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Urban Chicken keeping - any advice?!

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Hi there

I am over the moon that I am able to keep my girls and am looking forward to moving into my new home next weekend. Some of you may have seen that due to a relationship break-up I was due to lose them, I am now thinking about the practicalities of keeping chickens in a small garden. Currently I have them in an electric pen in a small paddock and have free straw from the farm and a muck heap to dispose of my waste. I have a wooden house and at present stuff it full of straw so they are cosy!!

Does anyone have any tips on disposal of waste and alternative bedding (how about shredded paper?). Any advice would be gratefully received!

Thanks everyone

:D

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Could you get a dalek type composter from the council as they often have them on special offer? I use one for all the girls droppings and nesting material. Shredded paper would be fine and it's compostable too. If you can't get rid of the droppings and bedding yourself, what about asking at a local allotment if anyone wants it for their compost heaps? I sometimes give a bagful to my FIL as it's a fabulous activator.

 

I keep my hens in a tiny suburban back garden really successfully. They've got a run at the bottom of the garden so that they don't spoil what plants and small area of lawn we have. They can free range in summer too. They've got 1/3 of the garden as their run and are very happy girls.

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I agree about the shredded paper, Egluntine as it does get a bit nasty but it is readily available, compostable and the cheapest option. I use wood shavings for rabbits and guinea pigs in the girls nest. A bale big enough to do the Cube droppings trays and the nest is only just over £1 and is compostable too. Doesn't get as dirty either.

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Thanks

Are wood shavings okay for nesting material then?

Only one of my girls roosts at night, the other two cuddle up on the floor so I like them to have a cosy area - I suppose I could use a box within the house to reduce waste. I will get a composter - the ones I have atm got filled up so quickly due to the copious amounts of straw!

Maybe a combination of shavings and straw is the answer!

:D

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I dig my dirty aubiose and er..."chicken waste" into the fruit and veg raised beds when the compost bin gets full up. The good thing is though that I don't put very many veg peelings in the compost now though as most of them go through the chooks first and that composts quicker. I'm just managing with 2 daleks at the moment.

 

I don't use straw at all (I hate the smell of it for a start), it's aubiose all the way here.

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Thanks

Are wood shavings okay for nesting material then?

Only one of my girls roosts at night, the other two cuddle up on the floor so I like them to have a cosy area - I suppose I could use a box within the house to reduce waste. I will get a composter - the ones I have atm got filled up so quickly due to the copious amounts of straw!

Maybe a combination of shavings and straw is the answer!

:D

 

Yes, it's absolutely fine. My girls sleep in the nest and the wood shavings are nice and cosy and clean. If they're good enough for rabbits and guinea pigs, they'll be fine for hens as they are usually sold dust free to stop any allergy problems.

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I don't know whereabouts in Essex you are. I got my first lot of aubiose from Crown Corner Country Store, Kelvedon Hatch, near Brentwood in Essex

CM14 5TB 01277 372 744

 

It composts really easily, but if I didn't have composters I would put it in the council 'green waste' collection. Epping Forest council takes waste from vegetarian pets.

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I have put Aubiose bedding in my green bin.

 

Bags of poo went to my neighbour for her allotment and pooey wood chip went on freecycle and now i have a list of half a dozen people who are waiting for the next lot lol

 

Having a composter is great if you have use for it after, i don't grow much at all and would quickly have way too much!

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