debbie26pet Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 i love the chickens and think they are great. but the flooring im really struggling i have a run ontop of flags , we was using aubiouse which i like very much, till all this rain came and its was such a mess even under my feet it was squelching. so we removed it and got some gravel, thats even worse it so hard to clean and soon becomes smelly, ontop of the flags. so what else can i use ive heard others using bark? but dont that get really wet with rain? does it smell easily, what happens when it gets wet does it dry well or keeeps damp? esp with all the rain we have had and prob more to come and the snow etc. hubby doesnt think this is the best way, but im so lost with it all now and which way is best and the easiest. our ground isnt very good drainage so need something that is nice to chickens feet and dont squelch under the feet and easy to poo pick and clean, and prob keep the flags down underneath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cordelia Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 we have forrest bark ontop of grass..but others recommend wood chips, as they dont go to mush..but to be ohonest neither does ours, and I think the 4 bags for £10 swung it for my husband (B&Q...good range) ours is enclosed by a wood surround... it gets wet, but is much better than the grass which turned to mud I can rake it out...it doesnt look half as wet as before, and smells great.. I have an extender on my eglu run, with the omlet shade at the end, and now we have all the rain I bought a 6x4 (old money) tarpaulin...which really is too small...but prevents the worst of the rain...it was cheap too...may splash out if you'll excuse the pun and get the correct sized one. best of luck with yours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kit Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 Debbie/Cordelia It is a nightmare...I'm just as confused. I have my run on a concrete base and from reading this forum and another one I just got more confused! (my hens and eglu only arrived on Sat and already my DH is annoyed with the smell...he is a clean freak to the point of it nearly being ocd! anyway I have wood chippings from B&Q with two ikea clear shower curtains over my run and extension. (opted for ikea as it meant that it was cheap enough to throw and replace if needed) My biggest problem is that I cannot get deep into the run to rake chippings towards me, DH won't help me lift the eglu and run on a daily basis Cordelia how do you rake all yours out with the extension on...do you have an ultra long rake? Debbie, today I almost ordered gravel from builders merchant as previously mojo recommended gravel..he raked it daily (I think) and disinfected it over night and then spread it all back each morning! sounded like an excellent idea to me and now that i have read your post I am not so sure. Kit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 Did you not put a cover over the run debbie, when you were using Aubiose? It is great stuff, but does absorb every drop of rain. Most of us put a shower curtain or similar over the run to keep it dry when using Aubiose.....it makes a huge difference. ;D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Licken Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 What you need is a shower curtain and some bungees - that way aubiose is fabulous!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbie26pet Posted September 15, 2008 Author Share Posted September 15, 2008 , Did you not put a cover over the run debbie, when you were using Aubiose? It is great stuff, but does absorb every drop of rain. Most of us put a shower curtain or similar over the run to keep it dry when using Aubiose.....it makes a huge difference. ;D my run is a walk in one i do have the plastic corragated on the roof. and a plastic sheet on the side. what we finding is as the ground is rubbish round here its coming through the bottom as well. its really bugging me as i like them to smell clean fresh, and im struggling with this gravel even hubby has tried to clean it all tonight with the karcher and hes addmited no good my flooring seems to hold the water in puddles then turns to a type of mud, i have been raking it through after a quick poo pick of the ones i can then i rake it then i been putting jays fluid watered down through the stones, nope not impressed im afraid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbie26pet Posted September 15, 2008 Author Share Posted September 15, 2008 this is my run Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peisiong Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 Hi Our chickens arrived last Thurs after waiting for about 6 weeks. We have crawl through many websites and of course this forum re flooring and decided to use gravel instead. With the gravel, it is easy to clean (hose down with water) and we also put in 1 tray each of sand bath and wood chips. The hens are simply not interested with the wood chips but loved the sand bath and they also like to kick the gravel about when they are a bit excited! Pei Martina 11Sep08 Aretha 11Sep08 11Sep08 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 If the water is puddling then there is probably a problem with drainage and as a keen gardener I at least know something about that! (I am a chicken novice) think of a pot plant, if you overwater it and the water has nowhere to go it puddles and eventually the soil surface gets manky (a technical term! ) and smelly, if the drainage is good then it doesn't smell even though it is the same soil. Watered in poo will smell worse because it will spread out and cling to the bedding like a big old poo soup I remember this from having ducks and chickens as a child as the ducks obviously meant there was water about. Soggy poo means that it gets harder to poo pick and then you are in a downward spiral. That's a lot of poo. This might not be what you want to hear but if I remember correctly another forum member dug out the ground to quite some depth beneath their run and filled it with something that made it drain quickly (I cant remember what it was but am guessing something like gravel) and then they replaced the run material (woodchips or Auboise I cant remember whch again!) and now it drains