zircon Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 Thick...me....yes of course !!! I have seen pictures of it and heard all about its wonderful properties but what is it made from? I have asked in several pet shops and they all say "I've heard of it, but we dont stock it". Is it the same as woodshavings for Rabbit bedding ?, as I can get that in lemon or lavendar scent and thought my girls would like the soothing aroma of lavendar to help them sleep at night ! I was thinking of lining the poo tray not the whole run ! Please help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 Its shredded hemp stalks. You can get it from horsy type shops. I use it to line the droppings tray, nest box and run. It is really absorbant. The poos just disappear! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 Yes...horsey shops as it comes in very large bales. I can recommend it wholeheartedly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 A bale is about £8 and will last for months! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizinsa Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 Is there any difference between Hemcore and Auboise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina C Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 No its the same sort of stuff. Either will do the job. Its fantastic - I use it in my wooden hen house and in the eglu poo tray. Makes cleaning so much easier as it dries out the poos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zircon Posted May 24, 2007 Author Share Posted May 24, 2007 Thank you, I knew you would all know. I am sadly not in a countryfied locale...Birmingham ! Any ideas on suppliers ? South Midlands area would be fine. My husband has asked in our local pet shop, and they are really helpful and are going to see if they can get any but I guess it might be too big an item for them if it comes in bales Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 thank goodness someone else has asked this question!!! I am currently using sawdust to line the poo tray, is aubiose or hemcore better then? the eglu and run are inside eglu fencing, so I dont put anything down in the run itself because they spend most of their day in the bigger area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 I buy aubiose because that's what my nearest horsey place stocks - they say it's better than hemcore as it's not so dusty Anyway, the best thing about aubiose is that it rots down in the compost heap so much quicker than shavings. I also think it absorbs moisture better and that there's less waste as less sticks to the poops than shavings (I poop pick each morning). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 Hi there Zircon! Im Birmingham based too! You can get hemcore from the Hungry Horse - do you know it? Its near to the Lakeside Craft Centre in Earlswood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 Is there any difference between Hemcore and Auboise? I've found Aubiose to be slightly finer shreds than Hemcore. Hemcore is treated with Citronella oil to keep flies away, but it must be only in small amounts as I can't smell it! Hemcore is slightly cheaper at my distributor and it's English, which is always good. Both products keep the run/eglu dry and odour free, they are also less damp than woodchip or bark, and compost much better. I add a few drops of citronella and eucalyptus oils to mine to ward off the flies and keep it smelling sweet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jill Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 I use Hemcore and am really happy with it. The bales are really big and last a long time. It rots down well too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zircon Posted May 24, 2007 Author Share Posted May 24, 2007 The Her123, I am note sure I do know the Hungry Horse but we will certainly pay it a visit, will do a yell.com search right away. We are in Kings Heath....you dont live next door do you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 If only Zircon! Im in Solihull The Hungry Horse is great and they do organic chicken feed too as well as poultry spice, grit etc We will have to link up at some point if you like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zircon Posted May 24, 2007 Author Share Posted May 24, 2007 I have just found the address and I think we will pop along tomorrow for a look. We are off on holiday soon and as neighbours have chooks they are kindly hen sitting, although I am fretting about leaving the girls. My neighbour is fantastic so not worried about that, I will just miss hen watching. I just thought that hemcore in the poo tray would make it a little more pleasant for the neighbours. Also we are going to south Wales, and the news has just flashed up about Bird Flu in North Wales so I will be really worried if it spreads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chooks a go go Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 Hello there I know you are in Brum but I guess it wouldn't hurt to have another supplier just in case: John Sturman Ltd Victoria Cow Mills Park Street Rowley Regis West Midlands B65 0LU Tel. 01215 591175 He sells Aubiose and Hemcore - although he didn't have any Hemcore when I went so I bought Aubiose to try...so far so good - reduces whiffs in the Eglu unbelievably and as someone else said - really dries everything up. It was £8.50 a bale from this supplier - and he put it in my car for me too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 Yes, do bear in mind that a bale weighs around 20kg. They're not so much heavy as difficult to manage (being squared off and not having any handles). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 Hemcore/Aubiose is brilliant. I couldnt live without it. We use it in the run all the time and it keeps the chooks lovely and dry/clean/smell free and the poo's/wet seem to magically disappear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chooks a go go Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 Just wondering if anybody actually wets the Aubiose when they use it for chickens - as per the instructions...I didn't bother...with the run being exposed to the elements anyway and it still seems to be working...what do other people do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 I've never wet ours. It works fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 I dont wet mine either and the run never gets wet - it's brilliant stuff though - we also use it in the cat litter tray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 Silly question about aubiose. We havew found a supplier less than 2 miles from our house, & will pick a bale up tomorrow (for only £7.50-bargain!) Our run came with a winter shade, which I have halved to fit near the door run end, & lets the girls get sunshine when the sun does shine- like today When I put the aubiose in the run, will I have to put the cover over all the run to keep it dry, or does it not matter if aubiose gets wet in the rain? Thanks. If it helps for sourcing aubiose, I found my nearest stockist of aubiose by just searching the word "aubiose", & got sent back a couple of feed suppliers to phone, who then gave me my nearest stockist. Easy-peasy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 Hi Jules The great thing about Aubiose is that when it does get wet it dries out very quickly again- more so the top layers. So your girls will not be squelching around in a wet run It does stick to things more though when its wet - when its been raining I leave a little trail of aubiose across the decking from the run to the house Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 Thanks Laura- I was hoping for that answer. If I had to keep the run covered I would have had to go to Ikea for a clear plastic shower curtain on a Bank Holiday weekend.....not! I know this is on a different topic somewhere, but hubby & I decided in our innocence to go to Ikea on a Bank Holiday Monday.... we hadn't been married long, & our marriage only just survived it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merryn Posted May 28, 2007 Share Posted May 28, 2007 Hello there I know you are in Brum but I guess it wouldn't hurt to have another supplier just in case. I'm in Birmingham too and I get my feed and Aubiose from: Jackie Roberts Saddlery Ivy Cottage Walton Hill (one of the Clent Hills) Romsley B62 0NJ 01562 710 343 You order on Tuesday morning and they have it in on Thursday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
