Wet straw in the run

[PhDtoFarm]

Let me start off by saying that I live in the desert, so rain is not usually a problem.

I have straw lining the run, which has been working great.... up until now. We had a surprise storm that caused the straw to get soaking wet, and now I can't figure out how to get it dried out again. I thought it had been drying okay on its own from getting scratched and moved around by the chickens, but it's still not quite right.

The straw has now been damp (just barely, but still noticeable) for too long, and I feel terrible about it because I think some of my birds now have favus

I'd been keeping their feet clean by washing them every few days, but that only goes so far...

So what should I do with the straw?

Should I scoop it all out and replace it?
Should I start using something else in the run instead?
Should I have a more permanent covering over the run so this doesn't happen again?

 

[Sethseger]

Most definitely remove & replace.

 

[mummyandchicks]

Have you considered sand? I use it in the coop, nest boxes and run. It's easy to clean weekly, doesn't smell and feet are clean. My run is not covered and sits on dirt - we don't get huge amounts of rain in Canberra - when it does rain the run sand is washed. There is a ton of info on BYC - have a look if you are even a bit curious.

 

[4 the Birds]

I'm surprised that things don't dry out fast since you are in a desert area. My run is often wet for a day or two after big rains before things start to dry out. One of the problems with straw is that when it dries out it tends to blow around when it is windy. When is compacted, it tends to stay put and creates a decent run floor provided that the chickens don't dig down through it too much. It is also hard to clean unless you choose to cover with fresh material to build up the ground height or rake it out (I add dry material on top keep the run height up a few inches for drainage). I tend to add fresh dry pine chips/straw/hay to keep things dry after a storm. Here up north, the run can be rock hard for awhile and then a few days of thawing will make the ground wet and mushy! That's when I add pine chips.

 

[1muttsfan]

I use straw and sometimes shavings from the coop in my runs in the winter, we get long, cold, muddy springs and the straw stays in there wet or not, and eventually decomposes on it's own. It is wet, but keeps them up out of the mud. Replacing it would be an exercise in futility, as new straw becomes wet within a day or two. As long as they have a dry coop, they should not have any problems with the hay being wet.

 

[The Gremlin]

Hey, question—I've been bringing my pullets (close to adulthood) inside every night in a cat carrier. There's three of them, and they're bantams.

I keep straw in their carrier, but today it rained. I'm going to change how I do this come tomorrow, but in the meantime, will it do any real harm if I let them sleep in the cat carrier with wet straw overnight?

This is a fairly short-term question. They're next to me in the carrier right now. Like I said, things will change soon, but I want to make sure a night spent with wet straw isn't going to cause any permanent damage.

 

[Percheron chick]

How cold is it? If it's going to chill them than it needs to be removed.

 

[bdjh]

We have straw in our run....it rains....the straw gets soaked.....the chickens scratch it all around and everything gets muddy.....then it dries and everyone is fine. Chickens have been walking around in mud forever....I personally don't think we need to over-think it. Chicks, on the other hand, I'd want to keep dry. Even if you gave them a towel for the night.....

 

[Rampicruz]

This is an old thread but was very helpful for me to read. I too live in a dessert type climate in Southern California, USA. The straw in the run got soaked during the last rain we had. We are expecting rain this week and it looks like it might be finally consistently coming for a while. I had the same though...what to do with wet straw? I have a tarp under the run to prevent mud situations and my girls do not seem to mind it. It is an older tarp so it "breathes" but my concern was straw getting moldy. I strip my coop and run weekly so mold probably wont be too big of an issue, especially if the girls are scratching around in it and airing it out. Thoughts on mold growing in compacted, wet straw?

 

[aart]

Thoughts on mold growing in compacted, wet straw?

It can happen.
Wonders why the tarp?
Coarse wood chippings are the best run bedding, IMO.