well. It would be a heck of a job but you would only need to do it once to get a freely draining surface and then cleaning in future would be a lot easier. If you have a slab base you could angle them to provide run off or 'grout' them with gravel to give drainage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moomin Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 The problem with having a run on top of slabs is that the wet can soak up from underneath the slabs. Having tarpaulins attached with Bungees on the side of the run can help with the rain from blowing in, but it will still soak up from under your slabs - especially if they are on a bit of land with really bad drainage. Stevie (who posts on here) recommended using a sort of damp-proof membrane, underneath the slabs, to stop the wet from seeping up. But this would involve taking up your whole run to get the membrane underneath. We have stopped it a bit by putting another layer of slabs on top of our patio slabs, and then siting our run on top of this layer, so that the water kind of goes in between 'cos the base of the floor is a bit higher. It still soaks up through the aubiose, but not so much. The top layer is normally fairly dry but when you s"Ooops, word censored!"e it back the underneath is damp (although not soggy). The chooks don't seem to mind though. Again, this would involve taking up your run to get the extra layer of slabs down. If you have really SOGGY and badly drained ground you may have no option but to move your run to a drier place in your garden. Sorry for length of post but I feel your pain!! Flippin' British rubbish weather is a pain in the bum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbie26pet Posted September 15, 2008 Author Share Posted September 15, 2008 yeah we have thought of moving the run but this is the best place as near the house. top of garden is awful infact worse. the trouble with these house is it is built on fields and mines so the ground is rubbish. i think like you said another layer im thinking same and maybe on top of the gravel is puttin more flags would this work with out moving the run ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finger lickin good Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 We did keep ours on wood chips on the grass but found it was very wet with all the rain. we have had. We have now invested in some grass mats which are covered in hardwood chippings. the grass mats are very soft recylced plastic but raise the wood chips off the ground and allow all the water to drain away. Our girls seem much happier now the even enjoy sitting down in the run as it is not as damp and smelly. The website we used for the grass mats is http://www.grassmats.co.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 With reference to the slabs - it's worth a try, it depends on how bad the ground is, if you put slabs on top of the gravel the water would drain between them but remember there will only be small gaps so if the ground is that bad it will still puddle. I would give it a go though to see if you can do it without moving the run, at least you would be raising the level a bit. The bigger the bits of gravel the more water will drain through it so if you have used small pea gravel maybe you could top it with a couple of bags of chunky stuff before putting slabs down? The grassmats mentioned sound good too, anything that will raise the level and allow water to run away will help enormously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moomin Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 I think Redwing's idea of digging up the soil and adding some gravel to make it drain better would be worth trying at first. If you only dig up the soil inside the run and add some gravel, you may get away without having to lift up the whole run. If you try putting another layer of slabs you would have to lift the run to put them down as the edges of it would be better sitting on top of the extra layer of slabs, so that the water should flow underneath. Then your auboise should stay dryer although some water will still soak up if it rains heavily, as mine does. But it never gets soggy. It's difficult to advise without seeing it, but I think you should try something as it sounds pretty bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 One side of my hen "area" floods badly.....heavy clay soil. I put the Eglu up on thick slabs, and apart from June of last year.....it hasn't flooded again. I hose it off and use Aubiose and a covering of plastic from Dunelm Mill and it is fine. My little ones are in there at the mo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Part of my run floods too, & we have a high water table & natural springs,which make for a lush garden in summer but a squelchy one in winter The flag stones will stop any water draining away,so that is why its becoming waterlogged. But I can't decide what would be the best solution.................. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 The flag stones will stop any water draining away,so that is why its becoming waterlogged. My flagstones heave improved the situation enormously though, by lifting things higher. The hens no longer paddle. There are small gaps between the flags too, to allow drainage, and the site is on a slight slope, which might make a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cordelia Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 gracious what a lot of posts!!! we all seem to have this terrible rain problem.. our run is at the bottom of the garden..and really doesnt smell....well I dont think so (sorry this answer is to a much earlier one) we've only raked the wood chip after a week....and only had a plastic lawn rake, normal length, so had a bit of a job reaching all the way down..I certainly dont do it on a daily basis...but I only have 3 chickens and they are only about 16-17 weeks old ... we are going to borrow a rake from my brother...(ive spent so much on these chickens my husband wont be very amused if I buy anthing other than essentials now) we did have quite a thick layer of wood chip on top of our wet clay, grass covered soil.. if yours isnt draining I think its because its on the stone flags, and maybe these are too flat...and if you have wood retainers around, they may prevent the drainage too, (even ours eglus is on a sloping peice of garden)......whereas ours has a chance of draining into the soil and going at some point.... I have to say our lawn is a swamp at the moment...I've never known it as bad.... but the chicken's on their 6 bags of forrest bark/wood chippings are ok....