Benny-Bev's chooky adventures!

[Benny&Co]

Thanks everyone

It'll be the first time Nita and Betty have seen the snow I expect, might let them have a little play in the garden today....

[Benny&Co]

Betty seems a right character Your run looks so comfortable with all the straw...isn't it difficult to poo pick or do you just do a full sweep out ?

I don't really poop pick in the run S33xpt. When I change the straw, everything goes in the compost bin and fresh stuff goes down

[Benny&Co]

I love the photos I think there must be something in the name Betty, mine never stops she just jumps into everything! You are a bit of a lady, towel on your lap?

It must be hey Sandy, our Betty is an extremely friendly little lady and is always by my side 'helping' in her own little way

I think she's the friendliest little hen I've ever had

Yes it's a towel on my lap there, as I don't wear my full length coat in the run anymore. I did ask Santa for a plastic apron for chooky duties, but he must have missed that bit.....

[Benny&Co]

Love your photos of your girls, they all look so sweet,I am hinking of laying down a nice deep bed of straw in my run when I clean it out, at the moment its got leaves in it for them to dig around in but they have broken down now and I think straw will be just as good and less messy

I find the straw works well Morbidia and they love raking it all out for me

[Benny&Co]

The snow is coming down in big blobs now


Betty and Nita don't seem bothered by it at all


But Hilda's hiding under the table, bless her - she's seen the snow before and even came into lay during the snow of 2010!

[aishakali]

I quite envy you the snow Bev. It's just wet wet wet here. Nice pics of the snow falling

[Spreckly]

Just caught up on this thread Bev. The straw in your run caught my attention also. Roughly how often do you remove it and put fresh in, and roughly what depth is it, please.

It seems much nicer for the girls, ours are on paving slabs and soil.

[sandy]

Pretty picture with the snow, you have my round stepping stones! I have had to remove all the straw as Amanda-Jayne started eating too much

[Benny&Co]

Just caught up on this thread Bev. The straw in your run caught my attention also. Roughly how often do you remove it and put fresh in, and roughly what depth is it, please.

It seems much nicer for the girls, ours are on paving slabs and soil.

It's changed every month or two Spreckley and I reckon it's about 4/5 inches deep.

At the moment there's two bales of straw there.

Think I started giving them straw around Spring time last year, as the Aubiose was very expensive for covering the whole run, so I put that in their egglooo now.

[Benny&Co]

Pretty picture with the snow, you have my round stepping stones! I have had to remove all the straw as Amanda-Jayne started eating too much

Oh no Sandy, is too much straw bad for them?

[sandy]

Dont panic Bev. I used straw for years which only Elsie ate to no problem to her health but now AJ has started to eat it I have to get rid off it as she has her forever bad crop which is why I told Lisa to remove it because of her poorly girl

[Spreckly]

Bev - doesn't the straw get slimey, and smell? It does sound a very labour saving method. We poo pick three times a day!!

[Benny&Co]

Dont panic Bev. I used straw for years which only Elsie ate to no problem to her health but now AJ has started to eat it I have to get rid off it as she has her forever bad crop which is why I told Lisa to remove it because of her poorly girl

Oh no poor AJ and Lisa's girl too.

What do you use instead Sandy?

[Benny&Co]

Bev - doesn't the straw get slimey, and smell? It does sound a very labour saving method. We poo pick three times a day!!

It doesn't get slimey no Spreckly, hopefully it doesn't smell........?

The walk in run is covered with plastic and one end has a clear tarpaulin, so the only rain that gets in is from the mesh at the front.

As it happens I'm going to get some Stalosan from my horsey/country shop on Friday when they have some in. I understand that keeps nasty niffs at bay.

[Spreckly]

Thanks for your reply, Bev. We use a deodorising powder, more in the warmer weather!