quickcluck Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Did anyone else read this? It's on page 20. About ventilation in the coop and it they have a tendency to over heat it can lead to bald bellies! I'm wondering about changing the roosting bars..... Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 I thought this was going to be about an Antipodean tragedy! Interesting idea. Makes sense I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 I thought this was going to be about an Antipodean tragedy! Me too Ref the roosting bars perhaps it may be a good idea to ensure that whatever lines the poo tray does not fill the whole tray so that air can circulate under the bars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted April 30, 2009 Author Share Posted April 30, 2009 Ohhhhhhh Red good point! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 I know and I haven't even had my dinner yet I surprised myself quite frankly. I think you may have pursuaded me to try a layer of newspaper rather than a 'loose' bedding over the summer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 I think you may have pursuaded me to try a layer of newspaper rather than a 'loose' bedding over the summer I have each cube and the eglu set up with different pootray arrangements ( has hemcore, had a layer of newspaper and a layer of shreddings and had just a sheet of newspaper, although "Ooops, word censored!"ody roosts in there, so it's very easy to keep clean anyway, the batties prefer the nestbox & I am not going to try to convince them otherwise!!!) and am coming round to the idea that a simple layer of newspaper rather than the shredded paper or hemcore which I was using is the best option - so much easier & quicker to clean out and cheaper too It's taken a while to get to that conclusion, but I got there in the end Maybe this is why my original chooks had bare bellies last summer with no obvious reason, less likely this year as they will be having the door left open, so much better ventilation. Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted April 30, 2009 Author Share Posted April 30, 2009 did they grow back Sha? My 6 have been bald for over 6mths There is no reason that we can find, we've changed many things. We are now contemplating leaving the door open, but am worried about the noise...... We only have newspaper in the poo trays though.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 I'm embarrassed to say I don't know !! Catching my little darlings is easier said than done, especially as there are now 10 of them! I do notice that when I do get a hold of them, I get skin to skin rather than fluffy handfuls, though I haven't upturned them to check the full extent of the bareness. I will endeavour to catch them tomorrow and check! Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budgies Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 I didn't know that! Redwing, that's a good point. We always just gave the girls three or four sheets of newspaper folded to line the tray but there was room between the base and the bars. Remember to ask "Sudoku, crossword or the gossip pages girls?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...