Chip Drop in the RUN! Show me your runs!!

[mandymcg05]

Hey guys! Just ordered Chipdrop for the first time... We had TWO days of rain last week and the run is a mucky mess that the ducks are loving.. but my hennies - not so much lol.

I wanna know how ya'll use the chip drop for your runs!! And if anyone has any issues with water/rain holding in your run - how did you get around it and stop it?!

 

[Mamatomany123]

Make sure you have space because they drop a ton. That's why I havent tried it yet, I have the space in the backyard but they wont drop it back there.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I don't use chip drop as my own tree guy will just dump piles of our chipped branches wherever if asked.

If you have drainage issues in the run, due to soil type or whatever, that'll need to be addressed/resolved independent of the litter issue. Just adding chips won't fix drainage problems.

 

[aart]

Make sure you have space because they drop a ton. That's why I havent tried it yet, I have the space in the backyard but they wont drop it back there.

Yes, this^^^
You need a place out of the way to store the pile as you don't want it all to go in the run at once.

If you have drainage issues in the run, due to soil type or whatever, that'll need to be addressed/resolved independent of the litter issue. Just adding chips won't fix drainage problems.

Ditto Dat!

 

[CrazyTownChick]

(we live in KY too and have had a couple days of hard rains in a row)
So this is a very interesting topic to me because the floor of our 2 1/2 week old run is a wet mess. Rain stops then starts again. Hardware cloth roof on run with sail shade for, well, shade.
We do have good drainage because the coop and run are on a slope and it does drain off. We built the coop and run directly on grass on the side of our yard. Under the coop is fine because it's shielded from rain and grass is still growing. We have their food, water, and sandbox under the coop.
What do others use for run floors? I had searched for this topic but couldn't find the thread I was looking for with recommendations on run floors.

 

[aart]

I had searched for this topic but couldn't find the thread I was looking for with recommendations on run floors.

Here's more than a few:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/search/1971043/?q=run+floors&t=post&c[title_only]=1&o=relevance

 

[CrazyTownChick]

Here's more than a few:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/search/1971043/?q=run+floors&t=post&c[title_only]=1&o=relevance

Aart! You are awesome, thanks! Don't know why I wasn't having luck finding them. I will bury myself in learning more about run floors. I bow at your chicken-juggler feet.

 

[mandymcg05]

(we live in KY too and have had a couple days of hard rains in a row)
So this is a very interesting topic to me because the floor of our 2 1/2 week old run is a wet mess. Rain stops then starts again. Hardware cloth roof on run with sail shade for, well, shade.
We do have good drainage because the coop and run are on a slope and it does drain off. We built the coop and run directly on grass on the side of our yard. Under the coop is fine because it's shielded from rain and grass is still growing. We have their food, water, and sandbox under the coop.
What do others use for run floors? I had searched for this topic but couldn't find the thread I was looking for with recommendations on run floors.

So our's is also on a slight slope. BUT we messed up by not covering ONE INCH of the doggone run... SO. Here our mess after those days of rain last week... ridiculous!!!

I was also doing another stupid thing... dumping the duck pool... in the middle... of the run... everyday lol. SOOOO let's not address my stupidity today.

So far, what we've done is move the pool to the low corner of the run which has helped ALOT already. And I went and got some tarps to help cover the first half of the run to give them more shelter from the rain as well as their food bowls. We are also going to get some T posts and make them another side yard to the run because I think all these chickens in that run - the grass didn't stand a chance I'm hoping I can put down some pine pellets, then the wood chips on top them in my low wetter spots that tend to have the most water. And then just the wood chips on the dirt in the rest of the run. I know opening up the side yard for them will help a bit too... I can't believe I thought it would be fine without having any shade/cover in the run... Again.. We won't address the stupidity lol.

 

[mandymcg05]

Here's more than a few:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/search/1971043/?q=run+floors&t=post&c[title_only]=1&o=relevance

@aart YOU DA MAN!!

 

[CrazyTownChick]

So our's is also on a slight slope. BUT we messed up by not covering ONE INCH of the doggone run... SO. Here our mess after those days of rain last week... ridiculous!!!

I was also doing another stupid thing... dumping the duck pool... in the middle... of the run... everyday lol. SOOOO let's not address my stupidity today.

So far, what we've done is move the pool to the low corner of the run which has helped ALOT already. And I went and got some tarps to help cover the first half of the run to give them more shelter from the rain as well as their food bowls. We are also going to get some T posts and make them another side yard to the run because I think all these chickens in that run - the grass didn't stand a chance I'm hoping I can put down some pine pellets, then the wood chips on top them in my low wetter spots that tend to have the most water. And then just the wood chips on the dirt in the rest of the run. I know opening up the side yard for them will help a bit too... I can't believe I thought it would be fine without having any shade/cover in the run... Again.. We won't address the stupidity lol.

____________
@mandymcg05
Hi Mandy Mc, fellow Kentuckian- Just wondering how the run project is going. We had a TON of rain this past weekend (3 3/4 inches according to my hubby's collector). I had tried to mitigate the mud by adding a lot of grass clippings from a recent mowing. It helped a little. Then I ordered a box of "pine needles" from Amazon. A little disappointed in them, however, it's a big roll and they really seem to help keep the wet run a bit dryer. It keeps their little feet from trampling through the mud and puddles.

So I have been on a quest to find wood chips - preferably the "ramial wood chips" that Aart told us about. Having no luck so far. I don't want regular mulch, dyed mulch, or cedar mulch, and I don't want to use pine Shavings.

We also added an addition, a play yard near the coop/run, to which we've attached a chunnel. After assembling the metal frame & chicken wire play yard, we hurriedly threw together a chicken wire chunnel. We're going to completely redo that with that welded wire fencing stuff. It's a mess, my hubby put 2x4s inside to give it a frame to hold the chicken wire up. Functional, but very flimsy, totally non secure, and ready to collapse any minute. Maybe.

Anyway, wondering how your run is doing and what solutions you were able to find. I want to try the wood chips, mixed with pine needs and grass clippings IF I can find some non-treated wood chips.

The irony is we are surrounded by trees on all sides of our property. Recently we cut a dead oak down, but gave the trunk and main branches to a neighbor who has a saw mill, for his use. Anyway....surrounded by trees, can't seem to find wood chips.
So how's your run?

PS: Did you ever get your ChipDrop? I'm really hesitating to order a chipdrop because we live on a dirt road, have a long gravel driveway and plenty of space to store wood chips -- BUT from what I read, they only drop it in your driveway. That would not work, we wouldn't be able to get to our house and would have to haul them all ourselves to the backyard behind the shop or near the barn. We could use our tractor and bucket, but what a mess! They won't place them where you want them, I don't think.