rain floods run, need advice

[3riverschick]

Hi,
I need help. The last day 2.5 to 3 inches of rain fell here in western PA in 24 hours. Tho I have roofed yards, they were dry brown dirt. Now they are brown sticky mud. I need to dry them out. They are small yards, 6x30 ft. housing 13 Light Sussex until culling time next week. I need a solution other than sand. How about hardwood mulch? I need to raise the yard about 3 inches. The birds look like they got off the Ark a day early, tho they were cooped during the storm. I can feed and water them in the raised coop. It is dry and cozy. But they also need exercise. I would put out stall dry but t is pelleted and they are youngster between 18 and 20 weeks old. I worry they will eat it. Maybe I could put it down under the mulch?
Thanks,
Karen
in super soggy western PA

 

[duckinnut]

I think I would go with wood chips and not mulch or stall dry. Mulch would got wet and muddy depending how fine it is were as chips have bulk to it and less compaction than the mulch and give you the elevation you are looking for. If it rains again the water will flow through the chips better than mulch and let more air flow in when it stops.Hard or soft wood, doesn't matter or even mixed. I would call around to a couple of tree companies to maybe snag a load for cheap or maybe even free. That's my 5 cents, dang inflation.

 

[3riverschick]

Hi,
Thanks for the quick response. I was just thinking. I mowed our 1/2 acre just before the storm, It was long since it is basically wild pasture. The 3-4 inch clippings are wet now on the ground. What do you think of surfacing the yards temporarily with the clippings? Think that would work to soak up some of the wet and then I could rake it all out in a couple of days? Could the birds get sick if they eat the old wet clippings?
Thanks,
Karen