Few things are as heartbreaking as going out to your coop in the morning and discovering that a predator paid your chickens a midnight visit. Whether it’s raccoons, foxes, hawks, or the neighbor’s dog, backyard flocks are a tempting target. The good news? You can stay one step ahead with smart predator control strategies.

Let’s explore the most effective ways to keep your feathered friends safe.

1. Fortify the Coop and Run

The first line of defense is a coop that predators can’t breach. Think of it as chicken Fort Knox.

• Hardware cloth, not chicken wire: Chicken wire keeps chickens in, but it doesn’t keep predators out. Hardware cloth (½-inch welded wire mesh) is much tougher.
• Bury fencing: Dig a trench at least 12 inches deep and bury the wire to stop diggers like foxes, dogs, and coyotes.
• Secure latches: Raccoons have nimble little hands. Use predator-proof latches (two-step mechanisms like carabiners or spring-loaded locks).
• Roof the run: A net or wire cover keeps hawks and owls from swooping in.

2. Use Lighting and Motion Deterrents

Predators often rely on stealth. Disrupt their comfort zone with deterrents

• Motion-activated lights startle nocturnal predators like raccoons and opossums.
• Flashing predator eyes devices mimic the look of a larger animal and can deter foxes or coyotes.
• Motion-activated sprinklers are great for deterring cats, dogs, and even deer. (Plus, it’s kind of funny to watch.)

3. Employ Guard Animals

Nature has provided some excellent bodyguards for your flock.

• Dogs: A properly trained livestock guardian dog (LGD) is one of the best deterrents. Breeds like Great Pyrenees, Anatolian Shepherds, or Maremmas are popular for serious flock protection.
• Donkeys and llamas: Believe it or not, these animals are surprisingly effective at scaring off coyotes.
• Roosters: While not as reliable as other guardians, a rooster will sound the alarm and sometimes fight off smaller threats.

4. Manage the Environment

Sometimes the easiest way to deter predators is to make your yard less inviting.

• Eliminate hiding spots: Tall grass, brush piles, and wood stacks are perfect cover for predators. Clear them away near your coop.
• Secure food sources: Don’t leave feed, compost, or garbage exposed—these attract raccoons, rats, and other unwanted guests.
• Lock up at night: Most predation happens after dark. Get into the habit of securing your flock in the coop every evening. Automatic coop doors can help if you’re not always home at dusk.

Try Sound and Scent Deterrents

Predators rely heavily on their senses. Trick them into thinking danger is near.

• Radios: Leaving a radio on low near the coop at night can deter some animals (especially if tuned to talk shows).
• Predator urine: Products like coyote or fox urine can make other predators think a larger rival is nearby.
• Dogs in the yard: Even the scent of a family dog can be enough to keep some threats away.

6. Technology to the Rescue

Modern homesteaders have new tools to lean on.

• Trail cameras: These won’t deter predators, but they help you identify what you’re dealing with and exactly when they are checking out your chickens.
• Electric fencing: Portable poultry netting with an energizer is highly effective for deterring four-legged predators.
• Automatic coop doors: Ensure your flock is locked up at dusk, even if you forget.

Predator control isn’t about eliminating every wild animal—it’s about keeping your flock safe while respecting the balance of nature. By combining physical barriers, deterrents, and smart management, you can create a backyard fortress that gives your chickens the freedom to scratch and peck while keeping predators at bay.

Your chickens depend on you for protection. With the right strategies, you’ll sleep better at night—and so will your flock.

One day she’s clucking around the yard, laying eggs like a champ. The next day she’s parked in the nest box, glaring at you like you just tried to steal her firstborn. Welcome to the world of the broody hen—where logic goes out the window, hormones run the show, and your egg supply takes a nosedive.

What “Broody” Really Means

In chicken terms, broody = mom mode. Your hen has decided her life’s calling is to sit on eggs until they magically hatch, whether those eggs are fertile or not. (Spoiler alert: the unfertilized ones will never become chicks. Sorry, girl.)

Here’s the behavior checklist:

• Fluffed-up feathers (hello, angry featherball).
• Growling or pecking when you reach for eggs.
• Refusing to leave the nest, except for a quick snack or bathroom break.
• Bald chest patch because she’s plucked feathers to keep eggs cozy.

