What do you use on the bottom of the run?

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jacquih
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What do you use on the bottom of the run?

Post by jacquih »

I am hoping to pick your brains,what do you put on the bottom of your hen run? we tended to use Bedmax but wondered if there are other products you can use? as it can get a bit messy,or do you anything at all?
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HilierWard
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Re: What do you use on the bottom of the run?

Post by HilierWard »

hi

We use woodchip and then a layer of straw on the run floor.
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wendy
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Re: What do you use on the bottom of the run?

Post by wendy »

We used wood chip, changing every 2 weeks or so.
In the winter we had to put straw down, if it got a bit too wet
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KarenE
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Re: What do you use on the bottom of the run?

Post by KarenE »

Hi

My run area is on soil. but I've added woodchip over the years, and I also throw down some aubiose every now and then if it's getting damp or muddy or needs freshening up. I don't use straw personally, it tends to get soggy and I found it did very little use. The straw/woodchip/aubiose is also handy because it rots down pretty well and dug out every year it makes lovely copmpost for the garden )t'

If you are going to go down the woodchip route, don't get bark chips as these can harbour mould spores which can cause respiaratory problems. Soft or hard woodchips are best and yiu may be able to get a local tree surgeon to drop you a pile off (or go pick up some yourself) as they often are looking to get rid
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p.penn
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Re: What do you use on the bottom of the run?

Post by p.penn »

My run is paved and I use aubiose on it. It needs changing perhaps once a month or so, perhaps less.
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lancashire lass
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Re: What do you use on the bottom of the run?

Post by lancashire lass »

both my runs are paved but I use a deep layer of sand on top which I top up now and again - I use to poo pick daily when I had just the one run, but these days they get a once a month rake over and any clumps lifted up. Having saying that, most of the poo seems to be in the coops (even in summer) so the run doesn't get too messy, and the girls are forever scratching and turning the sand over so doesn't smell or attract flies. I do have plastic roof over the run so the sand doesn't get wet (except where the water has seeped under the fence at one end) It does help that the number of chickens are small too - might be different if I had dozens of them!
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Re: What do you use on the bottom of the run?

Post by jaxhen »

Hi

We have 11 hens in one large run. Part of the run is paved, the other part has membrane on top of soil. It has a polycarbonate roof and is weather-tight.

Easibed and Bio-dri are our choices. Easibed performs the same in both parts of the run. It's poo-picked regularly and lasts for a least six months, but gets topped up when needed. It's relatively easy to clean out and dispose when necessary and can be used as a garden mulch.

We tried Bedmax but found that broke down far more quickly than Easibed and needed replacing more frequently.

Used woodchips from tree surgeons but could never guarantee the quality or whether it was disease-free. Also there was the question of spores in the bark.

Also tried hardwood chippings which were okay but expensive and difficult to source. I found it difficult to poo-pick that!

Aubiose we use in the coop but found it broke down too quickly in the run having 11 hens who are large and very active diggers. It also tended to be too lightweight and blow around and make a mess.

Personally wouldn't use straw. Neither would I use gravel, which a neigbour of mine does. It's on soil with no membrane and the gravel sinks into the soil. Have no experience of sand.
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ChickenCarol
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Re: What do you use on the bottom of the run?

Post by ChickenCarol »

My run is roofed with some panels which can be opened on sunny days. I have tried woodchip in the past but I now find the soil is the best option. With constant poop picking the soil level gradually drops and I top it up every now and again with bags of garden compost whenever it's on offer or sometimes sand. It all gets scratched back into the soil.
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HenPen
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Re: What do you use on the bottom of the run?

Post by HenPen »

Another vote for aubiose. Fantastic stuff.

I did use wood shavings to start with but found it wasn't absorbent enough and you really had to stay on top of things or it all got a bit yukky.

Moved onto wood chip but the good stuff I got over the internet from a supplier who makes very posh coops (sorry, the name escapes me) was rather pricey for the size of my run, so I made the mistake of getting some from the place I got the hens - it was a help-yourself pile of chippings from a tree surgeon, with bag and shovel provided. I did think it looked a bit jagged - I should have trusted my instincts and I firmly place the blame for my hen's bumble foot on it. (Bit of a false economy that was, after three lots of antibiotics and two operations. yike* ) Also, I like Jaxhen, I found the woodchip difficult to poo pick effectively and so it did get really nasty quite quickly with five hens - and digging it out was a big job and gave me tennis elbow! So basically, the whole wood chip thing was a total fiasco at my place - never again! {rofwl} But that said, I know there are lots of big fans of woodchip.

I did try straw in the coop one winter (rather nicely scented stuff called Fresh Bed) but was put off by reading that it can harbour red mite, so didn't stick with that. Also, one of my chickens spent half her time in the coop wolfing it down, you wouldn't believe the rate it was disappearing, which was a bit worrying since it was scented with something pine-y.

So I am strictly an Aubiose gal. I like the way Aubiose is absorbent, not too sharp underfoot even when new and softens up further as time goes on, it dries out quickly if the rain gets in (my run is covered but leaky), great in the coop and in the run, composts down really nicely, and I think the run smells far better with the aubiose than with other things I have tried. I sound like an aubiose advert!! I am not on commission! shame really
Although what Jaxhen says makes sense about the blowing about - my run is boarded on two sides, so don't have that problem, but on a windy site that could be a issue.
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Re: What do you use on the bottom of the run?

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Not used it but considered. Rubber cut up tyres colours as well.
Expensive at first , can wash it they would not eat it as not food.
If any one out there has a view would appreciate it.
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Re: What do you use on the bottom of the run?

Post by jaxhen »

Hi Bob

I haven't used them but heard a lot about them. If you Google 'rubber chippings for chickens' you'll see it covered on one of the poultry keeper forums. The post is 'Rubber instead of wood chippings'.

It makes interesting reading as the posts go into quite extensive detail about how the chippings were used, and how they performed over a period of time.

From what I've read, I won't be changing from my EasiBed and Aubiose combo!!

Jaxhen

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