What are you using for footing in the run?

[ekofke201]

I have a 12'x8' run filled with 3+ inched of sand in June... Housing 6 chickens and 3 ducks...

The problem is that the sand does not seem to be draining from the areas where the ducks play with their water. I don't know if it is because it is mixed with their poop as it is impossible to rake it all from the muck. So it is constantly wet and even worse now that it is freezing over night and thawing during the day.

Is there a better medium? Help!

 

[Nyssa03]

You can build a "water porch" to put their water buckets on. We made some with hardware cloth and 2x4's. It doesn't make everything completely dry but does seem to help.

 

[zooweemama]

I wish I could help. We house our waterfowl and 'land' fowl separately. I hope you get some good suggestions!

 

[davekayse62]

We recently had the same issue, it was a muddy stinky mess..yuck! I would rake out the sand/poop layer every weekend and add new fresh sand, but it was just nasty. So I laid down a thin bed of straw and we add to it as needed if its wet, then I rake that out each weekend and replace. It has been so much better!!! Hope this helps

 

[ekofke201]

I am thinking that there is going to have to be a second material used here... how do you think building a 2x4 "sandbox" and fill it with river rock in the area where the water buckets are would work? My concern here is cleaning the river rock in the winter. I can't just hose it down, can I?