Solitary chicken - need advice

[Troy]

Morning all

 

I am thinking of mixing Aubiose in with sharp sand/play sand in the run and wondered if anyone else has done this. the run is 15ftx15ft with a concrete base with girls free ranging when supervised. I thought sand would seem more like garden dirt to the girls - but will they really care???

 

Any views?

Troy

[The Dogmother]

I wouldn't bother Troy, it'll just get kicked around and is much finer than dirt, so not diggable. If they are on hardstanding though, i would provide a dustbath in the run, and you can put sand in that if you like.

[Laura & CTB]

I have a run on patio slabs and use just aubiose - they love scratching around in it (especially after I sprinkle some food in there).

 

I also provide them with a dustbath of playsand mixed with a little red mite powder and diatom.

 

Aubiose is so easy when it comes to cleaning out the run because its so light - sand gets blooming heavy

[Troy]

Thanks Laura and Claret!

 

Just popped out to our horsey place and had a feel of the Aubiose....its much denser that I thought which is great as I imagined it just blowing all over the garden plus what youve both just said - Aubiose it is! Ive returned with 2 bales but I think another 2 will be required for my area. I'm just glad we're having a roof put on the run as its peeing here right now.

 

OOh and I've also come back with a purple shallow tub trug for the girls dust bath and a pink scoop, pink bucket, Diatom and poultry shield and and and

 

Hubby keeps looking at me as if I've gone mad and it looks like I forgot the play sand, red mite powder and.... 16 more days to go!!!

Troy

[Laura & CTB]

Your credit card must be trembling by now

[Egluntyne]

The sand would be very heavy to shift when it becomes time for a good clear out to, which is another point against it.

 

I would echo what everyone else says, and stick with the Aubiose.

[The Dogmother]

The sand would be very heavy to shift when it becomes time for a good clear out to, which is another point against it.

 

I would echo what everyone else says, and stick with the Aubiose.

 

Bearing in mind what Egluntine just said, the sand might harbour nasties when it's wet and claggy.

[Troy]

Is sand for the dust bath ok then or should I use something else?

 

Dont know bout the CC trembling Laura but hubby definately is !!

Troy

[The Dogmother]

I mix soil or potting compost and ash from my stove in my dustbath an they seem to like it. Some poeple like to use sand; so long as it's fine and dry it will serve the purpose.

[Guest]

Mine ignore the dustbath and just make their own in the Aubiose! It's very funny to watch!

 

Louise

[superjules]

Don't knock sand as a run surface until you've tried it. I use it and it's great. Your run needs a roof on it but it doesn't matter if it gets a bit damp from rain coming in sideways. When you clean out the run you don't take the sand out so it doesn't matter how heavy it is. I just sweep it over to one corner of the run and pour it through a garden sieve once a week and it's all nice and clean again. My run is 9m sq and it takes about 15mins. In theory you can just sweep the poo off the top with a witchy type broom but I'm a perfectionist! The girls love it that they live in a massive dustbath!

 

I switched from aubiose because it's cheaper than filling my whole run with aubiose once a month and I was running out of compost space. This way it's only the poo that goes in the composter. I still use aubiose in their house though so when I clean their house out I still end up with some aubiose in the run mixed in with the sand.

[Troy]

Superjules Hi

 

Just came across your post. Thought thread was done but funnily enough Thornes suggested sand today too. Their birds are on it and seem very happy about scratching AND dust bathing in it and to be honest with you because of the size of the run I am a little worried about having to replace the aubiose every 4 or 5 weeks.

Your regime sounds very sensible- especially with sifting thru it! (After all thats what we do with the horses)

I assume you put Diatom in with it??

With a solid roof I now think I'll give it a go.

Many thanks

Troy

[superjules]

I'm a regular at Thorne's!! Most of my lovely girls came from there.

 

Yes, I mix diatom in with it. I mix a good few trowelfuls in with their aubiose in the house, this then gets turned out weekly, mixed in with the flooring and cleaned. I also put a handful of diatom in any areas where I see them dustbathing and also some in a tubtrug for them.

 

Good luck with it.

[Troy]

Ooh Superjules have you seen those beautifiul barred wyandottes Thornes have?? Franks trying to breed from them apparently but no luck as yet- I've asked him to do what it takes - serenade if need be 'cos they're gorgeous! We would love one of those!

We're only in Old Welwyn, not far from you and we are impatiently waiting for some pekins and a SL Wyandotte from Thornes. (I can see where your little ones came from now too !!

 

 

Cube arrived today and George set it up. It looks quite striking in Lilac under the Oak...First batch of girls-Friday week!!!

 

I know this might sound daft but when you say garden sieve, do you mean those green circular thingees they have in garden centres? I think I've seen them but not sure?

 

Troy

[superjules]

Yes, it's a green circular garden sieve, holes are probably 1/4 inch. Get the biggest one you can to make the job quicker, although not with wider mesh otherwise you won't catch the bits you need to!

 

We get all our supplies from Thorne's. DD aged 4 is one of Frank's best customers he says!! She likes to go round looking at all the breeding stock, saying "There's Bossy's Mum and Dad", "There's a different coloured Yum-yum", etc. I regret not getting more pekins when we got the bantams, they're fab!

 

Congrats on your cube - a lilac one too! I'm not jealous!!