Mrs Fryzzle
Chirping
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)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'.
...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