Chickens and mud?

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Well here goes, October will be our third year on the little homestead four and a half acres. Been a draught here from day one,not enough rain to grow anything without irrigation. Starting in May nothing but rain every day,wonderful for the plants but I'm worried about the chickens. We have about 60 or so hens and three roosters separated in three pens 10 feet by 25 feet,with a leanto shed at one end with the roosts there and nest boxes. With this never ending rain the chickens are always walking around in mud. I have tried putting down hay and corn stalks etc.but by morning it is nothing but mud again.Due to coons and wild dogs there is no way to let them free range,will the mud hurt them? They don't seem to mind. Other than muddy eggs and a not to pleasant smell I don't mind,I just don't want them to get sick. So does anyone know if walking in mud will hurt them? Thanks Daryll

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2001

Answers

Daryll, I live in NE Fla and during elnino (sp?) we had lots of rain and with 60 chickens at the time and no way could we let them roam (due to dogs etc..) they came out fine with no problems!!! We tried to keep something down in their house but it didn't help much. I made sure they had some good roosting poles so they could sleep off the wet ground. I did have to check for eggs alot since it seemed the dirt really stained the eggs. Sandy

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2001

My opinion is its pretty risky to let them be exposed to wet manure, which is what the mud will become, for any length of time. It may be more safe for them to be confined for a short time in a well- ventilated coop than living in mud.

Chickens should ideally be on grass, like most all livestock, and they definitely need green stuff to eat as well to give you the full health benefits in their eggs. Isn't there some way you can make some more runs adjoining the present ones, so you can rotate,and plant new seed in the ruined ones? How about electric netting? Its fairly easy to move around your property.

Too bad you're so far away........I have some netting still sitting in my barn not being used .......

Good luck Daryll......

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2001


Hi all, Thanks for the input.I got some free wood pallets today,think I'll put a couple in each run and then put straw and corn stalks on top until the rains slow down. Thanks again, Daryll

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2001

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