Stinky, horrible, waterlogged chicken run - advice / opinions please

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I feel rather worried for my three chickens - the run is in a horrible post heavy rain state. I bought some wood chippings for the run in the autumn - several large bags but most have just been swallowed by the mud. I probably could buy loads ++ so that coverage is several inches deep everywhere, but that would cost £££s with no guarantee of success.

Was thinking - temporary solution to order several pallets. I found the one pictured below propped up against the fence in my small paddock. Pallets are relatively cheap but an additional £60 for delivery

Longer term was pondering providing concrete hard standing for the chicken run (and overlaying with straw on top) - but might need planning permission as the land is classed as agricultural / paddock?

Or perhaps digging down and removing soil to a depth of a few inches, and then infilling with shingle / gravel and then covering with wood chippings.

Anyone with similar issues? What have you done?

I think you need to move the poor things to a drier area of the garden. They’ll get trench foot.

Ours looks similar. It's really difficult at the moment when they have to stay locked away. We generally use wood chippings but they don't last long.

I would agree that you need to move the eglu more frequently

Are you in the UK in a bird flu area? The reason I ask is because I have the same run, but ours is completely covered with a tarp over the top to compy with bird flu regulations, and the upside of that is the ground doesn't get anywhere near as muddy and boggy

This poor things!

We have the same run, and have a tarp right on the top, and that plus woodchippings has kept it nice and dry/clean underfoot. So much so that my brahma who has feathery feet has never had such lovely floofy feet

I could get a large tarp tomorrow. Might well help

It isn't possible to move the large run - its fixed position.

What about pallets on the floor as a quick fix?

And for the longer term the concrete hard standing?

I would put a really really thick layer of woodchips down, like 4 inches or so deep, then put a tarp over the top (we are somewhere windy to we also have thin battens on the top of the tarp to stop it getting blown around in the wind)

Does the rain not get in from the side?

We have covers on the side which gets rain blowing through from the wind but ours is in a really sheltered spot so it only happens in the one direction

Yes I will get either more wood chippings or pallets, and cover with a large tarp in the interim but in the longer term does concrete hard standing with bedding over the top (wood chip or straw) sound good? Has anyone done that?

I wouldn't do concrete personally because they like to scratch and dig, but mine are only in this run during bird flue restrictions so I don't have the same long term issues

Mine are in the run all the time due to day time foxes (two hens killed last year in broad daylight) but in the good weather I take a deckchair down there and give them a supervised outdoor roam session with me on predator spotting duty. Re the scratching and digging, in the better weather I could put a large sand filled tray in there for a dirt bath and for them to scratch in

I don’t think concrete is ideal although it’s easy of course to then jet wash it.

Oh bless them, foxes are a nightmare aren't they!

A large tray they can dustbath and scrabble in sounds good. I think a really deep layer of topping over the concrete would help too

Oh bless them, foxes are a nightmare aren't they!

A large tray they can dustbath and scrabble in sounds good. I think a really deep layer of topping over the concrete would help too

I'd be inclined to dig down a few inches and lay a deep layer of wood chip. I'd also look to providing a cover over the top.
Maybe have roll down sides eg tarp to provide further protection from the elements.

If you are not going to move the run and you don't want the mud you need to eliminate the ability for there to BE mud.

A tarpaulin or similar will reduce the water coming in, but if there is bare earth or grass over soil that can still turn to mud.

If you want to go the woodchip route it needs to be deep. 10-15cm? Chickens scrabble though and you don't want to stop that. They will get down through the woodchip somewhere unless it is VERY deep. I doubt they would get through porous membrane under the chip though.

I've just costed wood chip to cover the area to 15 cms deep - £211
Also thinking about galvanised chicken wire netting around the base of the run to stop them chucking the wood chips out through the sides of the run.
Thanks for all the advice

I have a big outdoor run with woodchip. If you put woodchip on top of soil you’ll get soggy woodchip mixed with mud. I got round this by putting rubber horse matting on the ground, cut to the size of the run. This is pegged down and a thick layer of woodchip goes on top ((3-4 inches). The matting is perforated so any water drains through, and it lets air through to the soil so it doesn’t get stinky. The woodchip is perfect for the chooks to dig in. We also have some big branches in the run for them to perch on, and a table that they love to hide under or sit on top of.

It’s essential for the top of that run to be covered for biosecurity while bird flu restrictions are in place, but I think runs should have a rain cover anyway. I have clear plastic on top of ours which keeps the woodchip dry but lets light in. Search for “glass clear tarpaulin” and you’ll probably find it on eBay.

As a very very temporary fix, yes it would much better for them to have a few pallets to perch on and keep their feet dry. But they also need something to do, something to scratch and dig in - that run is just wet bare mud.

Can send pics if you like.

@FictionalCharacter - yes that's what I have got, woodchip mixed with mud! The horse matting sounds like a good shout. Would love to see pictures

They do have shelter from the rain in their original small run at the back - but absolutely, rather embarrassed that I am not following bio security regs and I should have covered the larger run.

If you put down horse matting you can put less than 15cm of woodchip and it will be much less than £211. E.g. https://www.cpa-horticulture.co.uk/hardwood-playgrade-chip
Will send pics tomorrow.

Perfect - thank you

That horse matting looks fab!

Also in terms of biosecurity I don't know if you are aware but the bigger holes in the mesh on the top half of the large run are big enough to let birds though. Not just little birds too I had a magpie manage to squeeze through once!

So for a bit of added bird flu security we have thin green mesh netting with tiny holes around the top half of the run as well. It does irritate me that omlet didn't make it bird proof given bird flu restrictions have been around on and off for a fair few years now!