Basically, she’s nesting like she’s auditioning for a chicken version of Fixer Upper.

Why Do They Do It?

Broodiness is pure instinct mixed with hormones. Some breeds (looking at you, Silkies) are serial moms who go broody at the drop of a feather. Others may get inspired in spring when the days get longer and the nest box looks particularly Pinterest-worthy.

The Problems With Broodiness

If you’re not trying to hatch chicks, a broody hen is less “cute mom” and more “unpaid house sitter”:

• She stops laying eggs. (There goes breakfast.)
• She guards the nest like a dragon with treasure.
• She might forget to eat and lose weight.
• Other hens keep laying in her nest, so you end up with an egg Jenga tower.

How to Snap Her Out of It

Breaking broodiness is basically telling your hen, “Ma’am, the maternity ward is closed.” Here are your options:

1. The Scoop-and-Release

Pick her up and kick her out of the nest box every time she hunkers down. Sure, she’ll march right back, but it buys you a few minutes of peace.

2. Close the “Nursery”

Block off the box she’s obsessed with. Sorry, no reservations available.

3. The Broody Breaker Cage

The gold standard. Pop her into a wire-bottom cage with food and water but no fluffy bedding. The airflow cools her underside, hormones drop, and after a few days she forgets about motherhood. (Think of it as a chicken spa detox, minus the cucumber water.)

4. Distract Her With Fun Stuff

Toss out treats, let her free-range, or give her a little adventure. The more she’s on her feet, the less time she spends dreaming of babies.

Prevention Tips

You can’t totally prevent broodiness—it’s biology—but you can make your coop less “baby shower ready.”

• Collect eggs often so she doesn’t get any ideas.
• Don’t leave fake eggs lying around unless you want to encourage it.
• Keep nest boxes bright and breezy instead of dark and cozy.

When your hen goes broody, she’s not being dramatic (okay, maybe a little)—she’s just doing what chickens have done forever. If you want chicks, let her ride it out and enjoy the miracle of chicken motherhood. If you don’t? Time to play tough love farmer and break the cycle.

Either way, remember: your hen isn’t “broken.” She’s just temporarily obsessed with becoming a mom. And honestly, haven’t we all had a phase like that?

How to Manage and Prevent Lice in Your Chicken Flock

Raising chickens can be one of the most rewarding homestead or backyard hobbies, but like any animal, poultry are vulnerable to external parasites. One of the most common—and frustrating—pests you may encounter is chicken lice. Left unchecked, lice can spread quickly through a flock, reducing egg production, stressing your birds, and even leading to secondary health issues. Fortunately, with the right management and prevention strategies, you can keep lice under control and your hens happy and healthy.

Recognizing the Signs of Lice in Chickens

Chicken lice are tiny, straw-colored insects that live on the bird’s skin and feathers. Unlike mites, they do not suck blood; instead, they feed on feather debris and skin. Watch for these signs:

• Restless behavior – frequent preening, pecking, or scratching.
• Feather damage – ragged or broken feathers, especially near the vent, under the wings, or around the neck.
• Visible parasites or eggs – small clusters of whitish egg masses at the base of feather shafts.
• Reduced laying – stressed hens may produce fewer eggs.
• Weight loss or weakness – in severe infestations.

Regular flock inspections are your first line of defense. Pick up a few birds once a month and check their vent area, under wings, and along the back for lice or eggs.

How to Treat Lice in Chickens

If you discover lice in your flock, don’t panic—treatment is straightforward with the right approach.

1. Dust or Spray Treatments

• Poultry-safe insecticidal dusts or sprays (containing permethrin, for example) are effective against lice.
• Apply the product directly to the birds, working it down to the skin, especially under wings and around the vent.
• Repeat treatment after 7–10 days to break the life cycle, since eggs can hatch after the initial treatment.

2. Clean and Disinfect the Coop

• Remove all bedding and nest box material.
• Scrub surfaces with a poultry-safe disinfectant.
• Allow the coop to dry before adding fresh bedding.

3. Treat the Environment

• Spray cracks, corners, and perches with insecticidal spray, as lice and eggs may be hiding there.
• Replace roosting bars or use a blowtorch carefully on wooden perches to kill hidden pests.

