4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[hippy chick]

What can I put down on the garden where the chicken run is.

They are on grass and even though i am constantly poo picking the ground is getting smelly and there are lots of flies.

Thanks

[Mollie333]

In my run i have two terracotta plant pots which i rubbed in citronella oil and left to soak in then when the sun comes out it releases a smell to get rid of the flies! (Thanks Lewis (lwescott) for telling me about the plant pot technique.

[foreveryoung]

In my run i have two terracotta plant pots which i rubbed in citronella oil and left to soak in then when the sun comes out it releases a smell to get rid of the flies! (Thanks Lewis (lwescott) for telling me about the plant pot technique.

 

ooo where can I get citronella?????

[Mollie333]

Citronella oil.. I got mine from the Garden Centre.

[foreveryoung]

Citronella oil.. I got mine from the Garden Centre.

 

 

oooooo gonna try that - how have you found it???

[Jools]

I'm a regular poo-picker too Hippy Chick, which does keep most of the flies away. Garden lime sprinkled on the grass and watered in (before letting the chickens back on it) is another good ground sanitiser. Most poultry keepers do this a couple of times a year.

 

There are proprietry ground sanisters available now, such as Stalosan and Biodry (as well as a new Net-tex one which is included with their natural wormer), but I personally don't use them on grass or soil, only on concrete.

[Mollie333]

Works a treat!

[foreveryoung]

Works a treat!

 

 

FAB FAB

[hippy chick]

OOOh that's a good idea.

[tara]

Could you use these if you have ducks in the run as well am worried they may drink it

[Mollie333]

you could put it out side the run.

 

1. get a terracotta plant pot and turn it upside down

2. put a medium amount of citronella oil ON TOP of the plantpot (well its the bottom, but its upside down)

3. Leave it to dry, then, when the sun comes out the smell will come out aswell

[Egluntyne]

Top tip mollie!

 

I sprinkle citronella and lavender oil on a rag and hang it in the WIR. Smells divine.

 

I also swear by garden lime for the ground. Any smells vanish immediately.

[Mollie333]

Lewis told me it.

It really does work as well.

[sezra]

I also swear by garden lime for the ground. Any smells vanish immediately.

 

I will have to try these ideas, so simple but sound very effective. I am using biodry on my soil before I put down the aubiose. I just wondered if you also get garden lime form garden centres as I have heard this mentioned a few times before on here? Thanks.

[Egluntyne]

Yes you can, and it is not expensive.

[foreveryoung]

I also swear by garden lime for the ground. Any smells vanish immediately.

 

I will have to try these ideas, so simple but sound very effective. I am using biodry on my soil before I put down the aubiose. I just wondered if you also get garden lime form garden centres as I have heard this mentioned a few times before on here? Thanks.

 

yes I got mine from b n q, garden lime.

[MadAboutChooks]

Just to go back to the citronella oil, I am an aromatherapist so use this oil in my therapies. It can be obtained over the internet fairly cheaply from any aromatherapy stockist, or alternatively maybe from somewhere like the body shop. Just a word of warning, although a good insect repellant, keep out of direct contact with the birds as it can be poisionous, hung on rags or on the pots should be fine, but I have heard of people spraying it in water bottles, which personally I would avoid.

[sezra]

Just a word of warning, although a good insect repellant, keep out of direct contact with the birds as it can be poisionous, hung on rags or on the pots should be fine, but I have heard of people spraying it in water bottles, which personally I would avoid.

 

Thank you that is good to know as I have never used it before. I have added it to my list of 'Things to buy for the chickens'!

[Valkyrie]

When buying garden lime please check that it is not in granule form. I've found the local garden centres only seem to get this version now. I didn't want the girls to eat it. So I ordered my powdered lime from Garden Organic.

[suse]

my run is on wood chips but despite changing this as often as i can it still gets a bit smelly. I want to use some ground sanitiser in the run but i cant move the girls somewhere else while i do that. If i spinkle it down once they are in bed will it be ok to let them out onto it in the morning. I have read somewhere it has to be 24 hours but i cant do that.

[counturchickens]

Hi dude, try bio dry, it does reduce the smell and is safe to use.

[suse]

thanks ill give that a try.

what do you think of the garden lime stuff, is that safe?

[The Dogmother]

my run is on wood chips but despite changing this as often as i can it still gets a bit smelly. I want to use some ground sanitiser in the run but i cant move the girls somewhere else while i do that. If i spinkle it down once they are in bed will it be ok to let them out onto it in the morning. I have read somewhere it has to be 24 hours but i cant do that.

 

I use either the NetTex ground sanitising powder or BioDry and just sprinkle it on when I rake over the Aubiose; neither are harmful to livestock and I've never encountered a problem.

[counturchickens]

Suse, I've just noticed my I pad changed you to dude! i am sorry! I really wouldn't say hi dude!

[heth1986]

What a super idea the citronella plant pot is! *Runs off to find some citronella...*

 

I use stalosan in my run and bio dry in their house, the stalosan smells wonderful and does a good of keeping both flies and other nasties away from the run and the bio dry is super for keeping their bedding fresh (I poo pick both daily).

 

I haven't tried garden lime yet as mine are mostly on woodchip, not sure if it works the same???