muddy run!

[sang21ferret]

We have a co-op coop at our horse barn, and they people who built it weren't the smartest. It was built at the bottom of a slight hill, which never got muddy before, but since the chicken ripped up all the grass, every time it rains it turns into a mud pit. And wet chicken poop is slippery! Does anyone have any tips on how to deal with mud? It would be nice if I didn't have to dig down and put in gravel and sand. Muddy pen makes muddy eggs/coop!

 

[DMRippy]

I am in a similar situation... We have done several things, We figured out were the water was coming from and raised the ground around the runs to keep the water from flooding in. That helped some. We also added about 4 inches of gravel in the runs for better drainage.... that helped some. Nothing has cured the problem. Our next move is to build some clear plastic roofing frames to put over the exposed runs to keep down MOST of the rain. When it rains 4-5 inches that is still a lot of water just coming down in the run.... so good thing the other things are working to. Muddy eggs are just YUCK.... cuz we know it is not just mud

The good news.... they still hatch and wash for eating.

 

[fried green eggs]

Chickens can compact the pen so it doesn't drain well too. Use a rototiller and work up the pen and add coarse sand to build it up. It may need boards or post around the fence so, sand doesn't wash away.

 

[vsmenagerie]

Having the same icky muddy run. Mine is from rain. Tarped over the section they are in the most. Need to do something different soon though. I feel for you!

 

[CorlyB]

Is this in a yard where the chickens are confined by a fence, or is it just an area where free-ranging chickens tend to congregate? If it's a fenced area, you could possibly divide it in two (or more) sections and alternate which side the chickens use. Reseed one side now with some grass or even white clover seed, and once it grows in nicely move the chickens in there while the other side gets a chance to regenerate. This is a good disease prevention strategy, too. Our new coop has chicken doors on either end so we can move them to the other "pasture" as needed.

You could also look for some kind of hardy ground cover that grows in your area and is less vulnerable to chicken predation. Fill in with that and add some grass or clover seed so the chickens will still have some grazing material. Your local extension department can probably give you suggestions for what would thrive under those conditions.

 

[Lookin4space]

My coop is on a steep slope, and I still had mud issues! Actually, it all started when I started throwing veggie scraps to them from a local health food store, which made the run pen perpetually soupy and stinky! I did this because my yard wasn't fenced and my neighborhood was full of stray dogs, so the chickens had to stay confined.

Well, 1 year later and the dogs are gone, and I've fenced in the property, so the birds can run free and I don't need the scrap anymore. The soup and the smell remained until I donned my waders and scooped the mess out. I also covered the roof of the run with clear plastic nailed down, which I can easily replace when it wears out. The pen is now dry.