For those with chickens that are NOT totally free range,

[Fools Motto]

How are your runs/pens holding up? I kept moving my chicken pen, (approx 15ft square) so that they didn't completely trash it, but they still did and now I have a very large trashed area!
Is it ok for them to live on mud, I always want them to have some grass/weeds and 'bits' to scuff through!

 

[The Bouncing Bog Trotter]

My girls are in a large walk in run with a roof. It is made from aviary panels and is a permanent run. It is on heavy clay soil and got really bad last winter so I put down about 5 inches of sharp sand which I bought in bulk. On top of this I use bedmax shavings which I dig out once a month. This is normally to a depth of about 2 inches. They have tree trunks to perch on and climb, lots of fresh greens and corn every pm which I chuck into the run. They love digging through the bedding to find the corn. Sometimes I chuck in mealworms too.

They can live on mud but won't be happy and you will get very dirty eggs.

 

[Fools Motto]

I've been putting some straw in among their corn and 'extras', but it still looks messy and muddy! Their house has straw, so their eggs are fine! They also haven't stopped laying - is that normal??

 

[Lucyad]

Mine are confined to their large run just now - will get out once the days get a bit longer, but just now I leave in the dark and return in the dark. Their run is compacted hardcore, so not muddy at all. it seems to rain enough for the poo to get washed away. I put some of the hay debris from the horses in with their corn and scraps, and they enjoy scraping in it, and then I rake it out once it goes wet and nasty.

They have a fair bit of space, a multi-level perch, a sand pit, a covered porch, and their hut is quite big and covered in shavegs over rubber mats, so they seem OK in the bad weather. Looking forward to letting them out though - our new 3 haven't been exploring yet!

Ours stopped laying breifly only, but reduced in quantity - now increasing again.

 

[ClobellsandBaubles]

OH's mum's chucks stopped laying in protest until they got moved to a drier area

 

[WelshD]

All of my chicken runs are small-ish and roofed which helps

In a bigger run woodchip is probably your best bet, it needs to be chunky and hardwood if possible, softwood is fine failing that but wont last as long.

Dont use bark, it gets slippery and contains spores that can be harmful

A local tree surgeon may drop you off a mixed load of chippings if you ask but I prefer to buy the chips in bags as the quality is more consistent

A pallet or two makes a useful and much appreciated 'island' when its muddy

Get the food undercover or at least on a few slabs, most of the smell coming from a muddy chicken run can normally be attributed to sour spilt food

 

[Nudibranch]

We have some very bold foxes round here despite the hunt so ours are in a permanent run. The base is hardcore which drains really well, covered in chippings from the local sawmill. They keep it well aerated and turned over by scratching so everything stays pretty clean. The chippings have been great.

They have a dry stone wall to perch on, plus some big branches which I move/change regularly. I also pick brambles, nettles and so on to keep them busy and they get a corn scratch feed in the evening.