Suggestions for a VERY muddy run?

[Mrs Fryzzle]

I live in Northern Maine and have been away on vacation for 9 days, when I left the ground was frozen solid, but spring appears to have sprung while I was gone, resulting in my run being EXTREMELY muddy. The thaw has also thawed the feces, and now it's a mucky mess! Any suggestions on what I can put down to prevent my 6 hens from walking through the mix of mud and poo and becoming sick?

P.S. Their run is 5'x15'.

I had similar situation- I am in DownEast Maine. Wood pellets from Tractor Supply work CRAZY well!! President of Chickenlandia has a Youtube video on this, she is in Pacific Northwest- Rainnny! Just use a large cup to scoop and spread the pellets on/through-out the wet areas and watch them work. (kind of like salt over ice)
...And another lady- who does an 'I' cut along the surface (laying flat on the ground) and pours apprx 3 gallons of water into it to fully expand all the pellets, then spreads it all through inside of her coop. (Another idea.)
Inexpensive, super effective. Even creates a new base floor, adding to the existing ground layer of the run. Love it! It looks like bigger food pellets and I was concerned that my Chickens and Ducks would confuse the WP with the feed pellets.... but they don't. Saw a few pick some up and then drop it out of their mouths- there must be taste that they pick up and know it isn't food. Sounds silly, I find it hard to believe they pick up flavors, but they do. Can time the spread of the pellets to after they have been put-up for night, or are out running around.

Good luck!
Heidi

 

[canne50]

I live in Northern Maine and have been away on vacation for 9 days, when I left the ground was frozen solid, but spring appears to have sprung while I was gone, resulting in my run being EXTREMELY muddy. The thaw has also thawed the feces, and now it's a mucky mess! Any suggestions on what I can put down to prevent my 6 hens from walking through the mix of mud and poo and becoming sick?

P.S. Their run is 5'x15'.

Small amount of lime sprinkled or dusted with straw on top will resolve most run problems. I lived and raised chickens in Woodland, Aroostook Co. for many years
Best to you!

 

[Padfoot22]

We just moved and my new run is also a muddy mess. Straw, leaves and wood chips haven’t helped. My old one was built on a sand base and worked a whole lot better. I’m going to get construction sand put in this run to see if that helps but think it will.

 

[akddr]

I live in Northern Maine and have been away on vacation for 9 days, when I left the ground was frozen solid, but spring appears to have sprung while I was gone, resulting in my run being EXTREMELY muddy. The thaw has also thawed the feces, and now it's a mucky mess! Any suggestions on what I can put down to prevent my 6 hens from walking through the mix of mud and poo and becoming sick?

P.S. Their run is 5'x15'.

I get gravel from the local parking lots

 

[akddr]

I get gravel from the local parking lots

 

[Judy Todd]

I live in Northern Maine and have been away on vacation for 9 days, when I left the ground was frozen solid, but spring appears to have sprung while I was gone, resulting in my run being EXTREMELY muddy. The thaw has also thawed the feces, and now it's a mucky mess! Any suggestions on what I can put down to prevent my 6 hens from walking through the mix of mud and poo and becoming sick?

P.S. Their run is 5'x15'.

Yes, our farm store was out also, I put down 2 bales of straw, seem to be working fairly well and I have 13 hens. . Still get some dirty eggs now and then , but much improved.

 

[Judy Todd]

Pelleted pine shavings. They absorb all the moisture and make it easier to clean up.
I love it!

Yes, you are right, that is what I use when raising day old chicks. But it would be prohibited to do this in a big run, money wise. Lovely idea tho.

 

[Colberon]

I had similar situation- I am in DownEast Maine. Wood pellets from Tractor Supply work CRAZY well!! President of Chickenlandia has a Youtube video on this, she is in Pacific Northwest- Rainnny! Just use a large cup to scoop and spread the pellets on/through-out the wet areas and watch them work. (kind of like salt over ice)
...And another lady- who does an 'I' cut along the surface (laying flat on the ground) and pours apprx 3 gallons of water into it to fully expand all the pellets, then spreads it all through inside of her coop. (Another idea.)
Inexpensive, super effective. Even creates a new base floor, adding to the existing ground layer of the run. Love it! It looks like bigger food pellets and I was concerned that my Chickens and Ducks would confuse the WP with the feed pellets.... but they don't. Saw a few pick some up and then drop it out of their mouths- there must be taste that they pick up and know it isn't food. Sounds silly, I find it hard to believe they pick up flavors, but they do. Can time the spread of the pellets to after they have been put-up for night, or are out running around.

Good luck!
Heidi

Thank you for your response, I purchased a bag of the pellets and then everything froze up resolving my problem for now. We did spread them in their sun room that is under a smaller coop we have in case of a sick chicken, there was a lot of water in there, therefore anxious to see how it works.

 

[Colberon]

We just moved and my new run is also a muddy mess. Straw, leaves and wood chips haven’t helped. My old one was built on a sand base and worked a whole lot better. I’m going to get construction sand put in this run to see if that helps but think it will.

We have pea stone, with large wood chips on top, but the mud was coming right up through, will replenish the wood chips this spring. The ground has frozen again here, therefore our problem is solved for now. I did take all the shavings from inside the coop and put in the run and purchased a bag of the pellets to use in one are and it made it a lot better before the ground froze again.

 

[Colberon]

I live in Seattle where mud is a way of life. The best solution here is wood chips. Find a local arborist and have them dump a load of chips in your driveway- they usually have to pay to dump so they are usually happy to get rid of them. Wood chips take a very long time to break down and the rain just goes right through so there are no puddles. The hens love to dig around in them so don’t be afraid to put down a couple inches. They also work on muddy paths and areas where you want to discourage weeds.

Thanks for the response, we do use wood chips in the run, but our pile is under snow, therefore was looking for another alternative until we could get some. I took the shavings from the coop and spread them in the run and purchase one bag of the pellets for the sun room area, it made a big difference, and the ground has frozen back up this week, it has been snowing most of the day.