Preventing Future Outbreaks

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Keeping lice out of your flock is easier than eradicating them once they’ve set in.

1. Provide Dust Bathing Areas

Chickens naturally control external parasites by dust bathing. A mixture of dry soil, sand, and wood ash makes an excellent dust bath. Ensure it stays dry and is always available.

2. Practice Good Coop Hygiene

• Regularly change bedding.
• Keep litter dry to discourage pests.
• Inspect roosts and nest boxes routinely.

3. Quarantine New Birds

Anytime you bring in new chickens, quarantine them for at least 2 weeks. Inspect them for lice or other parasites before introducing them to your main flock.

4. Limit Wild Bird Contact

Wild birds can carry lice and other parasites. Minimize access to your flock’s feed and water sources by using covered feeders and waterers.

5. Schedule Routine Health Check

Handling and inspecting your birds on a regular basis not only keeps them tame but also allows you to spot problems early before they spread.

Final Thoughts

Chicken lice are an unpleasant but manageable problem. With regular flock checks, a clean environment, and preventative measures like dust baths and quarantines, you can drastically reduce the chances of an infestation. And if lice do show up? Prompt treatment and good follow-up will have your flock pest-free in no time.

Every other year we’re faced with a tricky chicken management dilemma. How to introduce new chicks into a flock of mature hens. Years ago, we didn’t do it right and ended up with adolescent hens persecuted by older birds. Over the years we’ve found ways to successfully merge young birds harmoniously with older hens.

Why Do It

When female chicks are four to six months old, they’ll start the most productive laying cycle of their lives. For the next year they’ll lay anywhere from 200 to 300 eggs, depending on the breed. Then they’re tired. Usually, 14 to 16 months after laying starts they’ll take a six- or eight-week vacation, molt old worn feathers and grow new ones.  As they begin their second lay cycle they look like they’ve just stepped out of a chicken spa. In their second lay cycle hens lay lots of eggs but not as many as in their first year. As they continue to age egg production starts significantly dropping off.

Because we need a constant stream of eggs from our backyard coop, we plan to replace older birds with younger pullets on a rotation. Every year or two we remove about half of our old hens and replace them with young birds.

It may seem simple to just buy chicks, brood them for a month or six weeks and then release them into the coop with older hens. That’s not a good plan. Older birds don’t like   the youngsters and harass them until a new pecking order is established. Sometimes old birds will even kill youngsters. To avoid this tragedy, we keep our old and young birds apart until the newbies are nearly fully grown at three to four months old.

Here is our general schedule:

• January: Decide how many chicks to buy in the spring and which older hens we will give away or sell for a nominal fee.
• March: Set up our chick brooder and buy chick starter feed. We then buy Hoover’s chicks from a local farm store or order them from the hatchery. Soon they’re basking in the brooder’s warmth.
• April: We place ads in social media announcing we have older hens to sell. Usually, buyers quickly emerge and about half our old flock is gone. (see a previous blog on how to downsize a flock).
• Late June to July. By now the babies don’t need brooder heat and have grown to half to two thirds of their adult size. It’s time to introduce the old and new birds.

The Double Coop System

We’ve made integrating old and young birds simpler by creating a double coop. All we actually did was build a plywood and wire screen wall separating the coop into two parts with a pop hole door between them. Our coop is fairly large so the wall is permanent, but people with smaller coops can create a temporary wall. Sometimes even a sheet of plywood can be made to work.

Just after half our flock goes to their new owner, we close the pop hole door between the two coops. One half holds the remaining older birds. We install the new partly grown chicks into the other half and keep them there until they’ve grown to nearly full size. That can take a couple of months. The double coop method means we continue to get eggs from the older birds until the young pullets begin laying.

Before we built our double coop we used an alternative system. We sold or gave away all our layers, thoroughly cleaned the coop, added new litter, and then raised newcomers there.  It works but means there are several months without eggs

Integrating The Flock

Once our new birds are close to full size it’s time to let them mingle with the older hens. That’s best done after dark. We simply enter the coop with a flashlight and open the pop hole door as the birds sleep.

