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

[Mrs Nesbitt]

Hi all

 

Am in the process of building a permanent run due to visit by Mr Fox (knew I was living on borrowed time with the freeranging ). The chooks will live in the run when we're not around, but will be able to free-range the garden (behind poultry fencing) when we are about.

 

My question is what to put on top of the slabs that will form the floor. I use Aubiose in the eglu/run at present but the new run will probably be a bit exposed with weldmesh on all 4 sides (although it will have a roof) and I'm concerned that the Aubiose will get too wet. So maybe woodchip? If I do use woodchip, how often will it need completely replacing and what do you all do with the stuff you discard? Does anyone use Aubiose in a run that is a bit exposed and if so does it work OK or get really soggy??

 

Thanks in advance

 

Mrs N

 

Forgot to say, can't use the eglu run and converter as I had been, as a neighbour kindly donated two further chooks to my cause and it seems to small for all of them

[Rona]

i use hemcore, which is similar to auboise in a run with a roof. It does get wet round the edges when it rains but just seems to absorb the water and soons dries out again. I don't have slabs in the run and I think the rain encourages insects to the wet bits as the girls love to dig big holes in it.

I put it on the compost when I clean out as chicken poo is too acidic for the garden straight away.

[cliveb]

I use woodchip in our run and it seems to work fine. It gets raked over about once or twice a week to level it back out, as the girls like to dig in it. I replace it once a month entirely and give the ground a clean.

The woodchip does get wet but the chooks seem quite happy. It makes for an easy to keep, low maintenance flooring for the run.

[CockADoodleDoo]

i use wood chip and its really good! looks nice too. i also buy a bale of hemcore every month and a bit and put that in aswell. and mix them all together! works a treat

[CockADoodleDoo]

i use wood chip and its really good! looks nice too. i also buy a bale of hemcore every month and a bit and put that in aswell. and mix them all together! works a treat

[CockADoodleDoo]

i use wood chip and its really good! looks nice too. i also buy a bale of hemcore every month and a bit and put that in aswell. and mix them all together! works a treat

[Ange1]

Where do people buy the woodchip from?

 

Garden centres, i know it has to be wood chip and not wood bark?

[stoice]

B&Q are selling it again (With a kind of orange coloured band on the pack)

We had all noticed that everywhere seemed to be only selling bark for a while. I think you could also try easybed as that is a type of woodchip (Hope I'm right, correct me if I'm wrong, i haven't ever used it)

[Mrs Nesbitt]

But what does everyone do with the woodchip when they replace it?? I shouldn't imagine that it composts down very quickly...

 

Mrs N

[MedusA]

But what does everyone do with the woodchip when they replace it?? I shouldn't imagine that it composts down very quickly...

 

Mrs N

 

No, which is why I use Aubiose in my permanent run. It does get a little damp when it rains, because my roof leaks a bit in places, but it soon dries out and is much easier to compost than wood chip, which I tried previously.

[Yolky]

I don't know if you have a local council tip near to you but I bet if you bagged it up in one of those large paper bags you could put it on their heap to compost.