damp back garden

magicbastarder

you get a feee pond?

tsuzmir

redser7 wrote: »

I get the impression you dont have the cash, time or expertise to dig the whole plot out and fill it with good topsoil and a drainage system.

100% right, but i'd still give it a go if i find a solution i can manage

redser7 wrote: »

You want to grow veg and keep chickens. You want to deal with the damp as it's not good for the chickens.
I assume you want to move the run around so they have fresh grass to eat. Forget the grass and moving them around. Map out your veg garden/raised beds first and plan to grow lots of leafy salad to feed the chucks. 99 cent worth of seed could give you 1000 plants. If you're up to it you can feed the chucks with salad leaves. Give them a permenant home with a saw dust/wood chip floor. They love slugs so chuck any in you come across. Let them out now and again but protect any veg you want to keep for youself.

again, you're 100%. this is exactly what i want to do, but there is sill a problem with wet ground. they'll pick up diseases if they walk constantly on wet ground. i cant compensate this by using wood chips etc in their run because i'll end up with even bigget mess, plus soaked wood/bark chips will not be healthy either

tsuzmir

magicbastarder wrote: »

you get a feee pond?

not exactly what i need right now :rolleyes:

tsuzmir

magicbastarder wrote: »

my concern would be that even if you could open up the soil structure, that the runoff from your neighbours' gardens would simply pour in instead.

good thinking...
but i'm completely lost now and absolutely no idea what to do....

redser7

Not fobbing you off but you should also raise your problem on a chicken keeping forum. Not sure about boards but this site in the UK is very active and helpful. They have a chicken section ...
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/rule-roost/

I mean chickens have always and still do live outdoors too and in all sorts of weather, maybe the issue is not as bad as you think?

spodoinkle

looksee wrote: »

If there is good growth of weeds or grass then it probably just needs digging, if there are rushes you will have to do some drainage work as this indicates long term dampness problems.

.

Sorry to thread jack here but we have this problem in our back 'garden'. We are only renting but have been there for a year and it has never fully dryed out, there are rushes as well. Would french drains sort this?

redser7

If you are only renting I wouldn't even go there It's A LOT of work

tsuzmir

redser7 wrote: »

Not fobbing you off but you should also raise your problem on a chicken keeping forum. Not sure about boards but this site in the UK is very active and helpful. They have a chicken section ...
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/rule-roost/

I mean chickens have always and still do live outdoors too and in all sorts of weather, maybe the issue is not as bad as you think?

redser7, i've already learned from different sources that the ground need to be dryer than mine in order to keep healthy and happy chickens, so it's really down to getting the garden sorted one way or the other.
but i did not come across that formu yet, so that will be very handy, thanks!

redser7

Sorry i cant help anymore, best of luck. They're a great bunch over there and can maybe offer different advice on sorting the lawn too. You should join up.

tsuzmir

redser7 wrote: »

Sorry i cant help anymore, best of luck. They're a great bunch over there and can maybe offer different advice on sorting the lawn too. You should join up.

thanks for all the advice!