During the next few days, as old and young hens mingle, there’s plenty of pecking and chasing as an entirely new pecking order develops. It’s a stressful time for all the birds, but after a few days they all peacefully settle down and the flock becomes a combination of savvy old hens and somewhat naive new ones. As the older girls continue to lay the newbies gradually begin adding their gems to the nest.

Other Tips

Plenty of Space:  Most chicken instructions advise giving large breed hens, like Rhode Island Reds, four square feet of coop space per bird and three-square feet for smaller breeds like Leghorns. Crowding creates aggression. The more space chickens have the more likely they will get along well. When mixing young birds with older established birds the transition is smoother and easier if the coop is spacious. Ours is about 100 square feet, shared by 15 birds, so each has about seven square feet. That’s not all.  Every day they scamper around an outdoor run of over 2000 square feet. During the summer it’s filled with vegetation and shade structures. Our chickens love the run’s spaces that offer privacy and plenty of wild bugs, worms and plants to eat. Space reduces a flock’s social problems.

Body Size: It’s generally best to integrate breeds that have about the same adult size.  We like trying different breeds but usually stick with heavy brown egg breeds.  If we tried introducing smaller breeds, like Hamburgs, they might be dominated by the big girls. We also alternate with breeds easy to tell apart.  For example, if our older birds have red feathers, we’re likely to buy new chicks that have black or white feathers or distinctive color patterns. It makes it easier to tell old birds from young ones.

To keep eggs constantly flowing from the coop to the chicken, replacing older hens is necessary. It can be done with minimal stress.

It’s that time of year. Birds are migrating as plants push greenery up through the ground. They let us know it’s the season of spring cleaning. Along with scrubbing and organizing the house, remember the coop. A spring makeover will make it function and look top notch.

At Winding Pathways, we mount a coop spruce up project before lawn mowing season arrives. Here’s what we do:

Litter: Last fall we cleaned litter out of the coop’s interior and put it in our compost bin.  Microorganisms toiled all winter converting it into compost. This spring we moved that rich new compost to our garden. Then we dig out the coop’s old layer of pine chips and chicken droppings and move it to the recently emptied composter. By fall it will transform into compost to fertilize our lawn or garden. Twice a year, just after digging out the old litter we spread four or five inches of new wood shavings on the coop’s floor. Fragrant pine chips make our coop smell like the north woods.

Dust: Chickens are dusty creatures. They constantly stir up the litter kicking dust into the air that settles on everything like gentle rain. We use a long-handled broom to banish abundant cobwebs. Then our trusty battery powered blower blasts dust off walls and chicken wire. We finish with a bucket of warm soapy water and a big sponge to dedust horizontal surfaces.

Scrub and Sanitize: Every spring we add soap or a little bleach to a bucket of warm water and thoroughly clean and sanitize feeders, waterers, and roosts. Paper towels and cleaning solution takes the grime off windows, letting more light into the coop.

Inspect and fix: Winter’s tough on paint and we always find some of it flaking off. Out comes the scrapers to remove the big flakes. Then we brush on a fresh coat to spiff up the coop’s exterior. If we discover any cracks or holes in the siding, we plug them using our trusty caulking gun.

Install mosquito screens: Winter is a tough season for chickens, but at least they don’t have to endure biting insects. With spring comes bugs. We double screen our coop’s windows. One screen layer is of heavy duty 2”X4” mesh wire that keeps hungry raccoons outside. It works great on these powerful mammals but doesn’t even slow down mosquitoes and gnats. So, we stretch a second screen of mosquito netting over the inside of the windows. That way we keep both furry and winged predators out of the coop.

Set up Rain Barrels: When the wind whistles and frost hangs heavy, we carry water from the house to the coop. That chore gets easier in the spring when we position two rain barrels under the coop’s gutter downspout. Rain keeps them full, storing clean water close to the chickens. The barrels save us many steps carrying heavy water filled buckets.

Plant the Run: It’s not a cleaning chore but each spring we seed our run with plants chickens love to eat, like brassicas, grass, and clover. When it warms up to tomato planting time, we broadcast buckwheat and rake the seeds into the run’s soil. Chickens won’t eat buckwheat, but they snack on insects attracted to the plant’s white flowers.

We enjoy our clean, tidy, well-maintained coop that also looks great to neighbors who can see into our yard and our occasional visitors. Spring’s the best time for a thorough spiff up.

