Sooo much pooping

[AgaSaga]

Hi

Im a new chicken owner of one whole week and we are building a walk in run for my girls to give them more space, but im undecided about what to put on the floor of the run.

 

Ive seen rubber chippings advertised and thought they were a good idea as you can hose them down but then I read a letter in a poultry magazine where someone said absolutely they should not be used.....just not sure why?

 

Can other members help?

 

Thanks in advance

[Patricia W]

Mixed reviews from memory. I think the problem was cleaning it.

[Jools]

They don't have a lot of fans among poultry keepers to be honest, but I do know of one ..... no it's not me - I'm a woodchip gal!!

 

There's a lady called Fuschia on the P P forum (an eglu owner actually) but I don't think she's a member here.

 

This is what she says about them:

 

"Have a look at http://www.mud-management.co.uk/ for details about rubber chippings. I've had mine down for a year now and I'm very pleased with them. You need to instal them over a well-pegged base of weedproof membrane, to prevent the birds scratching up the earth into them, and then you just hose them down each week and water with a canful of disinfectant. They're warm and dry underfoot, the birds like scratching in them but their legs stay clean. They drain well, since they don't sabsorb any water and are put down about 3-4 ins thick, though it helps if you have a layer underneath which assists drainage, eg gravel under the membrane. Although more expensive to start with, you never have the labour and expense of replacing them. And no respiratory problems, which can happen with woodchip or any other kind of stuff which eventually goes mouldy and has to be dug out. "

 

HTH

[Henergy]

We have rubber chippings in the kids play area & I can vouch for how good they are at drainage & for not blowing away etc. Didn't even think about it for chickens.

 

Can I just ask though, I thought that if you had chippings of wood or rubber, that you'd need to take out & replace. Does washing it through just cause a build up of poo underneath ? or is that ok ? Asking because I'm about to research a WIR and need to solve floor issues soon.

[Redwing]

Unless the ground under the rubber chippings has amazing drainage you'll end up with a sloppy mess of poo under the chippings - the chippings dont actually rinse very clean either and there have been some reports of the poo clinging to them

 

At least woodchip has some absorbant qualities and the poo doesnt seem half so bad!!

 

So its a no from me but I dare say there are people out these who love their rubber chippings!

[Space Chick]

DONT DO IT!!!!!!

 

We had them, were the worst mistake we ever made, they stank, were impossible to clean and were hideous

[The Dogmother]

I've heard exactly the same as Debs and Tasha from two people who have used them.

[AgaSaga]

Thanks everyone for replying - I think I'll give them a miss

 

Cheers