knappswood22 Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 After the horrendous rain this week, my girls' run is a nightmare of slush. They have quite a lot of fenced open space around the coop and fixed run, but clearly not enough to keep some of the grass growing! I read on the forum that wood or bark chippings would help keep the slush down, but would like to hear from people who've done this how it works with clearing their poo. P.S. There was one run pictured that had lengths of cut tree arranged as outside perches - brilliant! Have done the same to keep my girls amused. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackian Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 I have a 12ft x 6ft WIR with plastic sheets over the top to keep out the rain.It has a mud floor so does not get wet much .(except when they spill their water and tread in it ) I have bark chippings on the floor and they are great because it is so easy to scoop up the poo.Before I had wood chippings the poo would sort of tread in ,now it sort of lays on the top and very easy to scoop up and more noticable. I also sprinkle sanatizing powder on the ground every so often. I hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 You'll need to have a covered area for them to shelter in when it's wet - chickens kept on wet litter/ground will quickly become unhealthy and have foot/leg problems. I'd suggest a clear tarpaulin (I use a market stall tarp) to provide them with light and shelter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Your set up sounds very similar to mine. My hens have a pen surrounding their fixed coop and run that they FR in all day. The fixed run is covered so that they have a dry area to shelter in, but the pen is far too large to cover so when it rains we end up with squishy, boggy mud. I tip loads of wood chip down (free from the tree surgeon) at the beginning of winter and usually top up after a couple of months or so. It does help with the mud problem and I don't worry too much about the poo as the rain tends to wash it in. When spring comes I flex my muscles and dig the whole lot into the ground. It dries out nicely ready for them to dig nice big holes to dustbathe when the summer comes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redcharlie43 Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Hi, I have laid rubber stable mats under my cube run and then put bark chippings over that for the chickens to scratch around in. It stops the run getting muddy and they are porous so if they do get wet then they dry quickly. It is then really easy to rake out the chippings every now and then to clean the run and they can also be scrubbed clean easily. I do also have the clear eglu covers over the run so it never really gets wet. Unfortunately when they are let out of the run they do get a bit muddy but on really miserable days they can stay in the run and keep clean and dry. The mats are animal friendly and although they can be a bit expensive it is really worth doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikkichick Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 having the same problem! We;re putting paving slabs under the wood chips, i'd like to see them dig through them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 You'll be surprised! Mine would dig to Australia if they could! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickanne Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 We've got a Bosch shredder that makes short work of shrub and tree prunings. I'd always used it to make compostable shreddings as we have alot of shrub border. Now I selectively shred long branches and use these in their run. Does make it a whole lot safer to walk about in there ('specially on a day like today). They keep dryer too under the ex-tent on their Eglu run that provides the shelter. Ask about, someone may lend you a shedder, or be able to provide you with chippings if you help out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammiboo Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 im reading all these threads with great interest as i will be wintering up my cube - well moving it somewhere perminantly so getting all info and ideas i can Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chooks76 Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Up until yesterday my run had been like a dustbowl for months - even a foot down. But having come home tonight I've been greeted with a scene more akin to the Somme. The ground is saturated and there are big puddles everywhere...for once there is more moisture in my garden than the oak tree can drink. I think I'll need to buy some pavers or something to try and create some dry space. But then I doubt they will use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henergy Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Mine is alot better this time around (I suffered a couple of months ago with a deluge that turned the entire run into a mudbath - pictures on flickr !!!). What I have done is pulled the Omlet waterproof cover away from the base of the run in a kind of tent effect. Its helping as the water is not running straight into the run. I do have a drainage problem in their free range area though - not alot I can do I think. I did have woodchip in the run, but they have kicked it all out. They've done it twice now - I don't think I'd like to be spending the whole winter replacing it - too expensive ! Its all over the free range area now & working its way slowly down the hill I also put wooden decking tiles in the free range area to provide a bit of dry seating but its now covered with muddy woodchips ! What I do use though is sanitising powder too in the run area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henergy Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 PS here is the link to my mudbath pictures http://www.flickr.com/photos/designsbyisis/sets/72157627397697705/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Yuk that's not healthy. If it was me I'd sprinkle some garden lime and chuck down some woodchip as an immediate measure then get hold of some slabs and put them down. You can play a bit more with the tarpaulins and on the other side fold the edge over and put a bucket at the end so the water runs off into that not the run. Move the tarpaulin to the side the winds from each day. I keep bbc weather as my home page so I can have a quick look each morning. I also made a sloping frame for the top of the cube run so all the rain on the roof drained off in one direction. Area concreted now and have a WIR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammiboo Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 i'll be taking pictures later. All summer i have been moving the cube around the garden but now i want to keep it one place to save the garden. While making my mind up on what i am doing i have left the girls in place but its a like a cesspit. My OH likes to do things properly and consider all options but i am getting annoyed now and want to sort it while he still has a think. So i have bought stable mats for the eglu to go on and i am in need of woodchips as i am not able to get any this weekend ... anyway will dig up my thread and post pictures of what i am doing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 One tip if you're using stable mats - you will need to take them up periodically to disinfect underneath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
