Tamzanite Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Hello everyone This is my first post (actually first post ever on a forum!). I visited the forum before I got my chickens (lurking and reading all of the great advice in preparation for their arrival!) Polly and Geraldine arrived on the 1st May - no eggs yet and none of the "pre-egg-laying" behaviours are being exhibited as described in the forum. Guess I just need to be patient... Quick question about hemcore. I'm using it in the droppings tray, activating it with water etc. and it's great - definately less smell. I chose to use bark chippings in the run as I thought that Hemcore would blow all over the place - how did those of you who do use it in the run get on with it last weekend when we had torrential rain and gale force winds? Does it blow all over? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smudgley Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Hi - Can't answer your question as I've never used it, but welcome to the forum & congratulations on Polly & Geraldines arrival. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chooks Aloud Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 I've got an 18' x 9' run and use aubiose and it's fantastic, much better than bark chippings. I've never had a problem with it blowing away. I just put mine in the run and let the girls push it around. I don't damp mine down at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jill Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 I don't damp it down either. They move it all around and it gets mixed with earth and does not blow around at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 I don't damp it down either ... a few hours being stamped around on and a little bit of poo seems to bind it together quite well! The girls do kick it out through the side of the run, but they did that with the bark chippings as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 Same as above, mine kick it out a bit too - bit I've attached kick-boards along the sides of the run. and that stops it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaime Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 I use Hemcore... I dont damp it down - and it stays much more absorbant in the litter trays if you dont do anything to it - just a light sprinkle thats all you need in there In the run I have a layer about 6inches thick that my chooks dig in- just on bare earth. Its been there about 2 months and is now ready for changing... this time I dont think I'll put anywhere near as much in because really I wasted it with so much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamzanite Posted June 1, 2007 Author Share Posted June 1, 2007 Ok - thanks everyone for your replies, you've convinced me to give hemcore in the run a go. Will report back on how it goes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 It can look a bit soggy after a torrential downpour, but it soon dries out again and the poo just mysteriously vanishes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jill Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 Goodness, I don't put anything like 6" down - am I depriving my girls? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaime Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 No. 6 inches was for too much... I was very wasteful but didnt know how much I would need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 I only put down about 2" in the run. A friend who shows her birds uses the deep litter method to keep her birds clean, and she has about 6" in the run. But then they never get to scratch in the soil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Pearsons Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 I haven't spread the hemcore this time round - just left it in a heap in run and the hens move it to where they wish. It gives them something to do and they leave under the cube bare as a dust bath area. They were both were trying to eat out of the same hole in the grub this morning - silly things. One of the hens steps down the ladder like a lady the other takes one step and then slides..... makes me giggle every morning Helen in Hume Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
