[Stereo]

Like most people out there, the area around our main hen house has turned to a quagmire. The house is on a sloping field so I'm thinking a solution may be a few slabs radiating out from the pophole. Easy to brush down and should self clean to some extent in the rain. Would be good if they had a few metres of concrete to cross before they come in to lay. Anyone tried this or have any better ideas?

[Rosemary]

We bought slabs for that purpose a year ago. Hopefully we'll get them down this summer 

[ScribbleUk]

I think the only real solution to mud is to stop rain getting into the run if at all possible with a roof and/or shelter netting around the sides.  Some of our runs have roofs, and some don't.  The roofless runs look like Tom and Barbara's garden, while the covered runs look like the Leadbetter's - still pristine.

We put some slabs down around the feeders in the uncovered runs for the same purpose as you mentioned, but in pretty short order they too are swamped in mud so haven't made too much difference.  I think the whole run would need paved to be effective.

I also have blocks around the perimeter of the runs primarily to prevent foxes digging under, but I am thinking of lifting them as there is some evidence that they are actually preventing the water draining out of the run.  I will replace the blocks with old pallets which will help prevent fox digging and also provide a platform to walk over when collecting the eggs.

[Bodger]

We bought slabs for that purpose a year ago. Hopefully we'll get them down this summer 

How thick skinned do you reckon people can be?

[Rosemary]

We bought slabs for that purpose a year ago. Hopefully we'll get them down this summer 

How thick skinned do you reckon people can be?

 

[Bodger]

I thought you were dropping a subtle hint for your OH.

[Backinwellies]

       beginning to think  slabs all over smallholding may be necessary!!

[bloomer]

another clear dry day here...


yes the fields were very wet when i went for a walk earlier, but they are nowhere near as bad as the last 2 winters I have been here for...


still wondering where the frosts are etc.

[Stereo]

I get tons of free pallets in my main business. I wonder if I should just bung a load of those around. Or would they be slippery and risk injuring the birds, especially if they fly and land on them etc.

[hughesy]

We've used palets as duckboards to good effect. At least the birds aren't standing in the slime all the time and it stops you making it worse when you go in to feed them etc.

[Stereo]

I don't suppose there is any real answer other than moving them to fresh grass. I've got access to 2 acres of land but to be honest, last year we have failed to achieve what we set out to do. Main mistake was putting in a static house and putting it too near the hedge which means we cant really rotate the pen around it as well as we should be able to . Now they are on mud and to me, that is a failure as I hate to see hens on mud. Plus the eggs are all filthy and the risk of disease / worms etc. rockets.

Plan for this year is to see if we can get them into smaller mobile groups in some way. Or fence the whole field in 8 strands of electric and give them the run of it with a big mobile house.