths which can hold water. Clay is a bit challenging to work with.
It also sounds like that area may also be a low spot where water collects. It may not have been that way before the chickens did some scratching. If water collects you can add bedding materials but it will stay wet. As you have seen, adding bedding can be a temporary fix but, at least in your case, it has not been a long term solution.
I don't know the details of that run: how big it is, what materials the soil is, where the water is coming from, or does the water have any place to go. If there is a nearby low spot the fix may be some type of French drain. Dig a trench to that low spot and fill it with sand or gravel. That might make a big difference. I'm guessing your run isn't all that big.
Another option is to build up the run area so it is higher than the surroundings so the water can drain. Try not to create a bathtub that holds water but build it up in a way that it will actually drain and keep water from running into it. My coop is at ground level and the floor is dirt. I added a few inches of clay dirt to the coop floor to stop outside water from running into the coop. It worked, the coop stays dry.
One issue with clay is that rocks or sand will disappear down into the clay over time. You may need to use temporary measures until dry weather to do a permanent fix. Without knowing enough of your details and mainly guessing, my permanent fix would probably involve putting some type of barrier around the bottom of the run to hold your fill in, haul in some more dirt to raise the run floor above the surroundings, add a layer of gravel on top of that to slow the sand from disappearing into the clay, then top that with sand which drains really well. Trying to do this hen it is wet would be a real muddy mess, probably not that successful. I'd suggest pea gravel or river gravel, something that has been worn smooth. If you use crushed gravel the chickens might cut their feet when scratching and get bumblefoot. That's when a splinter or cut gets infected.
Good luck! These things can be a pain.
Pat’s Big Ol' Mud Page (fixing muddy runs):
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-to-fix-a-muddy-run-chicken-coop.47807/
There are two basic concepts, keep the water out to start with or get it out once it gets in. Pat's article might give you some ideas for either since you are looking at it and I'm not.
It sounds like your soil may be clay. Clay is pretty much impervious so water will not drain out of it. Chickens often dig holes in it by taking dust baths which can hold water. Clay is a bit challenging to work with.
It also sounds like that area may also be a low spot where water collects. It may not have been that way before the chickens did some scratching. If water collects you can add bedding materials but it will stay wet. As you have seen, adding bedding can be a temporary fix but, at least in your case, it has not been a long term solution.
I don't know the details of that run: how big it is, what materials the soil is, where the water is coming from, or does the water have any place to go. If there is a nearby low spot the fix may be some type of French drain. Dig a trench to that low spot and fill it with sand or gravel. That might make a big difference. I'm guessing your run isn't all that big.
Another option is to build up the run area so it is higher than the surroundings so the water can drain. Try not to create a bathtub that holds water but build it up in a way that it will actually drain and keep water from running into it. My coop is at ground level and the floor is dirt. I added a few inches of clay dirt to the coop floor to stop outside water from running into the coop. It worked, the coop stays dry.
One issue with clay is that rocks or sand will disappear down into the clay over time. You may need to use temporary measures until dry weather to do a permanent fix. Without knowing enough of your details and mainly guessing, my permanent fix would probably involve putting some type of barrier around the bottom of the run to hold your fill in, haul in some more dirt to raise the run floor above the surroundings, add a layer of gravel on top of that to slow the sand from disappearing into the clay, then top that with sand which drains really well. Trying to do this hen it is wet would be a real muddy mess, probably not that successful. I'd suggest pea gravel or river gravel, something that has been worn smooth. If you use crushed gravel the chickens might cut their feet when scratching and get bumblefoot. That's when a splinter or cut gets infected.
Good luck! These things can be a pain.
Please post pics of the run and the area around it.
Do you have a drainage problem...run off from roofs and sidewalks nearby that makes water flow into the run area?
Digging some trenches and berms can alleviate that.
- Thread starter
- #8
its full of snow right now but starting to melt. i do have heavy clay/ rocky soil but its 10' x 20' on a slight grade so i thought the water would eventually run off. i might try pick axing a trench on the lower side to help it run off better. once this snow goes ,its going to be worse than ever.
- Thread starter
- #9
don't have access to much sand but plenty of river gravel.Sand works well in my run, it acts as a natural filter for the poop...when it's hot the sun dries the poo out real good, when raining it filter the dropping into the sand..they dust bath in it also
I 2nd the leaves idea. Fortunately for me I have timber in my back yard, so I never run out of leaves. I dealt with a muddy run every year, until someone else on this site mentioned leaves. Now I just rake up several garbage cans full and throw them in the run and voila!! Plus the girls enjoying scratching through them.
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