[Declan]

Is fine rounded gravel worth considering for the hen run- it will withstand a real good hosing down to remove the yucky stuff>

[doganjo]

My hen run is a permanent bog at the moment and I can see it is only going to get worse over the winter.  I am at my wits end as to what to do about it.  It started off as grass, the hens and ducks mashed THAT up!  So I separated them and the ducks are now in a grassy run so it is definitely the hens that make the mess.  I have tried type 1 hardcore, sand, straw, boards, more boards, more straw and STILL it is soggy and squelchy.  I absolutely loathe going in for their eggs.  I am seriously thinking of slabbing the whole area and making drainage holes through the one foot high wall - then at least I can hose it down and hopefully it will drain into the adjacent burn.  All Ic an hope is that the RSPCA inspector doesn't come by before I get it sorted!

[meebh]

We use wood chips as we have found it to be very cheap, for those of you in Fife Ladybank sawmill do it for £1 a bag if you fill your own bags!!!  So how much also depends on the size of bags you have and we have kept some pretty big bags over the years so 13 of them fill a C5 estate with the seats down.  We have never had a problem with red mite or anything so must just be lucky.  You can buy it already bagged from the sawmill but obviously this is a more expensive way to do it. 

[spikey_fridge]

i got some cheap half slabs from a well known DIY store and put them down as stepping stones from gate to coop

[SLI]

Hi,
Has anyone had any luck with what to put down? I was going to post the question & then found this thread. The soles of my boots are twice the size when I come out of the run - drives me bats!   
I'm thinking that the sharp sand sounds good...   

[northfifeduckling]

pebbles from the veg patch it is for me, creating a path throught the mud

[Cobra]

Well if I'm honest as yet I haven't tackled it I am going to get some sand and see how that works out for now.

Any ideas i had of stone or pebble or hard material; I wont try until its actually dry as mud will swallow such material in a very short time, like in gate ways etc.

Still thinking on the bark idea if I'm honest Sand first then will see how it goes, sorry peep's been so busy sorting for the new pigs of late.

[SLI]

No problem, Cobra,
I still haven't attempted anything either - I only have 4 chickens but work full time & have 2 sons at home so....

Anyway, going to get some sharp sand tomorrow & try that. 

[spikey_fridge]

i put the half slabs down and they messed on them then it rained and when i went in and out i fell over and got covered in ... well, i was thinking something anti slip in there now

[northfifeduckling]

when you find a solution let me know  all my pebbles have sunk into the mud 

[katie]

i have used ornamental bark in the past for some of my pens. Never had any problems with it. It just needs topping up from time to time.

[Pomona]

We put down unmulched wood chips and change it every 3/4 months - we put the old stuff in the compost heap or on the allotment so it all gets recycled   

There's a couple of sawmills nearby so the chips are cheap as, er, chips.   

[SLI]

  Well - 5 bags of sharp sand later and.... nah! It's marginally better I suppose but no real solution so back to the drawing board 

[spikey_fridge]

very thick layer of wood shavings. i'm using a bale of it now and seems to keep mess and smell down. not sure how long it will last for but pretty good after two days so far

[northfifeduckling]

builder's rubble on here to recreate the path - the pebbles just sank into the deep, deep mud  - 10 buckets full!