The Dogmother Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 Just put it on the bare earth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 After they had eaten the grass, we raked out the bark and put aubiose in the run. It really is good stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 I have found a shop close to me that can order in the hemcore and the aubiose for about £7 a bale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaime Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 Hi Sarah - If you have a choice - go for Hemcore it's scented and will keep flies away and your girlies smelling nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 Thanks Jamie One more question Can i put the hemcore on the compost heap ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 ok three things my hemcore goes on the compost if auboise is a french word then I would have though it would be -bwa (or similar) you know no s sounds and all nasaly french and does anyone elses chickens just kick all their hemcore out the sides we had it all nice, bark round the outside with hemcore in the middle. now its just a small about of hemcore in the run and bark and hemcore mixed around the outside and spilling over th edge where its been kicked really hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 does anyone elses chickens just kick all their hemcore out the sides. Yup! Put in a nice new, thick layer and within 24 hours, most of it has been kicked out - forming a nice new, thick ridge along the skirt! Have thought about suggesting to Omlet that they make the run with a solid bit at the bottom to keep it all in. The hens don't seem to mind, they did the same with bark - it's when they are scratching around in it for things, they kick it behind them. PS I too thought it would be 'aw-bwase', but on closer inspection, it is actually spelt IO - I thought it was 'bois' as in French for wood! but it's not. Hemcore is much easier to say! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 hemp composts really and rots quickly. It's good a a dry composting ingredient. Ours gets kicked out too Bron - I keep meaning to put some kick boards round the edge, but haven't got round to it yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 my two also kick out the hemcore/aubiose. When they have their treats we scatter them around the run, they then spend ages looking for them in the run and turfing everything else out the way - so its our own fault !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggy Bread Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 Does anybody add water to their Hemcore? On one bale I was looking at it said to sprinkle with a small amount of water to activate it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 Ooo, never heard that one before, although I believe that they do dampen it in stables, I just thought that was to keep the dust down. Annie might know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basset Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 Hi, I dampened the aubiouse down. It says on the package that you should dampen it down to activate its sponge-like qualities and it does seem to work. It did also say to spray with disinfectant to deter horses from eating it and getting colic. I decided that as the chooks forage through the aubiouse to look for treats, it was best not to add disinfectant, although it does worry me a bit about what will happen if they eat too much of it. I too was unsure about the pronounciation when I went to buy the aubiouse. I was quite relieved when the feed barn staff pronounced it the same way as me: O-B-OSE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindy Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 Blanche and Stella adore kicking the Hemcore about. While we're tidying up the eglu and run and refreshing the Hemcore at the weekends they peck about the garden happily until - from a distance - they spot the new Hemcore and make a mad dash back back into the run with the express purpose of s"Ooops, word censored!"ing and scratching around in it. They're not satisfied until they've flung it all over the place! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 I think i will position our eglu close to the compost bin then it will be easier when cleaning out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 I wonder if having your compost too near your hens will increase the rat risk? We have been meanng to sort out a compost for a while now - I am going to position mine well away from the eglu in case the compost attracts rats - but I may be wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 Got me thinking now ..i am not sure what to do ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 Don't think too hard SarahW Have some Green and Blacks and sit back and wait for someone to come along and tell us what's best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 My eglu is about 10 feet away from the compost. In an effort to lessen any 'rat risk', I only put garden compost on the compost heap. Any food peelings and kitchen stuff goes on the wormery - this is on concrete and has legs, so is virtually rat proof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debratugwell Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 I have found a shop close to me that can order in the hemcore and the aubiose for about £7 a bale Hi Sarah - I've sent you a reply to your Inbox. Where in Lancashire are you and which shop will order in the hemcore? Our chicks will be going on to hemcore/bark when they've trashed the grass they are on very soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffygrue Posted April 23, 2007 Share Posted April 23, 2007 Mm, I've noticed they really kick Aubiose around. I've not yet tried bark/woodchips - is it really worth continuing with the Auboise, given it just ends up on the wrong side of the run? I wonder if it's worth going for a good layer of woodchips/bark, and then a small layer of Aubiose on top of that.. anyone do that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted April 23, 2007 Share Posted April 23, 2007 we put a layer of woodshavings at the bottom of the run and then put aubiose over the top. Works well for us. I couldnt manage with out hemcore/aubiose now, I think it stays so much cleaner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfrock Posted April 23, 2007 Share Posted April 23, 2007 I've also read that you need to dampen the hemcore / auboise to 'activate' it. But how damp is damp and how long does it take to dry? We've just used it without dampening but i think i will change that this weekend. Also hubby is building their big run this weekend. It is going to be layered with auboise (can get that 5 mins away as opposed to 40 mins for hemcore) and have kick boards so that it all stays in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted April 23, 2007 Share Posted April 23, 2007 I can't see any difference between dampened and undampened. I think its just to settle the dust and not really worth the extra effort. Especially as the girls like dustbathing in it anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 23, 2007 Share Posted April 23, 2007 I've put some small kickboards along the outside o the run (just planks propped along the sides really) and they seem to keep the aubiose/hemcore in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minky Posted April 24, 2007 Share Posted April 24, 2007 O-B-OSE I think! *Makes a note* Phew! Thank goodness for that! I went to pick some up and initially asked for Hemcore cus I could say it! They didn't have any so I said 'Ahh, yes, I believe there is a similar product . . ?' (note cunning pause) and the guy said, 'you mean aubiouse' Cue massive internal sigh of relief as I was about to break into a chorus of Chris Rea's Aubergé, then the whole way home I was 'O-B-OSE, O-B-OSE, O-B-OSE' and of course had a cup of tea and totally forgot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
