Thursday, August 02, 2012

Winter mud!

I'm not complaining, as this winter has, up until now, been pretty dry and pretty nice, however for the last week it's rained - a lot. And there's no sign of it stopping for the next few days, anyway. The chickens have a gigantic run, but the front part gets the most traffic and it's turned into a boggy, muddy mess. The poor ladies are getting terribly muddy feet, infact in some places you can't even see their feet, they sink so far in. I thought - this can't be good. So I got a hay bale ( we've got loads left!) and 'carpeted' the run. They are absolutely loving it! Strutting around as if they've got a new shag pile carpet or something.

It'll probably be totally trashed in a day or 2, but we can spare a few bales, so I'll just put more down if need be.
It looks way nicer than mud, anyway!
It's a busy day on the chicken run front, as now I'm off to spread 10kg of grass seed in another area of it.
But it's totally worth spoiling them rotten, they're the best girls in the world!
 

22 comments:

  1. As happy as pigs (sorry chooks) in mud! Lucky you having spare hay, we're hoping this year we might actually be able to cut some...

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    1. we've actually got loads and loads. Selling it is proving to be trickier than we thought! I actually don't think we'll rush to do it again - it's terribly stressful ( weather wise!!) and actually quite expensive. It's great fun while it's happening though!!

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  2. Great idea...it crossed my mind a few weeks back when my girls were trapsing in mud all day...Im not sure that it is too good for their feet either...but my inside 'room' has straw covering the whole of it, so I know at least when they go in to roost and eat they are on dry flooring...that photo is so cool....your girls and young man there are just beautiful...

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    1. At least they look a bit cleaner and happier! Sadly it doesn't look like this anymore! We've had a couple of huge downpours so it's somewhat flattened!!

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  3. Wow what a great idea - no wonder they are loving it!

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    1. I just feel a bit daft that I didn't think of it earlier!

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  4. I do the same thing with my ladies! They love it and I've been told that it really helps encourage bugs and grubs as well as the breakdown of their poo! So Yay all round! ... or should that be "hay" all round? Have a great day! xx

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    1. whoo hoo double bonus! I didn't think if that :) hay all round for sure!

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  5. spoilt chooks indeed, they look gorgeous

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    1. they still look gorgeous today, the hay less so!!!

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  6. I'm using untreated sawdust that I get from a cabinet maker I know. Stops me from sliding and landing on my butt! Also provides carbon to add to the nitrogen from their poop so helps keep the soil a bit sweeter. I'm thinking of planting pumpkins in their run this summer (move them out first of course). I think the pumpkins will lurrve the rich soil.

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    1. I get sawdust from the sawmill ( very near you!) but it's so wet just now tand they have piles of it outside so I thought it would be soaking! they're very generous - so long as you give them a ring first you can just go and get it - I offered to pay but they said nope! just take it :) lovely!

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  7. We had to do this last year but with straw, and we had to cover the whole of the orchard. The pigs were sinking so deep they looked like they had no legs....now that took a lot of straw, I think we used 2 large Hestons worth.

    Sue xx

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    1. jeepers! did you have to buy it or did you have your own? Poor piggies!!

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    2. We had to buy it unfortunately :-( But my little porkers were worth it (and it meant I didn't sink right up to the top of my wellies or get stuck in the mud too often).

      Sue xx

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    3. oo bet that was expensive!! but yep, happy piggies totally worth it!

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  8. Excellent idea, do chickens get trench foot? your girls and chap look very happy and healthy...

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    1. you know, I don't know. I'll have to look that one up! I'm thinking no, cos they're pretty scaley, but????

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  9. My lady does this when it gets muddy. She hasn't figured out what to do though when the straw decomposes into a stinky, mushy sludge. I told her she has to get it out of there before the chicken ladies churn it into nonexistence but she never does! Straw certainly makes for happy hens!

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    1. yeah, I'm wondering about that too - Im hoping the chickens scratch it around so much that it just sort of incorporates into the soil!

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  10. What a great picture--you have such a beautiful mix of ladies!

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    1. thank you :) they were all so happy, and now the eggs are all lovely and clean as opposed to covered in wee muddy footprints!

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Laura x