Chickens, Ducks & Mud Management

Any chicken, duck or general poultry keeper will tell you that come winter and rain the garden or run can turn into a mud bath.

Last autumn and winter were dreadful weather wise and despite laying bark and wood chippings, putting down slabs and using pallets to stand on, it was impossible to do all the jobs needed without getting slathered in mud. The chickens were also rather unhappy about the state of things and I would stand watching them pick across the mud gingerly while they squawked about how they disliked their living quarters!

Since I had decided to build a secure run I decided to look into what is the best method of managing mud in the run so that come next winter I would not be stood yet again in a foot of mud with disgruntled poultry telling me off about it. In the end I came across Mud Management, a system that keeps the run mud free and is easy to clean and disinfect.

What is Mud Management?

Mud Management involves using rubber chippings on top of a weed control mesh in the run. You cut the mesh to size and put it down in the run. This prevents the chippings being lost in the mud below once the weather gets bad. A layer of rubber chippings is then put on top to a depth of about 4cm. The chippings will last for years so there is no need to replace and top up every few months as there is with wood or bark chippings.

Cleaning the run is easier

Cleaning the run is so much easier with rubber chippings. I have ducks and chickens in my run and although you can “poo pick” the chickens’ waste it is just not possible to do this for ducks. Once a week I use a Jeyes fluid mix to wash down the chippings. I then rinse it over with fresh water and the run is lovely and clean. I have also found that once a month using Stalosan or a similar powder disinfectant over the run keeps it even fresher and prevents flies and bad smells - a common problem for poultry keepers in the summer months.

Do the ducks and hens like it?

The chickens and ducks will peck at the new flooring when it first goes in, but they won’t eat it and soon learn to leave it be. I did have a little trouble with a daft drake pecking at it and attempting to eat it on the first day, but after that first day he left it be and they now seem to really enjoy being in their run and on sunny days sunbathing on their chippings. They will also rearrange the flooring for you, having a good scratch about, but just a quick rake over and that problem is sorted.

Further Information and to obtain the Mud Management Sytem

If you want to install the Mud Management system contact Alison Wilson at:

Hook Farm
London Road
Hook
RG27 9EQ
Phone – 01256 767515
Website - http://www.mud-management.co.uk/

The rubber chippings are black and sold in sealed bags with average contents of 10kg per bag. There are 2 bags per square metre to give an average depth of 4cm. It is essential to put mesh underneath the rubber chippings otherwise they disappear into the mud! You may have some left over from a previous project, or it can be supplied with the rubber chippings, but either way be sure to have a good overlap if you have to join bits of mesh together.

They supply the mesh and chippings in the exact quantity needed so all you need to do is to enter your measurements (in metric) into the online calculator in the Mud Management shop and it calculates the amount needed for you.