What to do about extremely muddy run

[Bird Collector]

One section of my run also gets muddy when it rains and it is the chickens favorate gathering area for socialization. They have two other connecting areas that have a roof which helps keeps the soil good for bathing. I have decided to sod the common area with fescue grass because it does not spread, the girls will love to feed on it and I can weed wack it if I need to. I will leave fertilizing the grass to them.

You can sod in the winter (I am in NC) if the ground can be prepped which I am told tilling/raking about an inch deep. That's my plan anyway I will let you know how it goes. At least the girls feet (mostly feather feet girls) will stay cleaner.

Whoops: forgot to add I can get a 9' roll of sod (16" X 81") for 5 bucks here.

 

[jaboo81]

What kind of sod? Because that is cheap

 

[patandchickens]

Check out the 'fix a muddy run' link in my .sig below. It sounds like the most important things are to divert roof water WELL away from the run via gutters and downspout extensions, and to divert surface water flow WELL away from the run via intelligently-placed trenches/ditches. Once you do not have major overland water flow, you can contemplate putting down something like very coarse large wood chips, at least as a temporary measure. In the longer run, you may want to think about doing some terracing.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Bird Collector]

The sod is tall fescue which is what I currently have in the yard and the girls shoot for it when I let them out to free range. I might be cheeper here because they can grow it longer. I get it from our local farmers market. I should have it down next weekend. It started to get warmer here. I can't wait. Less clean-up:celebrate

 

[oldchickenman]

we had so much rain here nothing helped so we picked up some pallets and spread them around so far its working good till it drys out then were going to try sand but the rain we had i dont think that would even of helped .

 

[MrRoy]

Sand sand sand.

 

[Dragonfly Ranch]

Quote:
Pat and everyone else - thanks for all the great information and suggestions. We have gutters and downspouts on the coop but my husband said this run off is from all over the yard and it is perking up from underground as well (the coop and run are at the lowest part of the yard). We talked about all the suggestions here and are toying with the idea of a plywood platform with some sand in the lowest part that floods to keep the girls out of the mud and then sand/large bark in upper part that seems to get the least amount of water. Also, may be sand bags along the upper edge. The run is large 22' x 12' and it would pretty expensive to have sand trucked in and then having to move it in by a small load at time would be too much as well.

Thanks again and we will continue to watch this post for more information

Sandee

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Ah, if they are at the lowest part of the yard (not a good place for livestock) you may be in for a lot more work unless you can trench things to run off elsewhere. Honestly, if you cannot lower the water you have to raise the run. I don't know about where you live, but in various places I've lived over the years (including here) it's only a few hundred dollars for a huge truckload of roadbase (the cheapest aggregate you can buy); it does take a "while" to wheelbarrow it into place if you can't have it dumped in the right location, but I have singlehandedly wheelbarrowed about 20 tons of various aggregates per year for most of the past 6 years, and it is really quite doable barring major health problems. The key is to aim to do just a few loads per day. If health prevents you from doing even that, perhaps there are teenagers around in search of some extra spending money or something you could barter?

Good luck, have 'fun'

,

Pat

 

[Bantimna]

What about sand? I find it works well.

 

[Dragonfly Ranch]

We are going to install pavers down to where we keep their water and extra feeding dish for treats so we are not walking in the mud as well. We are going to raise the lowest end of the run with a platform. We are going to do some trenches around the edge to help with the diversion of the water - we have been watching to see when it is coming in the most and will attack those area first and see how that helps.