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lollyfry

Chicken poo and grass

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Another question from me - a newbee :D

 

Our ex-batts, which we've only had for a week, have a penned of area at the bottom of our garden. This area is currently grass but I am well aware that when the rain and winter really kicks in that grass is going to disappear..... :anxious:

 

But before this happens I'm not sure what to do about how to pick up all the poo! Obviously cleaning the coop and the concrete slabs that stands on is no problem but how to i 'clean' the grass properly??

 

Apologies if this sounds really dumb :oops: but I don't want to risk any nasties getting to our girls! I use diatom in the coop and on the slabs.

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It's when it rains that you have problems, IME. My eglu run used to get a complete mat of crusty poo around the grub after a few days. Yum.

 

Oh I'm so glad I now have aubiose down in my brilliant WIR: no more scratching about on the lawn for me (sorry, do I sound a bit smug...oops!).

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I've had mine 5 weeks now (seems like yesterday) and have settled in to a nice routine. I free range them after work for an hour or so (ie time for a sit down with a cuppa and getting tea ready while watching them - and assuming I am not away for the day) and for as many hours as possible at the weekend after they have had a good breakfast of pellets. Anyhow, I poo pick the garden a couple of times a week. The main poo pick is once a week when I am drying everything out after a good old scrub.

 

To be honest (sorry to be so graphic :vom: ) I prefer it to dry out - easier to deal with. I use a cat litter scoop to pop it into the used newspaper bundle of nest bedding (I so wish they would not kip in their nest) and onwards to the compost bin. I find the curry poos disappear from the grass - even without rain.

 

IMHO life's too short for me to worry about it. I only poo pick ASAP if it's on the door step or where I stand to hang the washing out. I do have garden shoes by the back door that I change into religiously. But I find the vast majority of their poo is not in my walk from the back door to their their run. Clever girls. :lol:

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My lot had runny poops for a few weeks after arrival. Just stress and it will soon sort itself out. When it does and things are back to normal, a trowel and bucket to flick into are ok for poop picking the lawn daily.

 

You are right, when the rain kicks in grass can disappear. I have clay soil, so it's even worse. I am now quite mean and keep my girls locked in the run on really soggy days or even days of constant drizzle which waterlogs the grass. Otherwise they will scratch up a 1sq metre area of grass in less than 5 mins on a rainy day. Because they are looking for worms which rise to the surface. So locking them in can help and I'm better at this now that when I first had them. (winter 1 no grass, winter 2 had grass, winter 3 is approaching.......)

 

This is what my lot did to my lawn after a few mins on a rainy day last year.

100_2684.jpg

 

In winter, my lot live on the patio slabs too. A covered run with Auboise (or similar brand of horse bedding) is perfect to soak up poops and then just change the bedding monthly.

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I have to poo pick regularly so the children can play on the grass. I have an old dustpan and brush to use just for the chickens. Had my girls 2 weeks now and still getting some runny droppings so I found the pan and brush (working together) easier than just a trowel trying to pick up and not flick everywhere! My problem is then what to do with it? My compost bin is fullish but I know its great stuff for gardeners. Thinking I could bag/bin a load up and when full give to a gardener in need! Does anyone else do this?

Jan

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 I am confused about this too! Today I raked it all up from the grass, which is slowly losing its grass status.  The girleens have been with me for 4 days, and after, the area looked so much better!  They were astonished when their house was moved to rake it over!!!

 

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