Woodchips

 

Mud. Muddy water, muddy feet, muddy eggs. I did my research when we decided to get chickens. A LOT of research. Research about breeds, research about chicken coops, research about predators, research about chicken runs. I do not remember anyone saying anything about the mud. Where is this mud coming from, you ask? Well, chickens like to scratch and dig for bugs. This is why free range chicken eggs are so much better and more nourishing. Chickens also love to eat grass. Again....good eggs and happy chickens. What did not occur to me was that the chickens would quickly kill all the grass in their run. Of course we all know what is left when the grass dries - dirt. Wet dirt = mud.

The mud was making the chickens' beaks muddy and their feet muddy. This, in turn, was making the eggs quite dirty and the chicken water container a muddy mess, even though it sits on top of a cinderblock. After a little MORE research, we ordered a truckload of wood chips. The chickens are still able to scratch and dig for insects but now they (and their water and eggs) stay much cleaner. I can only think this also makes them much healthier and will be warmer once the cold weather hits. 

I had some left over wood chips so I filled in the 'goat paths' and grassless spots in the goat pen with them. Another thing I didn't realize (or read about) was that the goats walk a path in their pen (like deer do in the woods). So there was a grassless path from the pen door to their house (see the new house I built in the photos above) and to their favorite spot under the tree and also to their hay. I'm hoping this will also keep their hooves from getting muddy and will help keep those hooves in better health.

Luckily we had some beautiful weather over the last three weekends so I was able to build our goats a new house and get the chicken run in good shape. I think we are ready for the cold weather to hit.