Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Tutti Frutti]

I'll be changing the Aubiose next week (bit whiffy and brown now!) and just wanted to know the pros and cons of the deep litter method v the non-deep version!

 

I think I've been doing deep litter - about 4 inches deep and religiously poo-picking daily without disturbing the underneath layer. I think I've made 3 mistakes - not having stalosan/BioDry (so now has a few damp, lumpy patches), not topping up often enough (how often should I have done it?) and not being able to poo-pick until I get in from work (so the girls have spent all day treading it in and scratching so turning over the bottom layer ).

 

So the alternative is to put a little litter down and poo-pick, replacing with fresh then clear out every fortnight?

 

I've got Virkon-S to deep clean the slabs before the fresh Aubiose goes down and then I'll scatter the Stalosan/BioDry a few times a week (or should it be daily?) for freshness and ongoing disinfecting.

 

Anything else I should be doing? Thank you!

[Patricia W]

I've got about an inch of Aubiose in the run which is bare earth and covered so it stays completely dry. I change the poo trays once a week ( although in the bad weather it was longer!) and the nest box about every 3. The run I change about every 6 weeks - but poo pick in between.

 

I only add Stalosan and Diatom when I change it.

 

Tricia

[Laura & CTB]

I've recently changed from ankle deep wading in aubiose to the much easier to look after about an inch deep!

 

My WIR is on slabs so every couple of weeks the aubiose gets changed and I sprinkle Stalosan around the edges a bit where it sometimes can get a bit damp before the new aubiose goes in. I'm finding this much less effort than the huge clear out I used to do every six weeks or so.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I've got about an inch of Aubiose in the run which is bare earth and covered so it stays completely dry. I change the poo trays once a week ( although in the bad weather it was longer!) and the nest box about every 3. The run I change about every 6 weeks - but poo pick in between.

 

I only add Stalosan and Diatom when I change it.

 

That's almost exactly what I do (but I sometimes leave it more than 6 weeks ). I use garden lime in the run and Diatom in the nestbox.

[Patricia W]

Yes, well, mine's a flexible six weeks too- a lot depends on the weather... whether I do or whether I don't...

 

Tricia

[Tutti Frutti]

Yes, well, mine's a flexible six weeks too- a lot depends on the weather... whether I do or whether I don't...

 

Tricia

 

:lol:

 

Thank you ladies! I have diatom and stalosan on order, off work next week so all prepared to lay just the one inch of Aubiose I put a new toy in the WIR for them today and wanted it on the slabs - and there was actually a 4-in layer of cement-like Aubiose at the bottom

 

Here's the toy from Ikea! And they love it - had to shift some logs to make a clear landing strip

[Patricia W]

Will they sit on it - or in it?? Let us know how you get on with it- I feel a visit to Ikea coming on...

 

Tricia

[Egluntyne]

I have a shallower layer and change it more often nowdays and find it much less of a backbreaking chore. Plus the hens have the benefit and fun of a clean layer to play in more often.

 

I tell myself that it also goes some way towards controlling worm infestations.

[Jools]

I tell myself that it also goes some way towards controlling worm infestations.

 

Yep.

[Tutti Frutti]

Will they sit on it - or in it?? Let us know how you get on with it- I feel a visit to Ikea coming on...

 

Definitely ON it! Ursula hopped up on it today to say hello It's about 2ft tall with a wide base so pretty sturdy (takes 100kg - only creaked a bit when I sat on it ) and hasn't been knocked over yet (tucked in a corner, out of the way of their landing strip!). I did wonder if they'd use it to get to the shelf - and the answer is yes... plenty of poo up there again today

[Tutti Frutti]

Thought I'd just update you - Ursula absolutely loves the stool

 

She hops up onto it easily and then bounces up onto the roof of the wooden coop we have, where I prepare their food and treats (and she helps herself whilst I do it!)

 

 

I've put a garden kneeling pad in the WIR so I can flick off any poo on the stool and sit down on a clean cushion for a chat with my girls

[Lewis]

We have a similar blue one of those in the spare room from the 70's! - this one has a white top and is more of a sand-timer shape

 

A friend was moving house and he gave it to my brother a couple of years ago, I think I'd be shouted at if it appeared in the garden though