Suggestions for a muddy backyard chicken run.

[Sissy W]

I have a 27' x 10' chicken run that is being enclosed in the next week or so. The backyard is an absolute mud pie. It is not deep and squishy but it's muddy. I am wanting to put gravel on the bottom and top it with 3 inches of sand. The backyard sometimes floods a little but not usually in this area. I am learning a lot from the posts here, but need to know what you think of this plan. The coop is 6' x 8' and is set on concrete blocks witch I had planned to cover with sand. I have been reading about poop pans to place under the roost. The chickens will have access to food in the coop, but there is enough room that the water pan and feeder do not need to be under the roost or nests. I have seven chicks about 3 weeks old and they have most of their feathers. I have good friends who raise chickens helping me out, but I would really appreciate some eggspurt advice!

 

[Malynda]

I have a 27' x 10' chicken run that is being enclosed in the next week or so. The backyard is an absolute mud pie. It is not deep and squishy but it's muddy. I am wanting to put gravel on the bottom and top it with 3 inches of sand. The backyard sometimes floods a little but not usually in this area. I am learning a lot from the posts here, but need to know what you think of this plan. The coop is 6' x 8' and is set on concrete blocks witch I had planned to cover with sand. I have been reading about poop pans to place under the roost. The chickens will have access to food in the coop, but there is enough room that the water pan and feeder do not need to be under the roost or nests. I have seven chicks about 3 weeks old and they have most of their feathers. I have good friends who raise chickens helping me out, but I would really appreciate some eggspurt advice!

Well I'm not an expert but we had to put in a floor for part of the covered run and placed hay on top of the boards for easy clean up. This way the girls could have some dry area when it is the rainy season and when things dry out they can still utilize the full run.

Malynda

 

[rosemarythyme]

IMO sand is best used in a more arid climate, where it can stay dry. Dry sand works well. Wet sand is just going to smell like poop. So realistically, can you keep the sand dry enough?

I use deep litter. I used to have a severe mud problem (I get a lot of rain, and the run is uncovered) so I began layering wood chips into the run, and then adding in other plant matter as I got it - dried leaves in fall, dried grass clippings in summer, garden trimmings, weeds, etc. The ground in the run has now completely stabilized, no more mud issue, no more smell.

 

[3KillerBs]

Having purchased a property where the owner put down gravel in various places, I am extremely dubious about using it for anything other than permanent driveways. Even a Bobcat can't shift all of it from the places we don't want it.

Can you improve drainage in your site by trenching around the run to divert water with a grass swale or a French drain?

 

[aart]

I'd say no to gravel and/or sand.

My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.