muddy run!

[tamsteve143]

We have been getting rain every day now for 2 weeks and my poor chicken run is so muddy! We are going to put something in it this weekend to pack it so the chickens won't be in mud, what do ya'll recommend, play sand, contract sand, pea gravel? I don't want to get anything that will harm them! Thanks!!! Oh one more thing, they are 8 or 9 weeks old, they are eating crushed chicken food, which i'm almost out, what should i buy them next?? Thank you!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

We have been getting rain every day now for 2 weeks and my poor chicken run is so muddy! We are going to put something in it this weekend to pack it so the chickens won't be in mud, what do ya'll recommend, play sand, contract sand, pea gravel? I don't want to get anything that will harm them! Thanks!!! Oh one more thing, they are 8 or 9 weeks old, they are eating crushed chicken food, which i'm almost out, what should i buy them next?? Thank you!

When you say "crushed chicken food" - are you referring to chick starter/grower that is in crumble form or a poultry feed (such as layer pellets) that you have crushed for them? The former is what you should be feeding and will need to continue to feed - the latter would not be an appropriate diet for them until 18+weeks/they start laying. I feed "grower" ration (I use Flock Raiser) from hatch to death for my flock - none of the pesky worrying about what week to go from starter to grower to layer and/or how to feed a flock where some birds are laying and others are not, etc.
The run issue - how much are you wanting to invest in this, what size is the run, do you have a photo of the run and surrounding area? There are several approaches to improve drainage and change substrate that can give you the results you are looking for.

 

[The Lazy L]

Sand