The Dogmother Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Hi, and welcome to the forum. Straw isn't generally a good idea - the hollow stalks harbour bacteria and mites, plus it gets very soggy in the lower layers. The various hemp and rapeseed beddings seem to be the driest; they dry up and deodorise the poo and compost wonderfully too - try some and you'll never go back! I'm in Banbury, so if you're passing through, let me know and I can pop a load in a bag for you to try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Straw is fine, it provides a hiding place for mites which is why many people dont use it but if you keep the coop mite free and check it regularly then you'll be fine Straw does have a habit of going quite flat and damp too but again a regular check and a fluff up helps Aubiose is a horse bedding people use it in poo trays and in nest boxes - it is very good - any of the baled horse beddings - shavings, chopped straw, hemp based etc.. are pretty good and much easier to handle and clean out than traditional straw just dont use hay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enpekt Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 The citronella we will use is Gold Label Citronella Emulsion from StocKcare Ltd 01964 543924 Our supplier states that citronella cannot be labelled as a fly deterrent anymore, but this company calls it an "equine deodorant". The addition of essential oils is a good idea, and I expect quite cheap, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Not dim at all I just use the scientific measure known as 'a few drops' it isn't crucial, but just enough to make it whiff, probably 3-4 drops. Thank you very much, I'm sure I have a measuring jug somewhere that has "a few drops" marked on the side of it!!! (Technical stuff this chicken keeping lark, isn't it!!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Thanks Claret for your kind offer ! I will be in Wallingford on Saturday though and will try Charles Hunt, the feed merchants. We do change the straw every few days, more often if its pooey, so hope thats safe ! I usually then wipe out the 'tray' with a specific cleaner and we dismantle and clean out the Eglu every fortnight or so. However, its always really helpful to hear from more experienced owners - I just love this forum; its been really great for us as new owners ! Still looking for advice tho, on what to plant that the girls can't poison themselves with/wont eat or scratch up; stupidley posted it on the Egg site rather than Chickens!! Doh! Thanks again for help and advice, everyone! Korma Kiev Casserole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 In answer to your query about plants/food; they will either ignore poisonous plants or eat anything else! I;d be more worried about protecting your favourite plants/beds if I were you My borders are fenced off in the spring and summer and then I let the chooks on when I cut it all back in the late autumn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docsquid Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I was talking to the farm where I get my Hemcore the other day. They said there have been big problems in the supply of all hemp-based bedding. Something to do with regulation of hemp growing getting tighter (because the regulations don't differentiate between hemp grown for straw and hemp grown to produce cannabis) thanks to EU regulations. This means that fewer people are growing it, and it is harder to grow and more expensive to produce. This may be why both Hemcore and Aubiose are getting much less available. I have gone over to using Bliss which is based on rape straw and which is much cheaper and widely available. It comes in two scents (citronella and eucalyptus) and I use it in the poo trays, nest box and WIR floor. The manufacturers of Hemcore also make a rape-straw based product, but I haven't tried it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted January 5, 2011 Author Share Posted January 5, 2011 The Elephant Grass stuff is working out pretty well,but it makes me sneeze something terrible Big bales ,bigger than Aubiose,for about £6 or so,so good value too. That said,it is 'rougher' than Aubiose & doesn't look quite as pretty in the pen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goosey Lucy Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I've been using Rapport, produced by the same company that produce Hemcore and find it just as good and a bit cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docsquid Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I've been using Rapport, produced by the same company that produce Hemcore and find it just as good and a bit cheaper. Yes, that's the stuff I was thinking of - couldn't remember its name. I'm sure it's good though, just our farm only stocks Bliss now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevtheplumber Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 just put my 1st bale of rapport down at the weekend, im impressed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I popped into Seeneys in Garsington near Oxford this morning and they have loads of Aubiose and no supply problems ! Apparently they have several branches in and around the area (I found them via Google) and have good stocks in all of them. Price is £9.95 a bale (not sure if thats around normal? but the bale is HUGE ) They were rather puzzled as to why there should be a problem getting hold of Aubiose but wondered if it was a case of the suppliers choosing their stockists!? Anyway, there you have it (if, of course, you happen to live in Oxfordshire! ) Korma Kiev Casserole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I really like the look of the products made by this company: http://www.bedsoft.co.uk/index.html My local equine place has some sample bales and the various products all look, smell and feel good I will certainly be trying it when they get the stock in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Oh dear they give a choice of 4!! Which one which one????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Have just been to buy a new bag of rapasorb, humungous bag and only £6.75 (I'm sure that's cheaper than last time I bought it several months ago, I'm sure it was well over £7 then). Anyway I can highly recommend it and it's way cheaper than aubiose? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stinkyeggynugget Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Hi I live in Laindon Essex, and the stockist where we normally buy our chicken stuff from is quite frankly rubbish!! He has also stopped stocking Hemcore and Auboise which is fine as I'm willing to try something new, but I'd rather give my hard earned cash to someone who gives more than a one word answer,a grunt and will leave his chair to show me the products that I want to buy!!! Can anyone suggest a decent stockist of food and bedding in the essex area? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jess1merlin Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 I still can't seem to get hold of aubiose locally, I have tried my normal supplier and Countrywide. I've tried several other products but find aubiose the best for my set up. Just wondered if others were still having problems getting hold of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 Got it in Derbyshire fancy a trip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figarogir1 Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 I got some this week at Battlesbridge in Essex if anyone fancies a day out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figarogir1 Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 Hi I live in Laindon Essex, and the stockist where we normally buy our chicken stuff from is quite frankly rubbish!! He has also stopped stocking Hemcore and Auboise which is fine as I'm willing to try something new, but I'd rather give my hard earned cash to someone who gives more than a one word answer,a grunt and will leave his chair to show me the products that I want to buy!!! Can anyone suggest a decent stockist of food and bedding in the essex area? Sorry just read this properly. The garden centre in Battlesbridge is great and is next door to a horse suppliers who stock Aubiose - definitely worth a trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken shack Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 I go to this farm shop. Manor Farm Shop Manor Farm, Ockendon Rd, Upminster RM14 2TZ 01708 224666 They can't get Aubiose or Hemcore but I got a huge bag of some other stuff and used it yesterday. It is a little courser but seems ok. They also stock Garvo 731 and other Garvo food which is great. The man there will even put the stuff in the car for you if you want. They are not open Sundays. Where did you go in Essex? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 I got something called Jopack yesterday, it is flax and very similar in size/colour to aubiose. £7 a bale and a little goes a long way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 I still can't seem to get hold of aubiose locally, I have tried my normal supplier and Countrywide. I've tried several other products but find aubiose the best for my set up. Just wondered if others were still having problems getting hold of it. I'm not far from you jess1merlin; my local stockist is waiting for their supplier to get it back in (it seems That Aubiose don't trade directly) but Crofts feed store in Banbury had plenty in when I bought a bale yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fur 'n' Feathers Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 We ordered aubiose to collect this week. They rang to say they were having severe problems getting aubiose but had got Hemcore. When we went to pick it up they found they had ONE last bale of Aubiose in the warehouse so gave us that Tried Easibed recently as we couldn't get Aubiose. Sorry, this was rubbish compared with Aubiose. Went soggy much more quickly and doesn't seem to stay dry on the top like Aubiose does. We're glad we got a bale of Aubiose. We know that there is difficulty at present but if we have to buy something else it won't be Easibed. We'd rather buy Hemcore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 I went over to Brackley to collect my Garvo order today from Bagforce and they have just taken delivery of 50 bales of Aubiose this week! Needless to say I got myself a bale Bagforce Website CLICK HERE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...