My chicken pen keeps collecting run-off water from the neighbors behind us!😫 Any ideas on how to keep the pen from becoming a mud swamp?

[MeeMawsChicks]

Our pen is built on a slope because that is all our yard is, one big slope! We have it in a great location for shade trees and convenience for me to see the coop from my deck. However, there is just no way to escape the run-off! Every time it rains or a big snow melts, the water runs down from our neighbor’s yard and pools in our yard.
My husband just had surgery and I am taking care of everything for now. I have cerebral palsy and it’s been difficult for me trying to shovel out the muck and straw to prevent the “mudslide” from overtaking the chicken pen.

 

[nchls school]

Our pen is built on a slope because that is all our yard is, one big slope! We have it in a great location for shade trees and convenience for me to see the coop from my deck. However, there is just no way to escape the run-off! Every time it rains or a big snow melts, the water runs down from our neighbor’s yard and pools in our yard.
My husband just had surgery and I am taking care of everything for now. I have cerebral palsy and it’s been difficult for me trying to shovel out the muck and straw to prevent the “mudslide” from overtaking the chicken pen.

I've had to dig drainage ditches to keep my coops dry; just a simple ditch to carry the water away before it floods the ground level coop. Or possibly landscape timbers laid along the neighbors yard o divert the water.

 

[nchls school]

Our pen is built on a slope because that is all our yard is, one big slope! We have it in a great location for shade trees and convenience for me to see the coop from my deck. However, there is just no way to escape the run-off! Every time it rains or a big snow melts, the water runs down from our neighbor’s yard and pools in our yard.
My husband just had surgery and I am taking care of everything for now. I have cerebral palsy and it’s been difficult for me trying to shovel out the muck and straw to prevent the “mudslide” from overtaking the chicken pen.

I've had to dig drainage ditches to keep my coops dry; just a simple ditch to carry the water away before it floods the ground level coop. Or possibly landscape timbers laid along the neighbors yard o divert the water.

 

[Hermits Garden]

We live on a slope, too. Our neighbor is a fire house, with a fairly large parking lot, and when we get the summer monsoon rains, water sheets off their lot and down ours, washing mud, debris, etc. all across our place.

From your post, I understand you have physical limitations, but really the only way to redirect the water is a trench and berm. Took us months to get it trenched--across almost 200 ft (we're not young, so a little here and a little there). Now water runs to the drainage ditch along the front of the property and down the slope, instead of across our lot.

Maybe you can barter for the labor?

 

[MeeMawsChicks]

I've had to dig drainage ditches to keep my coops dry; just a simple ditch to carry the water away before it floods the ground level coop. Or possibly landscape timbers laid along the neighbors yard o divert the water.

Thank you for the suggestions. I will try to dig the drainage ditch first.

 

[MeeMawsChicks]

We live on a slope, too. Our neighbor is a fire house, with a fairly large parking lot, and when we get the summer monsoon rains, water sheets off their lot and down ours, washing mud, debris, etc. all across our place.

From your post, I understand you have physical limitations, but really the only way to redirect the water is a trench and berm. Took us months to get it trenched--across almost 200 ft (we're not young, so a little here and a little there). Now water runs to the drainage ditch along the front of the property and down the slope, instead of across our lot.

Maybe you can barter for the labor?

Thank you for the advice. I am going to attempt to dig a drainage ditch that will at least redirect some of the water, if not all of it for now.

 

[3KillerBs]

A suggestion,

There are often community organizations looking for service projects to do. Try contacting churches to see if the men's group or youth group is looking for something, contacting the scouting organizations in your neighborhood, or seeing if local schools have community service hours requirements for graduation.

 

[MeeMawsChicks]

Thank you for the suggestion I was actually able to dig the ditch myself. It took a very long time to get it done with one good arm and leg and one “not-so-good” arm and leg, but I did it!

 

[MamacatPatch]

Thank you for the suggestion I was actually able to dig the ditch myself. It took a very long time to get it done with one good arm and leg and one “not-so-good” arm and leg, but I did it!

Good for you!! We also have a swamp for a chicken run and I'm out of ideas to get it dried out other than wait for summer! I've already slid down the short ramp and fell backwards right into the muck. Wearing boots to get from the gate to the coop door now. I have to DO something. Hubs is now disabled so I have to do this and I'm no spring chick myself. How exactly does one dig a ditch and where? Our ground is flat so I don't see how the water would drain to the ditch? We have tons of sand and a pile of gravel. Even something temporary would be good until it dries out and I can get in there and build something solid.

 

[MeeMawsChicks]

Ugghh!!! I slipped and fell in it twice a while back! I have good boots but when you are on a wet mud on a slope, you’re going down! I did learn my lesson though and I now wear my rain pants and jacket over my clothes when I go to take care of them. That way, I can just hose off the muck and not have the mess on my clothes!
I just took a shovel and dug a ditch several inches behind the pen and around the corner of the pen in an “L” shape. That way, it stops the run-off from the hill and the water drains down the hill beside the pen, not in the pen. It was the best I could do for now.