(we topped it up when i got more bark/chippings) I also should say, my husband helped with the raking as it was a messy job what with the wet grass......maybe you should secretly enrol one of your pals to help rake yours, and also get some of that bokashi bran spread about if the smell is a problem.....I dont have any but I have seen it recommended.. perhaps B&Q's wood chip and forrest bark is a good mixture...as mine smells grand.. best of luck again.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenGirl Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Two weeks into having my girls and I can empathise with this! We have them on a slab area with bark with a tarp over the top, but rain still got in and the bark got soggy and smelt sort of musty and damp. We now have a clear tarp which is big enough to completely enclose the cube run (top and sides to the ground), and we will be replacing the bark with hemcore tonight in the hope it is easier to poopick and is fresher. Also, the girls feet were getting stained by the brown from the bark and I was a bit worried about that irritating them. Will let you know if this improves things! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbie26pet Posted September 16, 2008 Author Share Posted September 16, 2008 Part of my run floods too, & we have a high water table & natural springs,which make for a lush garden in summer but a squelchy one in winter The flag stones will stop any water draining away,so that is why its becoming waterlogged. But I can't decide what would be the best solution.................. yeah i know how you feel. i need to do something but not sure which way to go now as huby is moaning as its costing more money. sad i know but i have been thinking about it all night and trying to think best way, not sure if to add more gravel to chickens as at minute its about 2-3 cms thick not alot really, or do i try talk hubby to lift the flooring up and slop it all more and try a clear tarpalin around then go back to auibouse? hubby wont be pleased as at weekend i managed to get him to relay all the flags etc around the run and coop and wow lot better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 the key for all of this is drainage, pure and simple... we have a open run with bark chips that the girls merrily turn into mud over time, but we do not have any issue with smells as there is never any sitting water in the run, regardless of the rain.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cordelia Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 my only thought on your predicament is have you got enough bark /wood chippings down...???mine is an eglu run, with extra metre extender..and I have a few inches of bark/wood chippings down...and mine doesnt get too wet.....so far, although the girls do dig it all up.....and move it over... I think drainage sounds like the problem...as I said mine is on a slope...so it must be heping...as welll as grass.....which even though wet, will allow some drainage.. its such a nuisance this weather.... I know I have to keep my hsuband on side and not spend much more now...and thank goodness they are proving amenable, and doing the construction work for us... if it hadnt been for this awful weather it would ahave been easier.. and whilst I love the pens people have built, our garden isnt big enough for that....so we need to keep it sa tidy as possible... Im wondering too whether the clear shower curtain, (prob cheap in ikea) would be better than my too small taupalin....(oops more expense) It might be worth, trying to slope the run abit....poor thing...its not a good job to be doing over and over.. Just read mathews post...and i agree....my forrest bark must be ok and not smell as it gets to drain ok....as really it is ok, is only cleaned out once a week or less if it keeps up with rain..again i only have 3 young chooks though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbie26pet Posted September 16, 2008 Author Share Posted September 16, 2008 im still sat here and even spoken to mil now to get more ideas. quick question that she mentioned, if we was to lift all the flags and put bark down woudl that be better does it compost great into the ground with topping the bark up? how often do u do a total clean of it , how do u stop all the smells? also she thought about that fake grass like a astro turf, were i can just take out and hose it down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cordelia Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 apologies for posting again... i think you need to take photo of your run, so people can comment...it seems terrible to take flags up..and start all over again.. but i do think drainage is a problem. Forrest bark we've had 3 weeks now.. topped it up from 4 bags to 6 and a half...cleaned out once....only used 1 and a half more bags to change.... I am putting the used forrest bark on our border which is full of shrubs...no tender plants.. ( i may compost this in the summer, if it does smell to strong then) really doesnt smell....only smell is the eglu litter tray if i leave it more than three days.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbie26pet Posted September 16, 2008 Author Share Posted September 16, 2008 apologies for posting again... i think you need to take photo of your run, so people can comment...it seems terrible to take flags up..and start all over again.. but i do think drainage is a problem. Forrest bark we've had 3 weeks now.. topped it up from 4 bags to 6 and a half...cleaned out once....only used 1 and a half more bags to change.... I am putting the used forrest bark on our border which is full of shrubs...no tender plants.. ( i may compost this in the summer, if it does smell to strong then) really doesnt smell....only smell is the eglu litter tray if i leave it more than three days.. will take a better pic can i ask do you have it on the ground your bark or on flags? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
