[kattcottrell]

I'm in need of some advice please, it hasn't stopped raining here for days and the girls run has turned into a swimming pool, it has covers over the top and lots of bark chips inside the run but I think where all the ground around it is so very wet its seeping into the run, we have clay for soil so no drainage, does anyone have any ideas of how to make it more drainable? (I know thats not a real word but hey ) my poor girls either get soaked out in the garden or stood around in an inch of water in their run, I feel so awful for them I feel like a terrible mother hen

[muntjac]

dig it over at least 2 spades deep at the next dry spell put in a load of builders sand  1 bag to the sq yard  add gravel as well  1 bag to about 4 sq yards now outside the run around the edges dig a trench about 1 spades width about 2ft deep and 2 ft away from the run sides and dispose of the soil now back fill with just gravel  to the top .this is called a french drain. the sand and gravel inside wil allow the water to soak away into the french drain hopefully keeping the run ground drier .for now just throw a deep bed of straw down   compost it when you have done the other work  

[kattcottrell]

Thanks for  that, don't fancy my back after digging all that clay though

[Kazoo]

Hi There
Have you put any logs in their run to give them somewhere to perch off the ground?  Mine have some logs  and big stones/rocks that they love snoozing on together - keeps them off the ground.

[melc1962]

the logs are a brilliant idea. I, too, am on clay soil and this summer have worried about the girls getting trench foot!
melc

[poultrygeist]

I've got 2 or 3 large logs on end and some 2-3" thick branches between as perches about 12" off the ground. They can move about the run without getting their socks wet then.  

Rob  

[Kate and her Ducks]

Get ducks    

[poultrygeist]