ZoeBunny Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 I have my girls on slabs with Auboise in a clear tarp covered run but somehow rain water is still getting in under the skirt - therefore my auboise is getting wet. I've been changing the entire run bedding every 3 weeks but of course this is starting to get expensive. Is there something else I could mix in with the auboise to soak up the water a little & give me more time between complete run changes?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 The problem here is the slabs... I had an eglu on slabs and aubiose over last winter and the slabs caused the rain run-off to get under the covered run and along the paving. As the water can't readily drain, it tends to stay on the surface and create a wet mess of the aubiose. Obviously this presents a health issue to the hens so regular doing with some ground sanitising powder and replacing the bedding is necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoeBunny Posted June 27, 2011 Author Share Posted June 27, 2011 I've been putting Bio-Dry in the run too to sanitise it... but wondering whether a mix of auboise and bark or wood chip might be better for them in this situation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiffs Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 Mine're on slabs, but I put pondliner over the slabs and then woodchip over the pondliner. The pondliner is so the slabs don't get messy/scratched (expensive patio ) and the woodchip is for their little tootsies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pips_pekins Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Hi Zoebunny. My classic is on block paving not slabs. I have a generous layer of woodchip in a 3m run and I have washed it every week since putting it in a few weeks ago. It seems to dry fairly quickly and the girls love scratching around in it. I am not sure how different slabs are compared to the blocks for drainage but I have found the chips to be easy and cheaper than the same quantity of aubiose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoeBunny Posted June 30, 2011 Author Share Posted June 30, 2011 Thanks for all the replies... next time I clean out the run will put chips down only and see how that goes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 If it's the rain running off the run covering that's getting in the run then I used to fold up an edge at a slope and put a bucket at the edge to collect it I also found that if I let some dirt and mud collect in the mesh of the run skirt it stopped water running into the run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
