Used Omlet outdoor rabbit run Width 2.2m Height 2.05m Length 3.1m vgc.

[counturchickens]

OUr new cube and run is on it's way and we are very excited! Collecting three more ex bats next week to add to the current two. We use wood chip sourced from various places at the moment and change about once per month but noticed on flytesofancy website they advertise hardwood chips end suggest only need changing once per year as rain will wash the chips. Does anyone currently do this and does it work?

[scarlettohara]

I haven't changed mine in six months, just rake over and add some new. The run never looks dirty and I have corrugated plastic over to keep it dry with a summer shade over that to stop it getting too hot However the is on bare earth so probably gets absorbed into that too.

[Redwing]

I havent changed the woodchip in my WIR for two years* - it looks fine, no lumps of poo or anything, I throw in a coupld of buckets of Aubiose every now and again to soak up any damp and keep on top of the worming

 

*please dont send me hate mail

[scarlettohara]

I havent changed the woodchip in my WIR for two years* - it looks fine, no lumps of poo or anything, I throw in a coupld of buckets of Aubiose every now and again to soak up any damp and keep on top of the worming

 

*please dont send me hate mail

 

You don't need to change it - it never ever looks dirty and I have OCD I just rake mine over every week and the poo disappears

[chuckmum6]

I add extra after a good rake and a liberal application of Stalosan about every 8 months or so. My cube train is covered so it doesn't get soggy, the chooks are free ranging and only come into chill on the roosting table or when it is raining!

[chestnutmare]

Every 3-4 weeks. I think I must be doing something wrong after reading this!

I have a woith winter and summer shade but the rain does still get in and mine needs doing every few weeks. I use stalosan and rake over. Someone tell me what I'm doing wrong?!

[Henergy]

Sorry to be a bit dim - does that mean you all leave the poo & just rake it in ? I'm about to order my WIR so any tips are handy. (I was thinking I'd be out there each day picking up poo !)

[beach chick]

we have a covered WIR - 12 sqft, on a marine ply base - plus 12sqm electric fenced area. the WIR was finished last Oct. I filled it rather too full with aubiose 1st time around, never poopicked, and cleaned it out completely a few weeks ago. it did get wet, because we had driving rain and my tarpaflex was a disaster. I lobbed stalosan around from time to time, but regretted it because it looked dirtier afterwards! having said all that, it was not smelly.

 

since the total clean out (which was much easier than I thought) I have used half the amount of bedding, and I now poopick every couple of days - just the big bits. it looks nice; doesnt smell, doesnt seem much different.

 

we will soon be moving our electric fence to make it a permanent area; once they've trashed any grass/vegetation in the area I am going to just lob in any old chippings we can get from our tree surgeon friend and allow nature to take its course!! I might chuck down some garden lime from time to time, and I do chuck some diatom into their favourite dustbaths when I remember....

 

hope this helps!

[Chickybaby]

I change mine about every 3 or 4 months.

[Tweety]

I got my wood chip from Flytesofancy nearly 2 years ago, and haven't changed it yet! I just rake it over occasionally, sprinkle on some Stalosan or Biodri, and that's it. I think it probably needs topping up a bit now, and I will definitely get the same stuff again from FOF.

 

The hens love scratching around in it, and I have found that it dries very quickly.