earthmam1 Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 Hello I am looking for a bit of advice. We have had our . eglu and chooks for 3 weeks and have built a base for the eglu to go on in the winter. Reading through the advice on the forum we have decided to build a run and cover it. We were going to use bark as a base but this does not seem to be good am i right. I can get easibed from a retailer near me is this better thanks for any help. Loving life with chickens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh sarah Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 hi not 100% sure but i think easy bed would be better, just remembering something about mould in bark. i am sure someone with more knowledge and a memory will be along soon sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jools+6 Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 there are a million answers ours are on bark and earth , in a small run because they freerange all day and only need the run for up to two hours at a time , when we are out which with 4 kids is never . they dig like miners though so are digging under it and we are forever filling it in , thus we are moving them to slabs . lots of people pefer easibed / hemcore and when we get onto slabs we will look at this . swear , if they employed hens to dig mines , tunnels , drainage etc it would work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brown Clan Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 I know what you mean I whistle the great escape when I see mine digging !! and they run away like naughty schoolgirls wearing expressions of it wasn't us honest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 15, 2008 Share Posted October 15, 2008 It really is down to personal choice. I've tried most options and found Aubiose or hemcore to be the most satisfactory; it doesn't stay damp, it hoovers up poo and the smells just disappear too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cordelia Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 we use bark on solil (formely grass)...but ours is exposed to the elements... If yours is going to be covered....auboise or hemcore or the equivalent is what my breeder used.....easy to clean I think...her breeding unit was totally water tight.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 we have used bark for 18 months without a problem, but we may have been lucky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliveb Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 I have used bark for the last year with no problems. Its raked over once a week and changed completly every six weeks or so. The girls do however free range all day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earthmam1 Posted October 18, 2008 Author Share Posted October 18, 2008 hello Tfhanks for all your advice - its brillant. I will use wood chip and see how I get on with that. I am persuading OH to build me a covered chicken run thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jade&mike Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 wood chip is best as it will wash clean in the rain and only needs to be changed every few months. wood bark holds the damp more and can go mouldy alot quicker and the mould spores are bad for your chickens. arriving 24th november Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jools+6 Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 hello Tfhanks for all your advice - its brillant. I will use wood chip and see how I get on with that. I am persuading OH to build me a covered chicken run thanks wish my OH was as useful . he's more theory than practical however if you need a really big sum that needs doing .... swap him for a joiner ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finger lickin good Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 We originally used bark chips but found that they stayed very wet if it had rained and smelled a bit. We have now switched to hard wood chips which are on top of some soft rubber grassmats, the drainage is much better now and the chips dry out. The grass mats (http://www.grassmats.co.uk) stop the girls digging holes in the soil underneath. They all seem much happier since the change Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