There’s something deeply rewarding about raising your own food. When it comes to poultry, meat chickens (also called broilers) can provide a healthy, sustainable, and flavorful source of protein right from your backyard. But raising meat birds is a little different than keeping a small flock of egg layers. If you’re considering this step, here’s what you need to know to raise meat chickens successfully—from fluffy chicks to processing day.

Step 1: Choosing the Right Breed

Not all chickens are created equal when it comes to meat production.

• Cornish Cross: The most popular meat bird. They grow fast—reaching butcher weight (5–7 lbs) in 6–8 weeks. They’re efficient, but they also require careful management because their rapid growth can stress their bodies.
• Rudd Rangers / Freedom Rangers: A slower-growing alternative (10–12 weeks), often more active and hardy. Great for pasture-based systems with a bit more flavor in the meat.
• Dual-purpose breeds (like Plymouth Rocks or Orpingtons): They take longer to reach processing weight but can serve as both layers and meat birds.

Step 2: Setting Up a Brooder

The first few weeks are crucial. Young chicks need a warm, safe environment to thrive.

• Brooder box: A stock tank, large bin, or a DIY pen lined with bedding.
• Heat source: A heat lamp or radiant brooder plate. Start at 90–95°F and reduce by ~5°F per week until they’re feathered out.
• Bedding: Pine shavings (avoid cedar). Replace often to keep things dry.
• Feed and water: Use chick feeders and waterers to prevent spills and contamination.

Pro tip: Watch your chicks. If they huddle together, they’re cold. If they scatter far from the heat, they’re too hot.

Step 3: Feeding for Growth

Meat birds have different dietary needs than egg layers.

• Starter feed: High-protein chick starter (20–24% protein) for the first 3 weeks.
• Grower feed: Switch to 18–20% protein feed after 3 weeks until processing.
• Free choice water: Always keep water available—meat birds grow fast and dehydrate easily.
• Controlled feeding: Especially for Cornish Cross, consider limiting feed to 12 hours on/12 hours off after the first week to avoid health problems.

Step 4: Housing and Pasture

By 3–4 weeks, your birds are ready to move out of the brooder.

• Chicken tractors: Mobile pens that allow access to fresh grass daily while keeping predators out. Perfect for small-scale homesteads.
• Stationary coops with runs: Work well too, but require more cleanup.
• Space: Give at least 2 square feet per bird in confinement, more if they’re on pasture.

Pastured meat birds benefit from the exercise, sunshine, and bugs, and you’ll notice the flavor difference in the finished product.

Step 5: Managing Health and Growth

 Watch weight gain: Fast-growing breeds can develop leg problems or heart issues. Controlled feeding and access to pasture help.

• Keep it clean: Rotate tractors or refresh bedding often to avoid ammonia buildup.
• Predator protection: Secure housing is essential—meat birds are slower and less alert than layers.

Step 6: Butchering Day

Processing your birds is the most serious (and rewarding) part of the journey.

• Age: Cornish Cross at 6–8 weeks, Rangers at 10–12
• Processing options: Do it yourself (with proper tools and setup) or use a licensed poultry processor.
• Humane handling: Always handle birds calmly and process quickly to minimize stress.
• Resting the meat: Chill processed chickens in ice water, then let them rest in the fridge for 24–48 hours before freezing or cooking. This tenderizes the meat.

Step 7: Storing and Enjoying the Harvest

• Freezing: Vacuum-sealing is best, but freezer bags work if air is pressed out.
• Portioning: Whole birds are simple, but you can also cut into parts before freezing.
• Shelf life: Properly stored, frozen chicken lasts up to a year.

Raising meat chickens requires daily care, attention, and a willingness to handle the butchering process—but the rewards are huge. You’ll gain a deeper appreciation for where your food comes from, enjoy healthier and tastier chicken, and maybe even save money in the long run.

It’s not just about filling your freezer—it’s about taking responsibility for your food chain and building a deeper connection with your homestead.

