Muddy run

[Bejep714]

Our coop is placed on the bottom of a small hill. It isn't the best spot for a coop and run but it was the only place we had for it. Over the year it has gotten beaten down to dirt and turned into mud. Its a big run so I'm not sure if I can cover it all with wood chips, but I was thinking maybe a few wood chips in the wettest spots. What wood chips would anyone recommend?

 

[H-B-O]

Any they all absorb water so does not matter

 

[Stephanie8806]

Pine, fir, or hemlock would be good. Just make sure to not use cedar as the oils can harm chickens

 

[chickentrains]

whatever will work,

could you also scatter a bale of straw on top of the shavings just to give the chickens something else to walk on besides wet?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Almost any aged and chunky chips will do. I do use some cedar. I would avoid very fresh or aromatic chips.

How big is the run that you can't cover the entire area? Depending on your area, tree companies can usually provide as many loads of wood chips as you can store, often for a relatively small fee.

Do not expect the chips to magically solve the issue, as you will probably always have problems due to the location of the run (as rainwater will naturally collect there, and it's harder to channel it away). But they should help provide some extra stability to the ground.

 

[3KillerBs]

In addition to a generous pile of wood chips, you probably need to dig some diversion ditches to channel the runoff from the hill around the coop and into lower ground.

 

[Sheepheart]

If you have a landscaping rake or something that will have the same effect, I would rake the area to help it dry out a bit quicker, then top it with straw to help keep the chickens feet dryer, if moisture is still a problem I would put wood bedding on top of the straw. It’ll absorb and when you have to remove it the straw will make it easier to remove the bedding.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you have a landscaping rake or something that will have the same effect, I would rake the area to help it dry out a bit quicker, then top it with straw to help keep the chickens feet dryer, if moisture is still a problem I would put wood bedding on top of the straw. It’ll absorb and when you have to remove it the straw will make it easier to remove the bedding.

Only issue is straw is more prone to molding.

Also wood chips can be tossed in and left in place indefinitely (they'll eventually break down over a period of time). No need to clean out, which saves you some work.

 

[Bejep714]

Thank you all. We already have hay for bedding in their coop so having something that could clean their feet would be very nice to keep the coop clean. I'll guess we'll see if pine chips would be good. Thank you all

 

[Bejep714]

I looked up pine shavings and found two Answers. One was that they are used for chickens but can be harmful, and another that they are completely safe. I'm only going to put them outside , but not sure what to do. I did see someone reccomended pine. Does anyone have pine and had problems or have they been healthy? Sorry for seeming like I don't believe you, I do. I just want to be absolutely positive that pine shavings are fine for our birds