Poorly chicken

[Yolky]

Please could you tell me....

 

How often do you poo pick

 

How often do you do a complete change

 

Do you ever blast the wood chip with a hose to wash the chips

 

Do you do anything else to stop the run getting stinky

 

thanks

[Redwing]

I am slovenly

 

I have never poo picked although I do rake over regularly and mix in Stalosan F every couple of months

 

Woodchips in run one (Eglu run) on their seventh month, I regularly chuck handfuls of Aubiose in to avoid any dampness and this works wonders.

 

Woodchips mixed with chunky shavings in run two in their third week and looking immaculate

 

All fine and no smells or flies! (so far)

[bluekarin]

I have wood chips in the WIR and also inside the run of their house. Its been down a couple of weeks and I just hosed it down and the poo washed through the chips into the soil. So I was rather pleased about that. I keep meaning to get some Stalosan F but have been put off by the prices online, especially the postage. Anyone know of any shops that sell it?

I have Hemcore inside the roosting box and nest box which I poo pick everyday.

[Guest]

interesting question....

 

as i have mine on wood chips(I am new to chickens) and when i went to clean the run i just couldnt work out what i was meant to be picking up(I have horses and after reading some threads on poo picking thought picking was going to be obvious)!! NOT

 

So i had a little sweep up and tidy around and have gone for once a week option in the run of checking and picking and cleaning the water container out. Then the cube I have lined the trays with newspaper and will clean those twice a week...I just put the paper in an incinerator as I cant see there is much quantity to compost ?? so minimal I have 5 hens. I have only cleaned the perches once but probably will do this as and when...., they were ok this week

 

I do get a little pile of poo some days in the nest area(on hemcore horse bedding) and just scoop it out with a trowel.

 

I did buy some mite powder so at some stage will have a sprinkle as precautionary and will probably clear the chippings in a few more weeks ...have yet to work that out!

 

Hope that helps

indie

[twopoke]

i leave the chippnig for about a month then much it out and put fresh in..

 

only £5.50 from b&q for big bag once a month

 

i let them free range but the run starts to "cake" a little by the end of a month (well over winter anyway, not had for the summer yet)

 

the cube gets cleaned out once a week (well bars scrpped off) and trays get topped out every week or so. straw bedding get changed when it looks a bit sad.

 

very easy to look after really...... was verry supprised at this !

[Guest]

Hi

I think i am finding it is easier to sweep it all back the soil and I fill it back into where they have been digging...i just am not sure what i will be poo picking so I just sweep it to the edges really as they put it all back again over a few days

 

I dont jet wash it down but i do find the wood chip getting into their drinker etc it seems to be quite messy...I think it will be good for the winter so their feet arent on cold hard ground but so far am really wondering why i have it(Have only had the chickens a couple of weeks..and am not going to buy any wood chip again until the winter)

 

indie

[noyan]

Wood chips what wood chips. my girls throw it around that much there is hardly any left after a month. they dust bath in it aswell which throws more about. glugs alwys got bits of chippings in them and covered in the dust

[bobbytoad]

I've had 2 chickens on grass and within a week the entire run floor was covered in poo - no exaggeration it also started to pong a bit.

 

From what is being said here, am I right to assume that keeping them on wood chips would keep smells/flies down???? this is my big concern from past experience

 

would the wood chips not just get caked in poo or does the fact its on chips break it down quicker as it's being turned over? Where as my lawn experience just had the poo sit on top?

 

dont want to get them back only to experiecne same problems, particularly as mu chipping area would be closer to the house

 

Off topic buy I was surprised how much poo 2 POL chickens did, does the amount go down once they start laying?

 

thanks