Groovychook Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 Hello! I'm planning a space in my garden to site the eagerly awaited cube - only 6 long weeks to go! I've been trawling through the FAQ's to see if I could find any tips on how often you should reposition the run in order to protect your lawn. I'm now thinking that perhaps I should wave goodbye to one patch of grass and put some chippings down instead... I want to get everything sorted so that as soon as the cube arrives, I can rush out and get some chooks!! Has anybody got any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yolky Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 I put my run on slabs very quickly after the girls arrival and I wish I had got the slabs ready before the girls arrived. putting them on slabs means the run is sooooo much less smelly and mucky. Good luck with your new girls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 I've never moved mine around - they are on a permanent site and it works well. Theer's no way that you can move it frequently enough to stop the grass getting worn out, especially in winter when the grass doesn't grow. I'd recommend keeping it in a permanent position and using Aubiose in the run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spratly0 Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 I moved my cube and 4 girls every 2 days for the first week and very quickly decided that a permanent run was the way to go. Unless you have a lot of spare grass you will run out especially through winter. Mine have been in their run 2 weeks now and its much better, though have to concrete/slab the whole floor next week as tried aubiose on dirt/mud - its ok but not perfect and i think a hard surface with some kind of bedding on top will be better for cleaning management. Good luck though, you wont regret it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted August 19, 2008 Author Share Posted August 19, 2008 Hi! Thanks so much for your advise - the permanent run is starting to sound very appealing!! If I was to put wood/ bark chippings down on a slab base, roughly how often would they need to be changed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yolky Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 I would poo pick the worst a few times a week and do a total change every 4 - 6 weeks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 Bark or woodchip will absorb the damp and get smelly quite quickly - I'd recommend Aubiose or Hemcore; there are a few threads on the forum about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 I move mine every 2-3 days and brush their poops out daily.I find this works well enough so that the grass isnt ever destroyed and recovers in only a few days. I am going to give them a permanent site over winter though cos my lawn wouldnt recover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reikiranf Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 We keep ours on the grass and move it once a week and the grass hasn't been too bad although since we got the run extension we have less options for moving it The grass normally takes 2-3 weeks to recover and grows back better than it was before As we got our girls in February we haven't gone through a winter yet so perhaps that may change our minds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 I've got a different point of view... I now keep the eglu and run static, and allow them to completely trash the grass inside. once they've destroyed it completely, they turn it into a lovely fine mix, which is very easy to remove poos from. looks a bit horrible in the interim (I blast poos with the hose once a week) and probably only works if you (a) lime the grass from time to time to kill nasties and (b) have a run for them to go in beyond that - we have electric fencing, so they basically freerange from 8am til dusk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 Hi Groovychook. I would say just try a few options once the cube arrives. Over the time I've had mine I've changed what I do. Last Spring/Summer - moved eglu along a few feet every few days, grass recovers quickly, goes lovely dark green. Last Autumn/Winter - grass doesn't grow at all, gets eaten in days and doesn't grow back till Spring. So positioned in one spot, with Auboise in the run. They had their own fenced off area of lawn and within weeks they'd eaten that too. This Spring/Summer - I moved them to the other side of the garden. The winter side grass has grown back (with no reseeding) and I am now a lazier chook keeper and I move the run once a month, to the left then to the right. So now I just accept I have 2 unattractive strips in my lawn which are alternated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 I have my run on soil with hemcore. It works really well. I change the hemcore every 6 weeks, raking off the top layer, sprinkling garden lime and Stalosan F down, then new hemcore. I keep it dry with corrugated plastic so there's no smell and it stays relatively dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 I have my run on soil with hemcore. It works really well. I change the hemcore every 6 weeks, raking off the top layer, sprinkling garden lime and Stalosan F down, then new hemcore. I keep it dry with corrugated plastic so there's no smell and it stays relatively dry. Exactly what I do ANH. My run is covered too, so no dampness at all and the Aubiose/hemcore composts like a dream. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...