Meat Chicken Timeline: Week by Week

Week 1–2: Brooder Basics

• Keep chicks at 90–95°F with heat lamp/plate
• High-protein chick starter (20–24%)
• Clean bedding daily, plenty of fresh water

Week 3: Growing Up

• Lower brooder temp to 80–85°F
• Switch to 18–20% grower feed
• Birds begin feathering out and can start short outdoor visits (weather permitting)

Week 4–5: Moving Out

• Transition to chicken tractor or coop + run
• 2+ square feet per bird minimum, more if on pasture
• Begin rotating pens for fresh grass & bug access

Week 6–7: Finishing Stage (Cornish Cross)

• Birds reach 5–7 lbs
• Manage feed intake (12 on / 12 off for Cornish)
• Monitor for leg or heart strain
• Prep butchering supplies or schedule processor

Week 8: Butchering (Cornish Cross)

• Butcher age for Cornish Cross (6–8 weeks)
• Chill in ice bath, rest 24–48 hrs in fridge before freezing

Week 9–12: Finishing Stage (Rangers / Slower Breeds)

• More active, slightly leaner meat
• Continue pasture rotation
• Butcher at 10–12 weeks for ideal size and flavor

After Processing

• Vacuum seal or freezer bag whole or parted-out birds
• Store up to 1 year in freezer
• Enjoy homegrown meals that connect you to your food

Chickens are amazingly healthy animals. Given good care they’re hardly fazed by winter’s chill or summer’s sweltering heat. In the five decades we’ve kept chickens our flocks have always been healthy.

In the past few years millions of commercial chickens were killed to slow the spread of avian influenza, or bird flu. It’s a deadly disease but hardly the only malady that can sicken or kill our faithful coop friends.

Knowing that diseases lurk we constantly work to protect our hens from illness. A key strategy is buying healthy chicks from Hoover’s Hatchery. Then we carefully manage moisture, space, sanitation, isolation, safety and nutrition.

Damp’s Danger

Chickens must drink water daily, but moisture can be their worst enemy. Soggy coop litter and a muddy run are perfect environments for bacteria and viruses to thrive and decimate a flock. Here’s how ways we reduce dampness in our coop:

• Keep the roof in good repair with windows positioned beneath overhangs to banish rain from the interior.
• Keep waterers level and in good repair so they don’t leak. They are set on solid bases to make it hard for chickens to topple them over.

If our coop’s litter gets wet, we immediately shovel out the soggy pine shavings and add them to our outdoor compost bin. A bag of spare dry shavings is always on hand to replace damp ones. When we detect the slightest ammonia odor in the coop we replace all the litter.

Our large run is on sandy soil that doesn’t puddle up or get muddy. Should that ever happened we’d keep the chickens inside until the soil dried.

Space

During the pandemic social distancing was the mantra to keep people healthy. The same goes for chickens. Crowding invites disease. Standard wisdom is to provide each heavy breed hen four square feet of coop space and three square feet for light breeds.  That’s an absolute minimum. It’s tempting to crowd many birds into a coop but spaciousness also helps reduce such problematic chicken behavior as aggressive picking and egg eating. Give ‘em plenty of space.

Isolation

We practice biosecurity. Hoover’s Catalog lists smart practices that we follow. Small backyard flocks enjoy the benefit of isolation. If they don’t contact infected birds they won’t catch the disease. Here’s how we keep our flock isolated from outside diseases.

• Rarely introduce a new chicken to our flock.
• Limit our chicken’s interaction with wildlife. It’s hard to keep sparrows out of a run but we keep holes plugged up so they can’t get into the coop. We mercilessly suppress mice.
• Wild turkeys often roam our yard but a sturdy fence keeps our chickens inside their run and the turkeys out.
• We never blend our flock with domestic turkeys or waterfowl, which may carry diseases that can kill chickens.

Nutrition

Complete, quality commercial feed provides all the nutrition chickens need for healthy and productive lives, but it’s fun to spice up their daily routine with treats. They scramble for lettuce scraps, leftover rice, and plenty of other kitchen scraps. Moldy feed or treats go into the compost bin instead of the coop. Among the most nutritious chicken delights are the insects and worms she finds in the run.

Safety

Preventing disease is only part of the strategy of keeping a flock healthy. Safety is important. We reduce the odds of injuries by eliminating sharp objects and  jagged ends of fences. Locking hens inside a stout coop at sundown virtually eliminates losing them to hungry raccoons.

