With the relentless rain I have been struggling with mud in the run despite it being fully under cover. I decided to buy a bag of wood chip and put it over the ground on the part of the run with the bushes. This used to be where the girls most liked to hang out but despite the plastic roof panels and plastic sheet over that side of the run it is still wet. The water seems to drip down inside the fence panels and the girls have constantly muddy feet. I thought the wood chip would give them something to scratch in and a better surface for their feet.
The girls haven’t yet plucked up the courage to step into the wood chip
Dotty and Bluebell have a peck at the wood chip
The little girls step onto the wood chip
The little girls watch Dotty pecking at the wood chip
All five girls scratching in the wood chip
Once the girls realised the wood chip was safe to stand on they had a great time scratching in it and their feet look much cleaner. It will give them a better start to the New Year.
Bluebell and Dotty both laid eggs today. I have completed my egg record for the year and it is as follows:
Jan – 58, Feb – 62, Mar – 76, Apr – 76, May – 82, June – 89, July – 88, Aug – 82, Sept – 69, Oct – 49, Nov – 30, Dec – 26. Total eggs for 2013 – 787.
Thank you girls for all your lovely eggs and more than that for your entertaining ways and affection. Happy New Years to my girls, to everyone out there and to their girls too.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Awe, such happy hens and all those eggs are very impressive.
I am impressed too, especially as only two girls were laying for the last two months. November it was Bluebell and Pepper then December Bluebell and Dotty as they moulted at different times. I haven’t had to buy eggs since they started laying last winter which is really lovely.
I think on the whole it has been a good year apart from losing my lovely Annie and the rain and mud has hampered the enjoyment for most of us.
I expected less eggs at this time of year but on the whole we have done really well and agree that the girls really deserve a break so they can boost their feathers and get ready for the new season .
A Happy New year Carol to you and your little flock x
I agree. It’s been a good year for the girls apart from losing my lovely Treacle and the feather pulling that followed on from that. Mud has been annoying but the girls don’t seem to be bothered. I too wouldn’t have expected so many eggs at this time of year and would be happy for them to have a rest but they won’t take any notice of what we think.
Happy New Year to you too and your little flock and many more happy moments with our lovely girls x
I had the same problem with mud and added a gutter with a six foot removable pipe attached to the downspout. My coop floor was dry after we got 12 inches of rain in 3 days this week. the water was directed down a hill. good luck – you hens are lovely.
Thank you for your comment. I have been thinking about something like that. My corrugated perspects roof over the patio area and then plastic sheeting over the garden area all slope downhill towards the veg plot. I had hoped the water would drain out onto the veg plot but instead it drains just inside the run. I have been thinking that it needs some sort of overhang to drain it out. It’s good to hear that it has worked for you.
The wood chip has made a big improvement though. The girls love scratching in it and it’s much better for their feet.
Looks like they are loving those wood chips! They’re beautiful 🙂
Thank you. They are loving the wood chips. I am still working on ways to dry more of the run though. That will be my next post but the wood chips are fun for them as well as practical.
I loved seeing your girls go into your house. Can’t imagine my lot indoors with their muddy feet. It’s bad enough when they want to stand those feet on my shoulder.