Probably the dumbest questions ever....

[Cynthia12]

I think they said runs are covered in ..netting. To keep hawks out.

 

[STACEYH]

OP said the kennels were "covered," though not sure if that means a solid roof or what?

No roof or tarp will fix drainage/standing water issues, or high saturation of ground water, which can be a problem in this general area.

(now covered in netting thanks to a hawk eating one of my ducks).

 

[Cynthia12]

I threw mine away. Used straw in our wet winters.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I think they said runs are covered in ..netting. To keep hawks out.

(now covered in netting thanks to a hawk eating one of my ducks).

x2, so I'm not sure. Hopefully OP will be back with photos, as it's much easier to give advice when we can see exactly what we're working with.

 

[STACEYH]

x2, so I'm not sure. Hopefully OP will be back with photos, as it's much easier to give advice when we can see exactly what we're working with.

Which is why I asked them if they could get pictures .

 

[Chicks in VA]

i live way out in the country and put the poop in the woods

 

[StinkyAcres]

It's wet and gross here too at certain times of the year because there is hardly any topsoil here and the rest is clay and rocks. We compost the soiled bedding and place pallets in the run for the chickens to stand on. I only cleaned my coop a few times a year, so I don't have piles and piles of bedding to deal with.

 

[Cryss]

Ooooh! Wonderful compost for your gardens! One of our number one reasons for starting chickens was to get compost material for fertilizer! Wood chips keep everything dry as wood absorbs water. It also composts into the soil below mixing with the poop that has washed down between the chips and into the ground. The dirt floor in the run gets higher year by year but if you harvest it in the fall and spread it on the garden then by spring the fertilizing is done!

 

[Toryhillc]

So I consider myself a duck and chicken mom noob. I have had my loves since April. I live in Seattle and winters here...suck. Wet doesn't begin to describe it. I have 2 10 x 10 covered dog kennels. Inside 1 is an Eagle chicken coop where my chickens sleep and inside the other is a 4 x 6 plastic shed where my ducks sleep. I keep pine shavings on the floor of both kennels. Inside the duck shed is hay. Outside both of the kennels is a 10 x 20 fenced in outside area with a duck pool, where they can alll commune(now covered in netting thanks to a hawk eating one of my ducks).

So everything is gross, just constantly wet and gross. I clean out the coop and shed like twice a week and now Im wondering...what do people DO with all of this soiled hay and pine shavings? My pile is growing and growing. Also, does everyone battle this constant grossness? Am I doing something wrong?

I use coco core in the runs. Keeps the wet in check and worms love it so the girls are always finding treats in the summer. It worked great with my ducks and chickens. If it gets alot of poop you just turn it over with a pitch fork and keeps smell down with the ducks.