Ugh RAIN...need help

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

I would do whichever is easier to do right now, and whichever you can do by yourself, as DH might not want to help. Sometimes even just a trench dug out with a mattock will help direct the water away from where it is.

Yeah I'm guessing digging would definitely be easier while ground is so soaked... n don't ya know freezing is coming tomorrow!

 

[Huntmaster]

Yeah I'm guessing digging would definitely be easier while ground is so soaked... UT don't ya know freezing is coming tomorrow!

Yes I think winter is upon us now.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Looks to me like high side of run (uphill side) needs ground level raised or some other way to divert water from running downhill into run to act as a dam. Then you could trench or French drain ends of run to help water run downhill and not into run. That looks like it would help a lot and would be a good place to start.

How would you raise the ground on upper side?
I've attached a pic of the upper side...20' long.

 

[rosemarythyme]

What's the natural drainage like at the site, before the chickens were there? If the drainage was good or at least, not bad, I'd rather ditch the tarps entirely, add some drains/trenches around the perimeter to direct water around/away from the run, and then go with a wood chip based deep litter to allow water to drain through the surface of the litter.

If natural drainage isn't great and run must be covered then you really should figure out a way to sell your husband on a solid roof. Or sell him for a solid roof.

 

[Huntmaster]

In my opinion best way to do it would be to dig trench stone and tile around high side and maybe ends and using excess dirt to raise dirt level on high side of run low side of tile. But just a trench would be much better than it is now using excess dirt to dam high side run on low side of trench.

 

[3KillerBs]

LOTS of wood chips?
They won't remove the water, but they'll let you and chickens walk above the water.

French drain would certainly help a ton.

Definitely trench it at least to direct water away.

Good advice here.

Coarse wood chips are better than shavings -- undyed landscape mulch will work.

It's easiest to dig a diversion ditch while it's actually raining. Even a shallow scrape can help direct water to run around the coop instead of through it. I did this with a hoe during a storm and it worked to move the water reasonably well.

Your soil and slope might or might not need a more serious trench.

 

[aart]

I would do whichever is easier to do right now, and whichever you can do by yourself, as DH might not want to help. Sometimes even just a trench dug out with a mattock will help direct the water away from where it is.

Yeah I'm guessing digging would definitely be easier while ground is so soaked... n don't ya know freezing is coming tomorrow!

Yes, dig the trench, on an angle angle that will allow it to drain.
Easy to dig when it soaked, the ground is probably not frozen yet.
Best time to dig a trench is when it's raining so you can see where the water will go.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Yes, dig the trench, on an angle angle that will allow it to drain.
Easy to dig when it soaked, the ground is probably not frozen yet.
Best time to dig a trench is when it's raining so you can see where the water will go.

When u say on an angle...I have limited space between the run and a 16' raised garden bed just about a 6' above the run.
Can you give more details bout how to go bout angling the trench?
Bout to get out there n get digging.
And now that the new coop is complete and the area underneath is predator secure (except 2 small openings I need to finish) should I just go ahead and remove the tarps from the run?
The 9 month old silkies will have 2 areas they can get out of rain until they are fully integrated with 7 week old babies.

 

[aart]

When u say on an angle...I have limited space between the run and a 16' raised garden bed just about a 6' above the run.
Can you give more details bout how to go bout angling the trench?

Well, it depends on if that 20' length slopes at all.
If it doesn't you may have to angle the trench along the length so it drains.

 

[3KillerBs]

When u say on an angle...I have limited space between the run and a 16' raised garden bed just about a 6' above the run.
Can you give more details bout how to go bout angling the trench?

Start at a convenient point as close to the garden bed as possible then slant it toward the lower corner of the coop run area. You can use a stretched string to keep yourself on the correct line.