Chook Me!

I need Help Keeping Chicken Run Dry!?

I have some friends across the street who just got a chicken coop with something like 12 chickens? They have a run, its fenced off, and "was" on green grass. It its plenty of room for 12 chickens. Its about the same sq as a normal bedroom. Their run is now extremely muddy, impossible to walk in due to how muddy it is, even in the summer. It reeks as well, very bad. However, they poor buckets of rotten cabbage, bannanas, etc on it everyday for their chickens, but the problem is, its gone that day, not like it has composted or anything? My other friend has one as well, with like 30 chickens, and a smaller run. But theirs does not stink, their coop isn't that smelly either, surprisingly, and the chickens are even clean? Does anyone have any tips for keeping a "clean" run? I jsut dont want it to be a mud bath, with a smell that reaches to the house. And any suggestions on how to keep the coop itself smelling decent? Any cool tricks for building the coop? I have a playhouse im convertin into a coop, so if you have suggestions like, where to put the roost so the poo goes somewhere else, or tips for cleaning the coop, etc. Anything would help!! Thanks

Public Comments

1. I read "Countryside and Small Stock Journal". Tons and tons of tips on taking care of chickens, building coops etc. I have found that magazine to be an outstanding source of hundreds of tips on being around plants and animals. My local library here in Texas keeps back issues. Please check yours. (I pick up issues at my local Barnes and Nobles Bookseller, but you can all subscribe and even order back issues from the publisher)
2. get it on high ground if possible in the sun. then it can thoroughly dry between rains.let the poop fall on a removable surface so it can be dried in the sun.
3. Nancy is on the correct path. I would also suggest adding 2 inches of straw, hay, cedar chips, etc to the run area. It will get packed in and dirty, but if you rake it out once the ammonia smell gets too strong, problem solved. Keeping litter on the floor in the coop is mandatory for keeping smell down. Both areas must be cleaned out on a regular basis. Now go drink a beer and relax.