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

[LimitIsUp]

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?

@DadANDPK
Yes indeed - I wouldn't be averse to a permanent move to a prepared spot, but it's going to be the same sort of ground, albeit hopefully better able to withstand the rain if I pay attention to the floor beneath the wood chipping (paving slabs / horse matting / gateway maps)

And put a clear tarp on

Mine looks a state like that too. I've been out and dug out all the muck. Covered it with straw and wood chips and re secured the tarp. The project to build a permanent space for them rather than their temporary run has just been brought forward with drainage high on the agenda!!

Pics taken but I need to work out how to reduce the file size, because I can't post them. The tarp is "glass clear tarpaulin" and covers part of the sides as well as the top. The table has a perch on the top, and a box on its side they can hide in. The girls love their table!

We have a solid windbreak covering one corner and some bamboo screening on another, which gives them a windbreak and cover. There are branches to perch on and walk along, and a big pot for dustbath soil.

The clear tarp doesn't keep all the rain out if it's heavy rain with wind, but it's only the edges that get wet. The middle stays dry always.

@LimitIsUp Short term, please at least get them some perches to allow them to get their feet off that mud bath. Looks like they don't have any stimulation either, so some hanging treats to peck and maybe a stack of pallets to climb up will give them something to do.

Yes I need to provide more stimulation - they have a swing and I hang up whole cabbages sometimes but I need to do more.

We have a similar situation. We’ve always had paving slabs over some of the run so they’re easy to scrape clean. Over the rest of the run we put down straw, which soaks up some of the moisture. They have a dust bath in an old dog’s basket (covered). But it’s been so wet this year that it’s still all a bit grim.

Pics of our run attached. The layer of woodchip is thick. The matting is only showing in some places because they've kicked it up - there are mounds of it in other places!

I've had this issue. Solved it with overhead tarpaulin, side panels from Omlet and plentiful tree stumps/perches.

That certainly looks dry and hygienic - thanks for posting

I would definitely put something down underneath any bark chips. Perhaps some landscaping fabric to stop the mud rising up? I've seen gravel used to great effect as it will still drain.
If I were you I would start again. I understand it will be a huge amount of work. I'd either dig out some top soil or if put down landscape fabric and probably top with a combination of sand and gravel. I'd also put slabs down like stepping stones for you to step on and for dry spaces for food and water. I would also completely cover the top with a tarp and the whichever side the prevailing wind comes from with a fine mesh that will block much of the rain but allow wind through.

We have the same run and we have a tarp on top and wood chipping on the ground and it's fine. They need more rain coverage anyway in addition to keeping them safe from wild bird poo.

I am neurodiverse, and lucky for the chickens their chicken run has become my new special interest! I have now ordered a huge glass clear tarp and more wood chippings. In the interim I have covered the small run underneath the eglu house with old patio slabs - access was via the walk in run then on your hands and knees crawling, to enter the original small run (among standing water and chicken poo) to position the slabs, ds did this - bless him. The chickens seemed interested and quite happy. In addition we had a few patio slabs left over which now cover one third of the walk in run - so now the chickens have the option to keep their feet dry. My builder friend is dropping off two pallets this week to cover more of the ground in the walk in run. Wood chippings, when they arrive (I had run out) will be scattered over the patio slabs and between the pallets (still some gaps between the pallets for scrathing around in)

In the better spring weather, we will be removing the pallets and putting in something like this safefence.co.uk/rubber-grass-mats.html?msclkid=3fd4cac621b31135a595a9030233e869 and then overlaying with wood chip. I don't think it is necessary to resite the chicken run - the ground will recover in the drier weather and the new improvements will prevent a relapse.

Will ask friend's tree surgeon dh to drop in sections of tree trunk to add interest for the chickens and I will put in dust bath.

Thank you all - this has been very informative

What about some paving slabs?

Few bags of sand down may help before you put the woodchip down.We have tarpaulin over the top and partly up the sides.

Moving the run isn't necessarily the answer unless you can move it very frequently. Our eglu is knackered. The wheel base went ages ago and so moving it is extremely difficult but even when we do it only take a few days for the new patch of ground to be trashed too.

Can I ask those who has a clear glass tarp how long it lasts? I find that whatever I cover the roof of our run with it only lasts for one winter.

I would love a run big enough to walk in. In th espring I will be on my hands and knees scraping ours out. I have to remove a layer before I add anything else, and it is only shoulder high.

On a lighter note. I had my three litte feather footed bantams in the kitchen on Sunday washing feet and feathers, and they are now much happier.

That's great that you did that for them

I agree. It's about proofing the existing site from the weather and appropriate flooring

Our local tree surgeon charged £60 for 2 tonnes of woodchip, delivered, so not too bad. It was mainly for covering the garden but some has gone in the chicken run, they love pecking around in it. It will breakdown eventually though.

Ours is about 4 years old and still going strong. It’s the stuff they sell for market stalls. It got a bit green with algae but we cleaned it.

I tried landscaping fabric in my old, smaller run and it was a disaster. It doesn’t drain well enough, the soil under it doesn’t get enough air, and when we took it up the soil stank. Horse matting is perfect- it’s really tough, the holes are small enough to keep the woodchip on top but big enough for the soil to stay healthy underneath.

We have a very similar set up to you but we have it on paving slabs and wood chip. We replace the woodchip twice a year and get it from the local tree surgeon for £20 for a builders bag full which just fills the run nicely. I ask him for hardwood chips and tell him I’d rather wait than get softwood as it doesn’t last the 6 months. We also got the Omlet perches which the chickens love. We dump the used wood chip down a boggy corner of the garden so it also helps dry the paths up a bit. We cable tied clear Perspex around the bottom to stop the chickens kicking out the woodchip and have Omlet covers over the top.