Single hen

[badfizzgig]

The chickens have a fenced off area within our garden - approx. 25m wide by 20m long, their arc is in there too.

 

However with all the rain we've been having recently it's turning into a bit of a mud pit! The chickens have pretty much scoffed the grass and other greeny in there (blackberry bush included). I've put some straw down to combat me slipping over but not sure what else I can do? The run is not covered so open to the elements.

 

Any advice would be wonderful!

 

Em

[Olly]

Welcome to the forum! Lots of people on here recommend Hemcore or Aubiose - if you search you will find some threads about this fantastic product. It's a by-product of hemp production, the above are brand names but the two products are fairly similar.

 

However ... I use mine in an Eglu run which is mostly covered with a plastic shower-curtain and a summer cover. I don't know how it would be in a completely open run. Still worth a try. Your run sounds lovely, wish I had something that size!

[Hilly]

Hello from me!. My pen for the girls is the lower end of my garden, uncovered, and i use chipped bark, they love to scratch about in it all and it seems to not get too wet or muddy. , mind you, the huge holes they've dug as dust baths get a bit soggy!

[Egluntyne]

I use Aubiose...in a covered run though. it is very good. I just jet wash it away every month or so.( Eglus are on paving slabs). Couldn't be easier.

[Suzanne]

 

I have been pretty sad to see the state of the area where the girls are now for the winter and really don't know what to do.

 

I have put Hemcore in the run and a shower curtain on the very top plus the summer cover and this has kept the inside dry.

 

Round the edge of the eglu run it has become a mud bath and very slippy.

They also have a gravel area under the bushes and this bit is fine.

 

It is only the start of a long autumn/ winter and if it is like this now I despair.

 

This is my first year with the chickens and we survived the flood but that drained away and the grass was back to normal.

 

Help !!! Suzanne

[Tina C]

If you let your girls free range rather than having them in a covered run you will have to become resigned to mud if its a wet winter.

 

Just make sure you confine them to just a part of your garden. And keep a pair of wellies by the back door.

 

On the positive side - the girls love the mud - its easier to find worms when its wet!

[foreveryoung]

The chickens have a fenced off area within our garden - approx. 25m wide by 20m long, their arc is in there too.

 

However with all the rain we've been having recently it's turning into a bit of a mud pit! The chickens have pretty much scoffed the grass and other greeny in there (blackberry bush included). I've put some straw down to combat me slipping over but not sure what else I can do? The run is not covered so open to the elements.

 

Any advice would be wonderful!

 

Em

 

i put down sand and gravel if it gets too bad! the stuff you mix with cement? were putting a roof ontop soon.

[Jools]

I'd recommend woodchip for use outside, but definitely hemcore in a covered run. Here's another idea though!

 

You have a lovely large run for your lucky chickens and they have very ungratefully trashed it for you. I know what that feels like! How about splitting the area in two and having a smaller woodchipped run for winter use (when the grass isn't growing) and repairing the larger area by re-turfing, but keeping them off it until next spring. This is what has worked for me because it gives the grass time to rest over winter and then re-grow.

 

The other thing I have done is to protect the grass, because I don't want to have to re-turf every year. I use rolls of plastic netting - the sort you use for climbing plants on walls (not pea or bean netting) and I lay it out over the newly laid turf and weight it down. The grass grows through and it soon beds down so that you can barely see it, but the chickens can't completely destroy the grass beneath.

 

Also, if the grass starts getting a bit worn during the year (too much rain or not enough rain), I just move the chickens off for a week into their winter quarters to give it a bit of recovery time.

 

HTH

[Suzanne]

I have always free ranged the girls although the area has got smaller and smaller as they have wrecked the garden. They do have a small, wild area that they can happily do what they like in, just gravel and shrubs.

If I go out I put them in the run however. What do they do there all day??

 

Now it is all so muddy I have to put them in there when it rains and they just stand and look bored. What do chickens do in an Eglu and run ?I think they will be spending more and more time in there . Will they start digging?

