I've been using Aubiose since the autumn and that seems okay, although I don't know if I'm immune to the smell with also having a doggy and his things to deal with too?

Thanks for starting this thread, as I was wondering too. Might give the girls some as a little treat

Hiya John, I'd go with what the others have said too - give the girls in the run things to keep them occupied and they'll be fine I made ours a little dustbath out of a plastic bucket and some play sand and they love it! Have your girls started laying yet? I've noticed they do seem to make more nois...

I know what you mean Little Brown Hen, I have wondered too if the girls are warm enough. They do seem to be very warm little creatures though and when I let them out of a morning and open the Egg port door, you can feel the heat come from inside, especially on a cold day. Our girls seemed absolutely...

Hiya, I thought you might like to see a little video I managed to take of our Elsie, who just seems to love her dust bath!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hqn31TKIA7U

Hi Bev, loving the pink!!! your girlies are lovely, great idea for the dust bath but alas i tried and mine keep tipping it over and then hide underneath it I also had a rough start, out of 13 ive lost 3, and had 2 badly wounded by the others, one is separated at the moment, waiting for her to heal ...

Great pics Bev It's a shame you have had such a rocky start with your chooks..but if it's any consolation they can literally be here one minute gone the next I too think it's odd the vet would think you should shut them in I would have gone for some problem with the source - but with no post mortem...

gorgeous hennies! they look very happy. You could say we had a rocky start with our 3 hens just over a year ago when Roly got very ill & had to live indoors for 2 days - the vet thought she caught it off the wild birds & said they're often vunerable due to stress when they move to a new hom...

Thanks everyone glad you like the pictures, I'm sure there'll be loads more Hehehe yes they do seem to love their dustbath - I filled it with play sand, so that weighs it down and they can't tip that up! They're so very funny when they get in there, spraying the sand everywhere having a good old wal...

Oh Dee, I'm so very sorry to hear your news, you poor lamb losing all your girls like that. I really feel for you - we lost two of our girls last year too (not to foxes though) and we were so upset by it - you really get attached to them don't you. I'm sorry I can't give any advice about converting ...

Just curious Bev, from what I gather - you weren't a lurker guest before you joined then? I wish more of 'em - would grow some and join in this madness No Steve, I only found you guys yesterday when I was looking for something else. I've mentioned this place to my chicken-friends too. Did you tell ...

I have been on other chicken forums come to think of it Steve, but some aren't as busy and friendly as this one

Steve the Gas wrote:Just curious Bev, from what I gather - you weren't a lurker guest before you joined then?

I wish more of 'em - would grow some and join in this madness

No Steve, I only found you guys yesterday when I was looking for something else. I've mentioned this place to my chicken-friends too.

Mean't to say - the girls absolutely love spraying the Aubiose everywhere and digging their little trenches in it!

Since the weather turned and the grass became mud, I've been using Aubiose for our girls, both in their run and their nest box and under their roosting bars too. Seems to work well and it can go in your compost too