OllieNLucys Mum Posted October 30, 2009 Share Posted October 30, 2009 I am hoping to keep my girls and ollie out in the paddock as late as possible. They are currently out in one of the ponies winter paddocks with cube and extension run behind electric netting. They are shut in cube run for night. As winter progresses the ponies will need the paddock. I am thinking of keeping the chooks in a stable with the cube in. During the day they can free range on the yard where there is grass and barns etc they can explore.At night the stable will be shut up it is 12x12 and totally fox proof. I was going to put bark chippings on the floor but have some bales of straw that have got wet and spoiled on the edges that I now can not use as supplementary feed for the horses as planned. Would it be ok to use straw for the chooks? It could be totally changed whenever necessary. All the spoiled straw has been dumped so this is ok its just not high enough quality to feed and my horses are bedded on flax and wood pellets. So what do you reckon. This is my first winter with chooks so probably lots of stupid questions coming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted October 30, 2009 Share Posted October 30, 2009 Lots of people do use straw, if you fluff it up with a fork every couple of days and change it regularly then it should be fine, the straw bedding doesnt need to be as thick as with horses as the chickens will find it hard to get around on, a layer a couple of inches thick would be fine Keep an eye out for mites, less chances of them if the stable is brick than if its wood, just be aware of the signs as they wll spread more rapidly through straw bedding as straw is hollow and provides hiding places I have some chickens that live in a stable and they have Aubiose bedding which lasts about 10 weeks before it needs changing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 30, 2009 Share Posted October 30, 2009 Not a huge fan myself. It gets slimy and slippery. If you have a hen that likes eating it, it can lead to crop impaction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted October 30, 2009 Share Posted October 30, 2009 My hens live in a stable all year round, and I use Hemcore or Aubiose on the floor. I usually change it completely every 12 weeks or so, with the odd bit of poo picking in between, and it seems to work well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisEllis Posted October 30, 2009 Share Posted October 30, 2009 I'd say the same sort of thing - straw isnt very absorbant and so it keeps bacteria growing and producing spores - if you know what i mean and it doesnt soak up all the waste I think the best sort of thing to get would be wood shavings and aubise seems to be the upgrade from that - it soaks up the poo and its comfortable and mites etc dont really live in it. Hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OllieNLucys Mum Posted October 31, 2009 Author Share Posted October 31, 2009 Hmm I'm a bit reluctant now although it does seem a waste just to burn it. My worry is the mites. At the moment i am having huge difficulty ridding one hen of lice. She came with them and fortunately the other 2 hens haven't picked them up but Ollie has. I dust them both regularly but the little ****persist. I'm worried the other 2 would get them on straw now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
