Review my coop and run. Any advice would be welcomed :)

[Nicsbackyardchicks]

Hi all, we made our own coop and run along side the summer house to house our chickens. The run is covered and has its own drainage system which collects in a water butt. However, the run does retain moisture and although it's not muddy, it is damp - The weather in Manchester, UK at the moment is very rainy and windy.

Can anyone offer any advice as to what to lay as the foundation as I would hate for my girls to be uncomfortable, also they do seem reluctant to further explore the run and rarely venture to the bottom.



We have 4 chickens, 2 silkies who cuddle in a pile in the bedding and two Maran's roost at nighttime. The coop has a bolted door, we close at night and they independently go to bed. (The first time they did this I was such a proud mama, I text my whole family to tell them )


If anyone could cast a knowledgeable eye on my coop and offer any advice it would be most welcome.
Thank you

 

[GreedySeedFeedy]

This is beautiful!

 

[Nicsbackyardchicks]

This is beautiful!

Thank you, I just wish they would explore it further.

 

[lbgreenfield]

Hi! Sounds like you have a nice flock
I’m not the most knowledgeable in coops on BYC but I have a few suggestions for your run to make it more appealing to your ladies:

1. Are you able to put down some kind of straw or hay in the run? That will give them something to pick through as well as provide some cushioning to their feet. My girls love when I put a full hay bale in their run to scratch and play with!

2. I know some folks have used sand/small stones in their run to provide extra drainage. Here’s a good article on keeping your run mud free: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-to-fix-a-muddy-run-chicken-coop.47807/

3.If you have moisture problems in the coop, try and collect the water before it gets to the coop, waterproof the coop, and I like to use Sweet PDZ Horse Stall Refresher to absorb moisture on the poop collection board. Not sure if you have that in the UK or could find something similar: :https://sweetpdz.com/horse-stall-refresher/

4. If you want them to explore the run more, I’d suggest sitting in it on a stool or chair and coaxing then out or over to you with treats! Might get them to associate the run with getting treats from Mommy/Daddy/Kiddos

Good Luck!

 

[Nicsbackyardchicks]

Hi! Sounds like you have a nice flock
I’m not the most knowledgeable in coops on BYC but I have a few suggestions for your run to make it more appealing to your ladies:

1. Are you able to put down some kind of straw or hay in the run? That will give them something to pick through as well as provide some cushioning to their feet. My girls love when I put a full hay bale in their run to scratch and play with!

2. I know some folks have used sand/small stones in their run to provide extra drainage. Here’s a good article on keeping your run mud free: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-to-fix-a-muddy-run-chicken-coop.47807/

3.If you have moisture problems in the coop, try and collect the water before it gets to the coop, waterproof the coop, and I like to use Sweet PDZ Horse Stall Refresher to absorb moisture on the poop collection board. Not sure if you have that in the UK or could find something similar: :https://sweetpdz.com/horse-stall-refresher/

4. If you want them to explore the run more, I’d suggest sitting in it on a stool or chair and coaxing then out or over to you with treats! Might get them to associate the run with getting treats from Mommy/Daddy/Kiddos

Good Luck!

Thanks so much for the advice, hay bales sound like a good idea.
I do have sand and dirt at the moment but it seems to be holding a lot of water in the run, I've just dug down. I think perhaps drainage system under the run floor will work best, like an alley gutter system. I'm am toying with the idea of flagging it and placing sand and hardwood chips ontop but not sure if that will work.

the moisture problems is inside the run, the coop is lovely and dry and cosy.

Lots if trial and error is needed I suspect, but thanks again for your reply I will give your suggestions a whirl

 

[lbgreenfield]

Thanks so much for the advice, hay bales sound like a good idea.
I do have sand and dirt at the moment but it seems to be holding a lot of water in the run, I've just dug down. I think perhaps drainage system under the run floor will work best, like an alley gutter system. I'm am toying with the idea of flagging it and placing sand and hardwood chips ontop but not sure if that will work.

the moisture problems is inside the run, the coop is lovely and dry and cosy.

Lots if trial and error is needed I suspect, but thanks again for your reply I will give your suggestions a whirl

Some type of drain/stone gutter system would definitely help in the run, especially if you can install the drain/stone where water is currently pooling at the low points. My background is in stormwater management (I'm a civil engineer), so installing and conveying the water from the low points away from the run will definitely help! I would be cautious about placing sand/chips on top of the drainage system, as it might clog the pipe or absorb the moisture before it can get to the pipe. If I were closer, I'd come over for a in-run drainage consultation, haha. See how your drainage system performs after install, then make adjustments. The coop/run/chickens are always a work in progress, in my opinion!

And yes, hay/straw bales will help as well, just be careful about the hay/straw getting moldy if it sits in water too long. Since your flock is small-ish, I'd start with a smaller chunk of the bale, and see how your girls like it! Here's part of my flock doing their quarterly hay bale inspection

 

[Nicsbackyardchicks]

Some type of drain/stone gutter system would definitely help in the run, especially if you can install the drain/stone where water is currently pooling at the low points. My background is in stormwater management (I'm a civil engineer), so installing and conveying the water from the low points away from the run will definitely help! I would be cautious about placing sand/chips on top of the drainage system, as it might clog the pipe or absorb the moisture before it can get to the pipe. If I were closer, I'd come over for a in-run drainage consultation, haha. See how your drainage system performs after install, then make adjustments. The coop/run/chickens are always a work in progress, in my opinion!

And yes, hay/straw bales will help as well, just be careful about the hay/straw getting moldy if it sits in water too long. Since your flock is small-ish, I'd start with a smaller chunk of the bale, and see how your girls like it! Here's part of my flock doing their quarterly hay bale inspectionView attachment 2305202

Awe they are just lovely, I have placed some loose straw down at the bottom of the run where it is drier and will keep on eye on it going mouldy. I rake the run everyday so can assess daily.
At the end of the run I do have a very large collection of trees and I think the wind blowing through the trees and the sound of rain on the polycarbonate roofing is also scaring them a little. However, being in the rainy north they will adjust.

It is certainly a constant work in progress Hahaa. My husband dreads coming home at the mo as i am always 'thinking'

This was the poor sod the other day fitting the new drainpipe.

 

[lbgreenfield]

Wow, what a downpour! Yes it will take some time for your girls to get adjusted to everything, you sound like you're doing everything you can.

My husband is the same way and although he seems to be annoyed every time I bring something up with the chickens, I think he secretly loves them as much as I do

 

[Nicsbackyardchicks]

We were watching tv last night and I proudly announced that we should get two more hens in the spring. He looked at me and walked into the kitchen smirking....... he loves it as much as me, even if he does play it cool

 

[GreedySeedFeedy]

Thank you, I just wish they would explore it further.

They will in good time!