keeping the mud down....

[polo]

Hi everyone, after a bit of advice.

This weather has been horrendous the last few days - the run is a muddy smelly mess and I'm coming to the conclusion they are going to need a fully covered run (i know,I know you all keep saying it :-) )

Trouble is, its a large awkward shaped wire covered run. Ideas I have were trying to cover the majority of the roof with corrugated plastic or bodging it for the winter with a very large sheet of heavy duty clear plastic.

Either option wont be easy due to the shape!! Have you any suggestions? What have you done?

Thanks

Polo

[Suechooks]

I've got part of each run covered. I've covered from the hut for about 10' down and the full width using supported Onduline on 2 runs (they are adjoinin the same coop with a pophole into each run so I can use them alternately. The other run is part Onduline, part ply and tarpaulin (bit of a bodge job when original wasn't big enough!) and also they have access underneath the coop too.
I use pallets and wood chip from tree surgeon and just shovel it out a couple of times a week and replace when it gets too soggy. I use straw in the dry areas when weather is nasty like this.

[chris]

I've put down weed fabric in my small run - then covered with pea gravel. They're not that impressed, I can tell you - but they were caked in it. I've covered part of it now temp with old compost bags, and a plastic lid from a large plastic box.

They've part uncovered, and not covered with gravel, but with branches down in there now they seem a bit happier it's drier...

Can't wait to start on my proper run - I'm planning on using clear plastic corrugated stuff as a roof for the whole lot... with a solid base (concrete or slabs - haven't decided yet..) then scratching material ontop- hopefully the majority of of it will stay dry as long as the rain remains vertical

[chris]

What's the shape of the roof Polo - can you put a pic up?

[Liza]

I use ground sheets Buy PE Ground Sheet. at Argos.co.uk - Your Online Shop for .they have a hole at each corner,so I put four hooks on the run to keep it inplace and can be removed easily.

[roitelet]

My runs are uncovered and when it gets very wet and muddy I dig the runs over and put straw down over some of it. Mostly where we walk to feed and let them out. Seems to work OK and at the moment the chooks are on groung clearing duty for an estemsion to the veg patch. They love the newly turned soil and it is suprisingly dry under the mussy slimey surface.

[RichmondHens]

As a temporary solution rake up loads and loads of leaves and dump them in the run. (If you can't get leaves from your own garden then try the neighbours). They will break down/squash in before too long but in the short term will get the birds off the mud and give them something to scratch about in. Also put branches in that they can perch on so they are not trampling about on the ground all day.

[lettucegrow!]

I've taken down their sun shade and put up a huge tarpauline from Wicks, I've had to fold in half it's so big,and covered the ground with straw. It looks great and I'm hoping it will mean a much more pleasant living area for them, I hate it when the grounds so soggy as that's when it starts smelling

[lindyloo]

i use a cheap tarp. of the market, over most of the top- leave a bit open so they can bathe in whatever sun we get, and let a little rain in so they can have a shower if they like and freshen up. and then i have an old door, which i lay on it's side on the prevailing wind side, and leave the rest of the sides open to the elements. i keep a thick layer of straw on the floor, it is warm, they love to root around in it, and it breaks down to lovely soil/ compost. i dont take it out weekly; i let the outdoor area build up over winter, and just keep topping it up. ( it won't smell)

[jessmorris]

Hello there,
for my Pekins I cover part of their run with corrugated plastic, and have put a pallet under it for them to get onto a dry surface. I've also just put in some conifer needles and deciduous dry leaves for them to rootle in. I've also put a perch swing in so they can get off the mud. The rest of the run is open to the elements, partly because the part of the garden they are in is quite shaded and I like them to be able to warm up in the sun when they get the chance. The corrugated plastic is handy but short-lived. It blows around all over the place, gets v brittle in the frost and cracks very easily. I like the tarp idea as it can be tied onto the run. If I was keeping them I would consider making a roofed three sided shed thing for one side of the run so they could be sheltered but still outside. It would keep the food dry too.
The bantams in the garden can run under guinea pig cages or the coop to keep dry, and they have plenty of paving to dry out on.
Hope all these suggestions help!
JM

[lindyloo]

the tarp is much better if you put some timber on the top, to weigh down the sides, if you just tie it, and the wind gets under it, it will rip the rope through the rivets and fabric, so i tie, but reinforce with timber around sides and 'beams' across the top, so the wind can't get under it.

[polo]

Hi everyone, sorry for the silence this week - computer problems so unable to put pics up etc - good idea though Chris. Will endevour to do so at some point!

Loads of responses thanks, Its very interesting to see what you all do with your runs. I think I'm more bothered by the mud than they are to be honest. They have dry inside areas with bark to go in if they want and outside area with perches. I just hate the muddy eggs!

The tarp idea is good and easily moved. I think I need to get a couple of them for the worst bits, a bale of straw and lots of leaves. Leaves are not a problem where I am!

Will look at something a little more permenant in the summer when I can rope my dad in for help.

thanks

[Hilary B]

It will also help if you make it easier for any water that DOES get on the ground in there to get away, and if they are on even a slightly sloping place, make sure rain falling UPHILL of them cannot run down into their space (some kind of gully to catch any run off and take it away).
There is more wetness/mud from lack of drainage than from any other cause (which is why gravel so often reduces the problem effectively).

[country chic]

My coup turned into a mud puddle too so I have put down a few inches of wood chips, which were donated by a local wood yard, as long as they are not Yew or Laburnum ( as these are toxic ) it should be fine. chookers don't mind a bit and enjoy scratching around to find bit of food in it. I have left an area under the coup full of fresh soil so they can still have a dust bath.

[Tomatoking]

I made a little rain cover for the chickens last week, then moved the coop, which I have raised slightly off the soil. I will eventually put some bark chippings around the coop so it will not get too muddy.

Of couse the girls still just stand out in the rain and end up looking like drowned rats, but i tried.