4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[emmaw298]

hi there, chickeners!

i've recently moved my eglu so that I can leave the run door open all the time so the girls can free range all day. i've had to put the run on slabs because within a few days we were getting rats tunnelling in but i'm wondering whether you think i need to put hemcore down? the only time the hens spend in the run now is for feeding and i would be pleased to not have to keep raking out the hemcore and having it blow all over the garden all the time, plus cleaning out would be really easy just having to power hose it down once a week!

what do you think???

[Egluntyne]

You might have to hose it more than once a week, as the hemcore absorbs them readily, and if it is not there, there will be an awful lot if poo if they are in the run for any length of time, eg if you are out for the day.

 

Give it a try and see how you go on.

 

They do like something to scratch in if confined.

Edited July 11, 2008 by Guest

[cluckbok]

One of our friends has his chooks on decking and no hemcore. They do look a bit bored, I think it's nice for them to have something to scratch around in, that is their natural behaviour. They love scratching and pecking around. See how they get on, they may just get used to it.

[chelsea]

I think without some sort of bedding the flies would be worse aswell TBH. As the hemcore/aubiose coats the poos and helps cut down on smells if there is nothing to coat the poos then you might get more flies/smell. I appreciate you would probably hose down regularly, but say you go out somewhere for the afternoon it would get pretty pooey!!

 

keeping my run clean gives me piece of mind/helps to eliminate any disease.

 

And the hens prefer to root around in something...keeps them out of mischief!

Edited July 10, 2008 by Guest

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Your post implies that your girls are never confined to the run? Is that the case? If so, I don't suppose you do need hemcore (but then you probably don't need a run ).

[emmaw298]

yes they are now out all day which is why i figured that the hemcore isn't essential as they have a large garden to scratch around in now.

appreciate the comments about the flies - think i'll keep an eye on how it goes and adjust as needed.

the only time they would be confined to the run is if we're going out in the evening and it will be dark by the time we get back as we've found that one of them will always go and find a bush to sleep underneath rather than going back in the eglu-strange I know! plus although we think the garden is fox-resistant, i am always a bit more cautious after dusk.

thanks for the comments, just wanted to check that what i was doing wasn't completely strange or damaging to the hens.