Suzanne

[Egluntyne]

They may start digging...not because they have formed an escape committee, but because they like to make dust baths.

 

Give then something to amuse them whilst they are confined to barracks, such as a cabbage to peck at or some grains to search for in the Aubiose/Hemcore etc.

[chickencam]

We have got our run on a deep bed of bark chippings. When we lift the eglu and run off for cleaning and let them out to free range rather than digging in the garden they get back onto the bark chippings and dig there. I think that they must get loads of worms and woodlice etc in there.

 

The chips were just put down on the grass to a depth of about 10 inches and surrounded by old planks. They drain quite well and they still dig even when it is quite wet, they never look bored. We find that the poo just seems to disappear, but we have had to put a piece of wood along the bottom of the run on the lawn side to stop them kicking the bark chips all over the lawn. It's amazing how far they can throw them, the cats have had a faceful on many occasions!

[urbanchick]

I have Aubiose inside the run and they free range alot outside in a restricted area. I put bark chips down because there is no grass there and it is wonderful. No muddy boots and the poo doesn't seem to stick to my shoes either.

[badfizzgig]

Thank you all for some absolutely inspiring suggestions! My plan for tomorrow is to go and hunt down some bark chippings and see if I can soak up some of the mud.

 

I have to say the problem seems to be mine - the girls adore pecking in it and they have been having a digging frenzy and unearthed some lovely pottery (sadly no ming vases though ).

 

In the long term I think I might run with Jools' idea (thanks!), my friend with horses and chickens assures me that the grass does eventually come sprouting through in Spring but that's an age away....

 

Have added a couple of pics to my gallery to show you what the rascals have done

 

Em

[Cinnamon]

Em, I would go for wood chippings rather than bark, which can tend to go a bit slimey when wet.

There was also some concern about a mould produced which may not be great for the hens health.

B&Q do hard & soft wood chips for about £6 a bale,.

We have just re chipped our pens with the soft wood chips, & they are looking great

[Jools]

If you have a large area to cover, you'd be better checking the Yellow Pages for a local tree surgeon. Woodchip is a waste product (except when they can sell it to a power station ) and you'll pay a lot less for it that way.

[badfizzgig]

Thanks again for the good advice - will go for the wood chippings not bark as I don't want to create more problems!

 

Jools - great idea! Will see if I can find someone local (should be as I'm surrounded by orchards )

 

Em

[ktdot]

I have only had my chickens for a week and a half so am stiil learning. I put bark chippings in the run and ended up with black stuff everywhere. The bark was very damp when it came out of the bag too.

 

There are footprints all over the perches and ladder, and the water kept going black where they kicked it into the water hopper. The footprint issue would not be as bad on eglus but it looks horrible on the new wood of their house.

 

I managed to get some Hemcore so have put that down instead. It looks much nicer now. Will have to get my scrubbing brush out at the weekend. Shame I can't muster up the same entusiasm for cleaning in our house!

[sparkleeeeee]

because my chooks used to dig BIG holes i use the playground rubber grass protectors under the hemcore in my run and it works really well. the bugs still get through the holes and the water can drain through but the chooks cant dig and we have no muddy problems anymore. i did try mesh as well which did work well but i didnt have big enough sheets to fit in my new run.

[badfizzgig]

I put in a couple of bags of wood chippings this morning (need loads - how naive was I?!) and the girls love it! Having a throughly good peck and kick at it.

 

My plan for the long term I think will be to re-turf in early spring and put down matting/netting to stop them digging but to leave a corner untouched for them to dig to their hearts content.

 

I did debate whether to put a few things in to keep them occupied - do you think they would like a hollowed out tree stump or big bit of tube? Or is this just for my benefit?

 

Em

[sparkleeeeee]

i have loads of perches and some old tree branches with leaves for them to go under. there are also some old logs which i move around so they can eat the bugs. i even have an old tractor seat which they can go under and over. i did have a second level but took it when we put the roof on and i am in the process of making a newer improved version. i did used to have cds hanging in the eglu run and they did like them but i havent got around to putting them in the new run.