Ammonia smell in coop-first time owner

[JanTheDiver]

Hi there

 

I know a few people have mentioned putting plastic boarding around the bottom edge of the Cube run to stop all the straw/aubiose coming out. Where can I buy it

 

I am getting fed up of having to do a sweep up in the playpen around the run every couple of weeks because they have kicked all the straw out

 

Thanks

 

Jan

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I used to use old rotary clothes drier covers and I know a couple of folk have bought some from Ebay for that purpose!

 

Someone else used perspex sheets, I think.

[Dawn-Dave]

Edging for the garden.........you can buy it in any garden centre or homebase/B&Q. It comes rolled up and is wavy but will do the job.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Just make sure you buy the wider stuff - the narrower one is no good (I know, I bought some ).

[Gelbel]

Hi Jan - check out your garage/shed/attic - you'll be amazed what you can find to use. I have a right hotch-potch of kick board. It ranges from defunct fence paneling to left over vinyl flooring via old skirting boards. Pre WIR I used a roll of that corregated plasticy garden border, as others have mentioned and to which you asked about, which I held in place by making holes with a hole punch and used small cable ties to hold in place. I have used old railway sleepers or fence posts outside the wire and they have acted as a barrier to preditors.

[The Dogmother]

I just use corrugated plastic lawn edging.

[JulesL]

I've used the rotary cover idea for the eglu run to stop the auboise getting out and then I've used a broken down fence panel all down the side of my WIR to stop stones, bark etc being kicked onto the lawn. Definitely working.

[Lewis]

I used polycarbonate plastic sheets around my WIR, and could do the same in a cube run

 

Photos are in my sig

[Missus]

I was thinking about having polycarb sheets over part of the WIR to give extra protection from the elements during winter as the wind blows rain in to my set up. I thought the girls could still see out (as they have to know what's going on ) I thought of screwing it to the support framework of the run

 

Any thoughts, as I'm not a really competent DIYer being a weak and feeble girlie

 

I have some green tarps round the back and one side of the WIR but I feel it's not sufficient shelter. I have a stack of straw bales for them to shelter under as well but think some polycarb would afford more shelter. I dread the onset of winter and the implication on my girls. I lost one last year due to egg retention

[Missus]

I googled "transparent tarp" which led me to Allplas

 

I phoned up to see if they did a truly see-through tarp (with eyelets) which would allow my girls protections from wind and rain ingress into their WIR and yes they do!!!

 

I've ordered the smallest size which is 2 m x 2m I think which I can lash to the timber struts and cross members. These tarps are for market stalls sides and backs

 

Fingers crossed it's the right thing for the job. It saves on DIY which is my worry It was £6.50 for courier postage. He uses courier now as the post office kept letting him down (I know that from past experience when I ordered some butyl etc)

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I can't remember if it was Allplas I used, but I can confirm that the "glass clear" tarps are very clear .

 

You can hardly see it in this photo - you can only tell it's there by the white hem . They do get less clear with time but I stuck all mine in the washing machine before putting them back up for this winter and although the hems do get a bit grubby and stained, the clear bit washes really well!

 

[beach chick]

you WASHED it ANH? I'm amazed that would work... what temperature did you use?

I think I have the same as you, although was from tarpaflex, but same idea. it is very makeshift at the mo, as I had to put it up in howling gale on Monday - currently flapping like mad on one side because bungees arent tight enough, but better than nothing.

 

we have kickboard round the WIR, although one side still to do - I dont think it's high enough, but we will live with it I reckon as spent a fortune on the girls recently.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

you WASHED it ANH? I'm amazed that would work... what temperature did you use?

They were so grubby and dusty they would've looked horrible up so I just took a chance . I think it was a 40 degree wash (but may have been 30!)

[beach chick]

I think it was a 40 degree wash (but may have been 30!)

 

hahaha! and you still have a washing machine??

think I might just hose mine down as and when the time comes... but I can see they will get dirty, and ours will end up covered with sand because we are so close to the sea and the wind just brings it in.

[Aunty e]

Ooh, interesting. I'm toying with the idea of using left over skirting board around ours. As we bought the run second hand, we didn't have the option of specifying a kickboard. I think they look lovely and smart too. Our run is sheltered on three sides, so it would just be to contain whatever bedding we used. Last time we had aubiose in a run, it killed everything in our garden and trashed the lawn so I've been putting off putting anything down.

[poachedegg]

We use the deep log roll (got ours from B & Q) and have it cable tied along the run - it makes a huge difference to the amount of hemcore/aubiose that now stays within the run....would definitely recommend and quite easy to attach if you use an eyelet maker and cable ties.

[Jules.]

We use the deep log roll (got ours from B & Q) and have it cable tied along the run - it makes a huge difference to the amount of hemcore/aubiose that now stays within the run....would definitely recommend and quite easy to attach if you use an eyelet maker and cable ties.

 

Have you got a photo please?

[poachedegg]

We use the deep log roll (got ours from B & Q) and have it cable tied along the run - it makes a huge difference to the amount of hemcore/aubiose that now stays within the run....would definitely recommend and quite easy to attach if you use an eyelet maker and cable ties.

 

Have you got a photo please?

 

OH away doing a conference until late tomorrow night and has the camera, however we got the idea from a post by Dilly.

 

I have found the thread which has photos, so hope that helps:

 

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=70187