Stinky pen

[Sabrina1988]

So I keep my hens in a pen, we get a lot of rain here in NC so we have a tarp over our pen. I cut grass for them every other day and of course they have their laying mash and a seed block and we give them treats and corn. Question is how do I keep the pen from being puke worthy. When it rains it tends to blow so we are walking in mud and poop for a week at the time.is it safe to cement under the pen? We put pebble rocks in there a few months ago and it doesn't last that long. I don't want them to free roam because the roosters are really bad to them. The smell is just really bad and i need some kind of help

 

[mockingbird]

Have you considered the "Deep Litter method?" Put straw or wood chips over the run. When it gets muddy, add some more dry matter to the top. It provides a cushiony area for walking that is not muddy and the chickens love to dig in it. Plus it produces compost for the garden.

 

[mobius]

There is a great deep litter thread that is very long but I will find it for you....sems to answer your problems.

In my run I put pea gravel as the base mostly to level the ground, then some topsoil
(Not a lot, just a thin layer), then leaves and pine needles and pinecones and yard debris and some straw, and shredded paper and then pine shavings when I clean out the coop twice a year. There is no smell or mud...it is like a very healthy compost pile...and I use the deep litter in my garden! The chickens will actually spread it for you! Grass clippings not matted up will work too, the key is to use a lot of different materials and build it fairly thick.

Here is the thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/deep-litter-method.70/

 

[Ole rooster]

Welcome to keeping chickens.