[langdon]

  hi all im looking for some advice about our chicken run. our 11  have turned over all the grass in their run what i want to know is what is the best way about recovering the grass. i know now to section it off,but im stuck as what to do next, allso i dont know how im goina let the  back up to the coop for them to lay as the coop is right at the top of the run,and at some point the top of the run is goina need to be treated whilst the  roam at the bottom of it when it is been sectioned off. have i . explained myself clearly for all to understand!!!!!!!!!!!! will be gratefull for any ideas hope all is going well for everyone

[doganjo]

I know exactly what you mean I have the same problem.  At the moment both my ducks and chickens are in the same run and it is a sea of mud!

I have been given 6 galvanised mesh panels and an old wooden dog kennel and huge cage.  I will make a separate place for the ducks, and put drainage pipes in the chicken run within gravel channels, then cover the whole lot with bark chips (hopefully free from the 'coonsul'  tip )  I'm not even going to try to re grass it.  They get out onto my lawn for a couple of hours a day anyway and that seems to be working well apart from having to go back into mud!

[r+lchick]

Do you have a proper chicken coop or a converted shed.  If it is a converted shed, could you add another pop hole down the other end so that they have long narrow runs. This way you can change their runs as you need.  I have mine on wood chipping (not bark chippings as they retain the water) and the bugs like it and the chickens like the bugs.  For a treat, I buy a roll of turf for them.  Don't worry, they go out when I get home or when I am home; we have urban foxes.  When they have decimated the turf, I turn it over and then they have another go at it.  Then you roll it up and what them "fight" to get on top, it being higher than the ground.  I also have one half covered so they can have a mooch in the rain  or get out of the sun.  Sorry, the best my brain box can do at this moment. Ros