What to do in the wet weather?

[mckngbrd]

GREAT IDEA!

 

[cqgs]

We use clear medium-weight shower curtain liners on our coop when it rains (they cost about $4.50 from Walmart or Target). We have a covered run plus a much larger run the chickens access during the day. The clear curtain liners let the [spoiled rotten] chickens see out during inclement weather and allow us to see in to make sure all is well. Living in Northern California, we actually do get rain sometimes (but never enough), so the liners keep things dry when things are wet. We have a large umbrella in the middle of the outside run over which we have laid avian netting to protect the chickens and prevent some of our flyers from escaping. The umbrella helps in the winter, too, by preventing the run from becoming a mud bog. That being said, I'm very interested in everyone's responses to how to keep an open run a bit more manageable during the wet months.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I agree with the composting in the run suggestions. I think they link aart linked is the one or one of the ones I read but here's some more info too.

I was told initially to make it 6 inches deep but then I was told 12-18 inches was better because it allows it to hold moisture and compost better and eventually compacts anyway.

But basically, 3 (or 6, depending how deep you make it) inches of wood chips (chips not shavings because apparently the different particle sizes break down faster. I find the shavings don't really break down) and then 3-6 inches of leaves, grass clippings, garden scraps, whatever, like others have said, on top of that. Then you just add more dry litter on top when it starts to smell. The chickens mix the poo in with the litter and it composts and doesn't smell, stays fairly dry on top (though moisture underneath is important), and plus it gives the chickens something to do because bugs come up and break it down. It's also healthier and has the added bonus of giving you wonderfully composted soil for your garden.

This is all what I hear anyway. I have yet to try it but plan to in my new coop and run that I am building which should be done soon

 

[mrstoast]

Hi,

I know where you are coming from as we are struggling with this constant cold grey wet weather and mud everywhere! I found a great youtube video

(Hope it is ok to post). It is a lot of effort with all the digging but might help until you can get the other suggestions sorted when it's drier (surely we are due some sun soon).

I have Saxony ducks (expected Pekins, long story). They are not really enjoying the mucky weather much but at least the cold doesn't bother them.

Good luck!

 

[DancingWthDucks]

I've seen a UK company that sells rubber chips for poultry runs. Although quite pricey, it drains water well, and you can easily hose down the droppings. I know how you feel about the English weather- up here in the Lake District it's raining all the time

http://rubber-chippings.co.uk/chicken-duck-pens/

 

[jilljhockeynut]

I have 3 rescue chickens. We have a coop with small run and a pretty large run attached to it. We had them on a patch on the grass which was fine in the summer but now it's autumn in the UK it's very cold and wet. The grass/mud has turned to sludge and the girls were unhappy and dirty so we moved their coop and run onto our patio area. With all this rain the concrete ground just turns to sludge with their poo getting wet. I have to constantly move them over on the patio and scrub it. 


Any ideas for how to keep them sludge free under foot and warmer? This weather is brutal, cold and wet. They have a nice warm coop inside but they always come outside into their run area. I have a waterproof sheeting over the top but the water still gets in from the sides.


Any advice appreciated. I am worried about them not being warm enough and it's such hardwork for me always having to scrub outside lol!


Thank you


Julie

We use clear shower curtains and wrap the run to keep wind and ran out, yet light comes in. Use hemp bedding rotated out from coop in the run! Works great!

 

[TJordan]

Don't laugh. We haven't had a decent rain here in over 2 months. I want rain problems right now.

 

[CHILLI41]

Hi everyone, ive searched on this forum a few times and got great answers. im wondering on this topic, if im doing things wrong. Ive got my coop/run on slabs with some wood chip but as others describe it gets sloppy / horrid and I have to clean the sludge out. should I have it all direct on the ground? How often do you all rake your wood chip / bark ?

Thank you .

 

[Spartan22]

Hi everyone, ive searched on this forum a few times and got great answers. im wondering on this topic, if im doing things wrong. Ive got my coop/run on slabs with some wood chip but as others describe it gets sloppy / horrid and I have to clean the sludge out. should I have it all direct on the ground? How often do you all rake your wood chip / bark ?


Thank you .

Hi Chill,

I say direct on the ground w/ pine shavings/bark would be better. It will have a natural drainage provided you make the beddings 4-6" or thicker, now if it rains a lot you'll have the same problem. I have a second run that gets wet a lot since it's not roofed, what I do from time to time is add straws around 3-4 inches to give my chickens clean footing, better solutions: roofing.

 

[azygous]

There's no way to magically make a wet, smelly, poopy run stay dry. What your commenters have offered so far are cosmetic fixes. With climate that only occasionally produces wet weather, this is workable. But places like UK that get sloppy weather as a regular feature, you need to do some engineering to create a run that has better drainage.

When people build anything, they often forget to consider "where is the water going to go when it rains?", not just the rain from above but from runoff.

Whether you are situated on flat ground or sloping terrain, you need to see to it that the run and coop are a bit higher than the ground around them or the reverse - trenches. I like to get into my rain gear and stand outside in the rain watching where the water wants to go. I let it tell me what I need to do in order to direct it away from the run and coop.

Rain may soak the run, but with proper drainage, the run will dry out much faster after the rain stops. Even with the deep litter method of coop and run management, you still want to avoid having rain water collect rather than be diverted by means of good drainage around the run.

Also, there's nothing so vile smelling than wet chicken poop. An option is to keep it picked up.