JanTheDiver Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I am getting frustrated with all this rain, as soon as I clear out the girls run and give them fresh straw it rains heavily and it gets in somehow. We have added extra rain protection this year but it hasn't stopped much, not that it bothers the girls, but it does bother me They have been in a permanent wet cube run this week, does anyone know of anything that may soak it up? I use chopped straw normally in the run, I have heard that Aubiose is good but I can't get it round here and I think I read somewhere that the manufacturing of it is going to stop soon. There are so many puddles in their run, at this rate I may have to teach them to swim, doe's anyone know if you can get costumes and wing bands for them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Do you cover the run? I think that's the trick. I use Aubiouse ( which I can still get) but there are other equivalent types of bedding you can use in the run. It's a swamp outside my runs but dry under cover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanTheDiver Posted January 12, 2011 Author Share Posted January 12, 2011 Yes the run is fully covered with tarpaulin, the side to the wind has a thick plastic sheet on it too, but I think the rain is coming in underneath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Got same problem with my WIR but when I had the cube run I used to let the mud and dirt build up in the skirt then it stopped the rain running in underneath. I also used to make a channel with the tarpaulin folded up a bit so the run off used to drain into a bucket I could empty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggasperated Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 My girls are thrilled with the puddles in their covered area - they don't have to drink that nasty fresh water I give them every day . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanTheDiver Posted January 12, 2011 Author Share Posted January 12, 2011 My girls are thrilled with the puddles in their covered area - they don't have to drink that nasty fresh water I give them every day . Yep mine do too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trougher Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 After having a similar problem, I put slabs in our chickens' run, with aubiose on top, and it stays nice and dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gongladosh Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 my WIR has a temporary roof (I've not fixed the roof panels on properly yet) and this is leading to a puddle in the middle -my hens really don't like puddles in their run, and not only avoid the puddle but kick any nearby bark chippings out of the way so it doesn't get wet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenopolis Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Our Run is damp - we use bark, which for 360 days of the year, the girls absolutely love as they spend a lot of their day digging around and re-arranging the bark that I constantly rake and poo pick. When they go back in I am sure they give me a look of "you were way off with rearranging this - we are going to have to do the hard work now and get it back to the way we like it" - get digging.... We do appear to have some large puddles in the garden, which are so much better for the girls to drink from rather than the nice fresh CLEAN water that is in their Glug in the run, which sometimes has grapes bobbing about in it. Hurray up Spring!!!!!! Had enough of the rain and wet now...need snowdrops and daffodils and new feathers!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coco Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Our run hasn't got a roof on it yet but the girls seem quiet happy on woodchip [b&Q] . When the snow thawed there were puddles all over the run but the woodchip seemed to soak it up and drains well. I have a sultan with feathery feet but so far even her feet have stayed fairly dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiganchooks Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 I had similar issues with water running off our garden on a slight slope and going through the run making any flooring sodden. In the end I used thick pond liner on the base of the run (and slightly up the sides). Teamed with a full plastic cover on the roof the run now stays wonderfully dry and clean. This does mean the chickens can't get to the soil in your run though, so is only fair if they get to free-range quite a bit (although they do still enjoy routing through the dry hemcore in the run). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggasperated Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 I've also just bought a bag of B & Q wood chip to try out in the covered area. I carefully arranged it to make sure the door would open and shut stupidly forgetting that the chickens would re-rearrange it so the door won't open and shut . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 I had similar issues with water running off our garden on a slight slope and going through the run making any flooring sodden. In the end I used thick pond liner on the base of the run (and slightly up the sides). Teamed with a full plastic cover on the roof the run now stays wonderfully dry and clean. This does mean the chickens can't get to the soil in your run though, so is only fair if they get to free-range quite a bit (although they do still enjoy routing through the dry hemcore in the run). Don't suppose you have a link to it or know the thickness. I've used thick plastic before in similar situation and they ripped it up Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
