Muddy run

[LisaP]

I recently moved and had to set up a new coop and run and now the ground in the girls' new run is extremely muddy. What is the best thing to put down to control this? Any suggestions would be very helpful, thanks guys!
Lisa

 

[Wolftalk]

Well you can put rocks...but i would go to a Home Depot and buy some cement blocks and put a few of them down and when it drys up in spring take them out and let the ground dry out.

 

[LisaP]

Thank you for the reply Wolftalk. Is there a long term solution? Sand maybe?

 

[happyhensny]

Dry leaves - rake them up & put then in. Our girls love to scratch around for bugs and it will decompose quicker than you think. In the fall I will put a good foot thick layer of leaves in the runs and in the spring they are gone. Great compost too if you are ambitious enough to shovel it out.

 

[Tallulah Chicklet]

I'm a leaf person myself. Do a search in BYC, this issue comes up pretty often and you'll get lots of ideas.

 

[LisaP]

I do not have access to a ton of leaves so, will sand work?

 

[bairo]

two words for you..

Sand and
more sand

 

[CluckyJay]

How big is your run? If you can build a raised run (like a raised garden) you can totally fill it with sand and it will add good drainage.

 

[bairo]

ohh...you can mix in some small pebbles also if you want. Even make a design with the pebbles in the corners of the run or something. Think rock garden.

 

[bairo]

Quote:ohhhh, thats a very good idea. Would not work for me (size of run) but ill have to keep that in mind to suggest to folks with small runs.