Ammonia smell in coop-first time owner

[chickiepiggies]

i have a permanent run 3m x 3m now covered so they don't get wet, did have grass in there but thats been scratched away all they have is very dry compacted soil, its so hard now i can just sweep the top of it and that get all the poo up.

 

in the summer i put grass cuttings in there which they loved to scratch around in, and it was good for poo to stick to and made it easier to clean up. but summer gone now so no grass for them.

 

now the winter is upon us has any one got any ideas what i could put in to keep them happy, the darker nights are coming so they will be in bed when i get home, i dont want them to get bored.

 

could i use wood chippings? which ones are safe ive heard some are not good for them to have.

 

any ideas would be great.

[stoice]

I use easi-bed (Chipped wood) that is similar looking to hemcore/aubiose but cheaper. Hemcore/aubiose is great stuff - the core of the hemp plant chopped up - it composts a treat and my girls love to flick through it. It absorbs lots of water if wet though (And sloppy poops which is a bonus). You'll be glad the run is covered as it'd get pretty squishy over winter and your girls would have to have swimming competitions to keep themselves amused! I can't get aubiose near where i am, only hemcore (I believe hemcore may have gone bust though?) so i switched to easi-bed.

[Space Chick]

I agree I use either Hemcore or aubiose and it is fab. Soaks up poos a treat, and the girls love scratching through it. I like sprinkling meal worms and corn and leave them forage for it.

[Redwing]

Woodchips are good, I use B&Q hardwood chips mixed with bedmax wood shavings and that makes a good base

 

I do use Aubiose in hutches and in the indoor walk in run area (stable!) though and that is very good

 

The woodchips need cleaning out less often - mine have been down since about March but they are a pain to dispose of when you do clean them out

[Sarahsausage]

I use wood chips too, don't go for a cheap variety though, i used J Arthurs cheap chippings once and couldn't believe the amount of shredded rubbish and glass I found in it! It's easy to poo pick with wood chips too.

[Redwing]

Good point about the cheapie chippings although I have always found the B&Q ones to be excellent, dont be worried about seeing if there is a split bag in the pile so you can have a nose at the contents

 

Also forgot to say dont use bark, there is lots of talk over nasty spores etc in it that may or may not be true but aside from that it holds more water and can get slippery and smelly

[rufusrooster]

I agree I use either Hemcore or aubiose and it is fab. Soaks up poos a treat, and the girls love scratching through it. I like sprinkling meal worms and corn and leave them forage for it.

 

 

i'm planning my wir at the moment, i will be using easibed / aubiose for the floor, how often does it need to be replaced and what sort of depth do you tend to put in ?

[abwsco]

How big is your WIR going to be and will it be covered. Mine is covered and has a foot depth of dust extracted, large shavngs - eg Bedmax. It's far cheaper than aubiose etc I've only replaced mine once so far although I do throw stalosan in it often.

[Plum]

Last year I put the trimmings from bushes and trees in with them. When they had got over their initial fear of the big scary leaves they loved rummaging in them.

[chickiepiggies]

i've had a quick look on b&q website and can only see bark chippings..... will have to pop in store and have a mooch.

They look so bored at the moment they had lots of old veggie roots and soil before but now its all gone.

 

i also like it to look pretty! OH thinks i'm mad sometimes.

[chick wiggle]

I use both easibed and woodchips and the girls love it. Scratting about looking for corn or mealworms As long as your run is covered and kept dry the bedding works like magic.. Poo? what poo? it amazingly dissapears and just the odd ones to be picked

The woodchip in the middle is great too, keeps clean and doesnt smell at all

[chickiepiggies]

oh wow thats looks fab. i'm so jealous. i wll be re-designing mine next weekend. but yours has def give me some ideas

 

also trying to persuade the OH to let me have a cube. i really want one.

[rufusrooster]

How big is your WIR going to be and will it be covered. Mine is covered and has a foot depth of dust extracted, large shavngs - eg Bedmax. It's far cheaper than aubiose etc I've only replaced mine once so far although I do throw stalosan in it often.

 

 

run will be 4.5m x 1.8m covered. have i read that right ? a foot deep you say youve only vhanged them once, but after how long ?

[abwsco]

run will be 4.5m x 1.8m covered. have i read that right ? a foot deep you say youve only vhanged them once, but after how long ?

 

Once in six months. Like others have said the poo just seems to disappear. Mine is on soil - was grass and plants until they ate it all - lol Should add though that mine aren't locked in it all day although they do spend time in it until we let them out in the morning and then go scratching in it in the day.