Quick backyard chicken tip...no more muddy coops!

Snow melted, thaw is started and the chicken coop/pen was a swamp! Cleaned out the winter build up of shavings and hay in the pen and covered the whole pen...no more muddy feet, happy chickens and nice clean, dry eggs!

[@zepguwlthistle7924]

your introduction is short and sweet. Good job, we can actually take our precious time to watch your good video

[@TracyR4]

Wood chips work great too to throw in there. Keeps the mud down too. You can by them at Tractor Supply or if you have a neighbor chipping wood, that is great too. :)

[@suzymcclung9545]

great idea!!! Thanks

[@justsaying6644]

if you can afford it, a varigated plastic roof with an overhang would surely help. Where we live it is rainy in spring, hot in the summer, and cold in winter with lots of snow. Our run has a roof, but will have to use some plastic for the sides so the snow doesnt blow in and bury the run. Sure wished they could freely roam as it saves on a lot of feed and live in a barn with the cows.

[@rosesmith6208]

I was sorta still free ranging my chickens a couple of weeks ago because I had to fix teir run as it collasped from teh heavy snow we had. I was kind of watching them but working, sure enough a hawk jumped on my chickens while they were in the brambles/branches where they had no leaves and was able to manuever itself onto a hiding chicken (they ususally hide there in summer too so I guess theythought it was still safe) I knew trouble when the other chickesn ran and screamed as they ran into the run, and I looked all around couldnt figure out where the predator was then I heard a low groan in those brambles, and a hawk was sitting on one of my astrolorps, and I scared off the hawk and chased it away (it came back) and put my astrolorp in the coop, she was okay only surface scratches, the hawk was still around and a few minutes later I seen my hamburg chicken flying and screaming all the way back to the coop from the same bramlbes (she was there hiding but I did not know she was there hence why the hawk came back) so no more free range until the leaves returned that hawk was very hungry kept coming bakc after I kept chasing it away, if finally got a sparrow.

[@dougroberts3643]

@rose smith We have the same issues with hawks. They are relentless and brave. They come after our chickens even when we're out there with them

[@jessicaj8148]

I do this too! I have an area that likes to stay muddy and I’m still trying to tackle that. But the shavings help

[@createartmarxs7705]

Sawdust. It’s free or super cheap. Biochar. Which you make yourself. No smells, no mud and amazing compost every few months.

[@d.j.robinson9424]

Looks awesome, GREAT job ! 👍💚

[@sandygilliland7600]

I don't know how you can say "they're fully secure" when you just have flimsy chicken wire surrounding their run.

[@trishameloling2367]

my family double ours

[@carolsanborn5332]

I've heard that small square mesh wire is the only way to go if you have the possibility of rats or weasels.I sure hope it works out for these chickens, but have heard many sad stories of preditors climbing through, around up +under without sturdy strung mesh wiring with lots of thick wooden +/ or metal support stakes. Ever see a wolf or coyote climb a high fence to carry chickens right over the top? Unbelievable if you haven't seen them do it. Google it +it'll creep you out, guaranteed. Then of course there are those that skirt around the "no mesh wire skirt " , if you leave for even an hour out of sight - underneath the entire run +coop, the poor chickies are vunerable to attack. Coons can be a force to be reckoned with, as well as skunks + an occasional bear. Coops should be very solid (bearproof) with wiremesh ventilation + complicated locks that coons can't fiddle +fidget with until they accidentally open. Do your best , but don't be shocked if you find your flock ripped to catlitter when you think you haven't missed one tiny hole that a preditor could breech. It's one of the most heart wrenching moments you will ever experience to come upon the murder scene of chickens you thought were safe .

[@backyardfarmingaroundbyfa1059]

Nice video

[@MJYouAreNotAlone1]

We used half-inch hardware cloth!

[@backyardfarmingaroundbyfa1059]

Keep it up

[@ryanthayer2965]

How do you keep your run from turning back into a muddy mess when the rain comes down? I've considered making my run enclosed to keep it dry as well but that seems like a great deal of work, I would love to be able to compost the run Thanks for any help!!

[@newenglandhomesteaders8341]

We now have a sheltered run... makes all the difference...12x20 shelter logic

[@rosesmith6208]

put a tarp or roof I ended up putting a aframe type roof and tarp over my run. the other run i will have to rebuild as the top is collasping a bit from heavy snow when we have it.

[@backyardfarmingaroundbyfa1059]

Supporting each other here

[@rosesmith6208]

so you take all their poop and spread it in the run when the shavings are completly full? sounds gross to me,they be stepping in it eating in it, I dont think that is a good idea. I am doing the shavings in my coop so I only clean it out once a week, the pen i clean twice aweek, and put down fresh shavings. but as long as the chickens are healthy and doing well I guess it works for you. just remmeber the bacteria load would be very high ina situation like yours. in the wild chickens move around and do not eat where they poop, unless they are forced to. just be sure to clean the eggs really good and your hands before cooking the eggs.

[@TracyR4]

It sounds weird but it works. It composts everything down. You just take the poo, put in on the ground and then cover it up with grass, wood chips etc. It also keeps their run warmer ( not too warm but warm enough) in the winter too because compost creates heat, and you get some heat in the winter. If you winter proof your run and have that it works wonderfully. We did this this year and it's warmer inside the run then it is outside ( and we live in a VERY cold area). So no matter how low the temps go they have somewhere to heat themselves. Like I said, it sounds strange but its actually a process many people use. The great part is by the time winter is over, you have great compost to put in your garden.

[@vaasbill5852]

Nice video