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?

[MamacatPatch]

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.

Glad I'm not the only one whose gone down in the muck and mire! No fun at all. Not that I'm glad it happened to you!

I think the ditch is a good idea in your situation with the slope but my land is flat where the pen is. Right now sand and gravel are looking like the best options for me now although a lot of work for me. One half bucket at a time! We have tons of sand and a pile of gravel doing nothing.

Of course, being in northern Indiana I may have an ice rink this weekend as everything freezes AGAIN including the water logged chicken pen. If it turns to ice there's no way I'm getting there to open their coop.

 

[3KillerBs]

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!

Be careful!

I think the ditch is a good idea in your situation with the slope but my land is flat where the pen is. Right now sand and gravel are looking like the best options for me now although a lot of work for me. One half bucket at a time! We have tons of sand and a pile of gravel doing nothing.

Nothing is ever perfectly flat.

If you go out during a HEAVY rain you can probably see which way the water is moving. That's what I did with mine.

 

[MeeMawsChicks]

Glad I'm not the only one whose gone down in the muck and mire! No fun at all. Not that I'm glad it happened to you!

I think the ditch is a good idea in your situation with the slope but my land is flat where the pen is. Right now sand and gravel are looking like the best options for me now although a lot of work for me. One half bucket at a time! We have tons of sand and a pile of gravel doing nothing.

Of course, being in northern Indiana I may have an ice rink this weekend as everything freezes AGAIN including the water logged chicken pen. If it turns to ice there's no way I'm getting there to open their coop.

I will be praying for you to be able to get your mud under control and that you don’t have a big freeze! I bet you have an underground spring somewhere that causes the water to come up. I live in SE Ohio where the weather changes like crazy!! Three days ago we had good weather, two days ago we had a tornado warning, which thankfully reduced down to heavy winds with quarter sized hail. That had the chickens running for cover. Yesterday was dreary and overcast and today has been frigid and snowy.

 

[MamacatPatch]

I will be praying for you to be able to get your mud under control and that you don’t have a big freeze! I bet you have an underground spring somewhere that causes the water to come up. I live in SE Ohio where the weather changes like crazy!! Three days ago we had good weather, two days ago we had a tornado warning, which thankfully reduced down to heavy winds with quarter sized hail. That had the chickens running for cover. Yesterday was dreary and overcast and today has been frigid and snowy.

I took some pix today. Out here the farmlands get lots of 'lakes' when there's too much rain esp. after melting snow. Took a few pix of the set up. You can see the 'lake' to the left of the coop. The other pix is the slop, muck and mire surrounding the ramp that I have to slog through twice a day.

 

[aart]

I took some pix today. Out here the farmlands get lots of 'lakes' when there's too much rain esp. after melting snow. Took a few pix of the set up. You can see the 'lake' to the left of the coop. The other pix is the slop, muck and mire surrounding the ramp that I have to slog through twice a day.

If there is not a lower area to dig a trench to, you'll have to add material to build up that area.

Looks like you have plenty of space to store a pile of wood chippings from a tree trimmer,
which would also help turn the mud/muck into something better for a chicken run.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If there is not a lower area to dig a trench to, you'll have to add material to build up that area.

Looks like you have plenty of space to store a pile of wood chippings from a tree trimmer,
which would also help turn the mud/muck into something better for a chicken run.

x2. Trenching wouldn't do a thing for me when there's heavy rain or flooding as my lot is fairly flat, but over time our run floor has gotten built up with deep litter (which also helps control mud and odor) and that also allows for improved drainage through the run floor surface. So the flood waters tend to go around most of the run, and the run drains out faster than the surrounding yard.

Note that I do have good existing drainage on the site, which is a factor - but we just get so much rain and some occasional flooding that it's difficult to compensate for it at times.

 

[AGeese]

Make the whole thing into a rock garden.

 

[MamacatPatch]

Make the whole thing into a rock garden.

HAHA. My chickens would have no plants, grass, greens and bushes to eat or find bugs in if I did that!

 

[MadGardener]

I took some pix today. Out here the farmlands get lots of 'lakes' when there's too much rain esp. after melting snow. Took a few pix of the set up. You can see the 'lake' to the left of the coop. The other pix is the slop, muck and mire surrounding the ramp that I have to slog through twice a day.

I think a ditch and berm would be a good long-term solution. I have been fighting some mud as well due to a very wet winter. I did have some improvement with straw in my walking paths. Not that the chickens left it all where I put it. Also a good boredom buster.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Ditch and Berm is the solution. Wood chips and deep litter can help - and will eventually form a berm on their own. Any local volunteer organizations may be able to assist as well.

Finally, in some states, its a code requirement that property improvements not direct precipitation that falls on one property onto another's - part of why so many big apartment complexes have "moats" around them now, and large ponds near the center - they are gathering rain/snow melt and ensuring it remains on property. If your neighbor has had any construction recently done, they may be required to take some steps to mitigate the stormwater flow.

It is, admittedly, a delicate matter to bring up after construction is substantially complete...