[Flyin Chickens]

This is my first winter with 2 hens, they have a corner of the garden about 10ft by 15ft on what was grass with plenty of borders on 2 sides for digging.

So now I have set the scene here are my questions.

1. As you all would have expected (but I didn't think about) the hens have removed all evedence that grass was ever present in their area and now with the rain it has turned in to a mud bath.  What can I put down to help reduce the slop factor?

I have plans in the summer to re-turf the main walking areas in the coop and cover with a mesh to prevent the hens scratching the grass up

2. My niece said that she spotted a mouse running along the back fence of the garden towards the coop.  Will mice cause trouble and if so what should I do to stop the mice taking cover in the coop area?

Thanks for the help in advance

[Selkie]

Hi FC, could you do what I'm doing and fence off part of the run and then plant in clumps of grass and 'weeds' into the earth?

The stuff I'm using are clumps that have come up through our gravel path, or have crept over the surface of our paving stones on the front lawn.

It seems to have caught already, so hopefully in about a month's time I will be able to take the temporary fence down and let the hens in.

I will then fence off another part of the run and work on improving that.

[Jules]

We've put down bark chips to help reduce the mud bath.  
It's certainly working at the moment, but the chickens do like to dig around in it so I don't know how long it will last for!  :roll:

Jules

[Flyin Chickens]

Have some bark chips that I will put down today.

Anyone have any ideas on the possible problem with mice??

[poultrygeist]

Although we've had ours for just over a week, we still have a good cover of grass.

We put down some bark chippings and I put corrugated plastic over most of it which has stopped it becoming too wet.

Don't know if we're just lucky or if it will turn muddy yet.

Also stuck in a couple of loose turves which I lifted from elsewhere.

Maybe they scratch on that instead of the grass.

Every situation is unique, I guess.

[Sadgit]

I stuck free compost from the local tip down in mine last week.. bad bad bad idea.. even worse than the mud

think I might get some hay/straw to put in mine.

[Bagpuss]

Hemcore is good at soaking up the wet, it's a bit pricey but seems to last a long time as the sack is very big and compressed.

[Aunt Sally]

Large bark chippings, Hemcore/aubiose, straw -  but NEVER Hay !!

If they eat it, it can cause an inpacted crop which can be fatal or require surgery to remove.

[Jellyhead]

Great idea Rose, gonna try that this week. Also, I have put down some 12" squares of decking in the past. It can get a bit slippery but if you keep it clean-ish it works a treat as the grass grows underneath. Slow tho cos of lack of light. Might try it again putting seeds down to help.  

[Fat Hen]

Although we've had ours for just over a week, we still have a good cover of grass.

We put down some bark chippings and I put corrugated plastic over most of it which has stopped it becoming too wet.

Don't know if we're just lucky or if it will turn muddy yet.

Also stuck in a couple of loose turves which I lifted from elsewhere.

Maybe they scratch on that instead of the grass.

Every situation is unique, I guess.

I suppose covering it with corrugated plastic will stop them digging it up but it's a little drastic    

[poultrygeist]

We put down some bark chippings and I put corrugated plastic over most of it which has stopped it becoming too wet.



I suppose covering it with corrugated plastic will stop them digging it up but it's a little drastic    

 :oops:

Makes a brilliant water slide for them !!  :roll:

[Fat Hen]

We put down some bark chippings and I put corrugated plastic over most of it which has stopped it becoming too wet.



I suppose covering it with corrugated plastic will stop them digging it up but it's a little drastic    

 :oops:

Makes a brilliant water slide for them !!  :roll:

A theme park for hens that's brilliant    

[poultrygeist]

Trampoline next

...yippeeeeeeeeeeeee  

[chickychick]

I have a mud bath too, I have added a fence panel on its side with an old saw horse under it to give them a sort of big table, it allows them to get under to a drier area plus they can jump onto the table thing to dry their feet off and subbathe etc.

I also have a big swing made of a huge branch suspended about 5 feet off the ground that they can get up onto via the table thing and perch on to get away from the mud and make the best of any sunshine, they seem to like it and gives their feet a chance to dry off a bit.

Poor things paddlin g in the mud! I am going to add chippings soon but with the amount of rain they wont last long, the last lot only stayed for about 3 weeks but I do have a shredder and some branches so waste not want not I guesse.  I think I will look into plastic sheeting or corrugated plastic to keep the rain off altogether for next winter cause the grass isnt going to regrow anyway looking at it.

[Selkie]

I'm nearly finished re-planting the bottom 1/3 of our hens' run; poor girls they keep trying to peer through the 'fence' to see what I'm doing in there...