Help! Our Chicken Run Is a Muddy, Smelly Mess!

[CoopAlchemist]

One thing you can try is putting in some sort of drainage system, like a French drain, around the perimeter of your run. It will help channel water away from the run itself. You could also set up a sloped area where water can drain more easily. As for bedding, adding a mix of straw and wood shavings is ideal, but be prepared to refresh it regularly to keep the smell down.

[Eggcellence]

It might sound weird, but have you considered using pea gravel or river rock in your run? They help with drainage and don,t get soggy. You could lay down a thick layer of these in the worst areas and top it with straw or wood chips for comfort. Just make sure the chickens can scratch through it for their dust baths!

[Eggspresso]

My advice would be to start with some pea gravel or other drainage materials. You want to get water away from the chickens as much as possible. Follow that with a thick layer of straw or wood chips to help keep things drier, and let it naturally decompose over time. Don,t forget to check for drainage around the coop, too!