Vets and First Aid

Special chicken first aid kits are sold online but most contain the same items we keep in our human first aid kit-bandages, tweezers, and gauze pads. They might be useful for minor injuries, but a visit to a vet is likely a smart move to treat a major illness or injury.

Most veterinarians are skilled in solving almost any health problem a dog or cat might have, but often they lack experience with birds. Although well cared for chickens rarely get sick or injured, having a relationship with a vet with bird care skills can be a chicken lifesaver. Ask around to find a bird skilled vet before the need arises.

When given good care chickens are amazingly healthy and resilient.

We didn’t let our kids enter the house with muddy feet. Playing in the snow and mud puddles is a fun and educational kid activity. We encouraged it, but muddy boots came off in the garage before stocking-footed youngsters came inside for hot chocolate and a cookie.

The same rule applies to our chickens. Mud is wet. It makes a coop mess, and moisture fosters disease. We like our flock to spend time outside so here are things we do to let the chickens enjoy the outdoors while keeping mud and water out of the coop’s interior.

Sometimes We Keep Them Inside

The easiest way to keep chickens from tracking mud and water into the coop is to just keep the pop hole door closed on rainy days. The birds have to stay inside until the run dries out. It works, but chickens love their outdoor time so we prefer alternatives.

Sand

We’re lucky. Our house and chicken run are perched high on an ancient sand dune. It makes gardening challenging because even a heavy rain quickly percolates down into sand that dries quickly. Our former house and chicken run were on heavy clay soil.  Puddles formed after even a light rain. Muddy chicken feet would track water and dirt into the coop.

The solution was easy. For our small run we bought a dozen bags of sand at a home store. It’s called either traction or play sand. Spreading a couple of inches of it on top of the heavy soil eliminated puddles unless we had prolonged rain.

Sand has a second benefit. Hens need to swallow grit that settles in their gizzards and helps them grind food. They’ll pluck grit from the sand.

Adding bags of sand to the run creates chicken curiosity and keeps the soil surface dry.

Vegetation

Hens and green plants go together like hand and glove. A thick grassy mat that carpets a run’s ground keeps feet mud free and does more. Tender grass shoots are an epicurean delight to hungry chickens. Color within leaves transforms egg yolks from pale yellow to bold orange.

Greenery in the run provides chicken vegetables. Bugs lured to the plants are snapped up by hungry chickens, adding protein. A vegetated run can provide so much flock food that they eat commercial feed sparingly in the summer. That reduces cost.

Getting a thick growth of plants to persist in a run is tricky. If many chickens share a small run, it’s almost impossible to get anything to grow. Even the tiniest green sprout will be gobbled up by a hungry hen. We’ve found a few ways to keep our run green.

Space is first. The bigger the run the better. Our 15 chickens enjoy a fenced in run of about 3,150 square feet. Even with all that space the birds keep it well grazed.

Planting is our second strategy. Every spring we seed the run to a mixture of plants of two general types:  Those plants that chickens love to eat like grass, radish, and clover and plants they refuse to eat, especially buckwheat. Buckwheat loves summer’s heat and produces white blossoms that attract insects from far and wide. The chickens refuse to eat the plant but snatch up the bugs attracted to it. We also tolerate weeds that welcome themselves to the run but chickens won’t eat.

There’s a problem with seeding a run. If they get a chance chickens gobble up the seeds. We have two runs, so we plant one and only let the chickens into the second one until we get good plant growth in the other. Then we reverse it by letting the hens graze in the green run and plant the one they had been in. Most people don’t have two runs but stretching a fence of chicken wire to split the run in two works. Let the hens enjoy one side while the other is greening. It’s rotation grazing.

Buying Seed

Finding grass seed in garden and hardware stores is easy. We stick with inexpensive annual ryegrass. Farm stores that sell baby chicks usually also sell seeds for hunters to plant that attract deer. Often these mixes contain clover, radishes, turnips, and oats.

They work well in chicken runs.

Several large seed companies also sell bulk seeds at decent prices. They make it easy to purchase just the right quantity and varieties of different seeds. Our favorites are Albert Lea Seeds at alseed.com and Ernst Seed at ernstseed.com.

Managing a flock’s outside run keeps the dirt dry. No mud. That lets the chickens enjoy being outside most days without tracking a mess into the coop.