TIL my chicken coop roof was funneling rain straight into the run after a storm last Tuesday

I went out to check on the girls after that big rain we had and found the run a muddy mess. The water was pooling right under the roosting bars because my gutter was aimed wrong. I spent like 2 hours redirecting it with some extra downspout parts I had sitting in the garage. Now the ground stays dry and I don't have to deal with soggy feathers or worse, foot issues. Has anyone else dealt with drainage problems after adding a covered run?

2 comments

2 Comments

jamiew833d ago

You spent 2 hours fixing it and it worked... I mean I get keeping the run dry but is it really that big of a deal? Chickens stand in mud all the time when they free range. My girls have a covered run too and I just throw down some straw when it gets wet. Barely takes 5 minutes. Maybe I'm just lazy but I don't see the point in overcomplicating it unless you've got like a serious drainage issue.

jakegarcia2d ago

Three years ago I had a run that turned into a bog every spring and it drove me nuts until I dug a 12-foot French drain. Throwing straw on mud works until you've got six inches of sludge under it and your birds are standing in it anyway. A couple hours of grading and gravel one time saves you a lifetime of scooping wet bedding.