Pick apart my plan for hen run pls!

[3KillerBs]

any reason I shouldn't use them to stop my ladies scratching their way to China?!

Welcome to BYC!

Digging and scratching is natural behavior for chickens. I can't say for certain, but I strongly suspect that frustrating natural, instinctive behaviors is likely to cause other behavioral problems.

I need a better drained area.

The only way to prevent a wet, stinky run on a piece of ground with drainage issues is to fix the drainage.

Depending on the precise nature of the problem you may need to dig diversion ditches, install French drains, re-grade the area, and/or raise the level of the ground with fill dirt.

If you post photos of the area we might be able to suggest possibilities for you.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Count me with the others. Adjsut the slope so water runs out of the run, trench/swale/berm as much as you can to keep water from running into the run, and fill with leaf litter and wood chips, let them dig. In time, as it composts, it will build a natural hill inside the run of some very fine earth.

That said, your brick filled moat to deter digging predators is a very good idea. and if its in the budget, incorporate a rebuild on the house itself at the same time. Much more difficult to work in a constrained space after the fact than to construct as part of a larger build from the start.

 

[aart]

Sounds like a difficult situation...renting, small, swampland.
If you can't fix the drainage, chickens might not be for you at this time.