Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[chestnutmare]

Who feeds Bokashi Active to their chickens? Why? Does it really reduce bad smells?

 

Mine hardly pong but they have just moved into their new WIR so everything is clean and fresh. I'm conscious about smells now though as we have neighbours (unlike before).

 

Thanks.

[Henchanted]

Yay, my hens love it and I think it just gemerally helps their digestion as well as their poo not being so smelly or runny. which it usually was (if I can remember that far back until until I started using the Bokashi.

i also sprinkle a little into the runs.

[Space Chick]

It definitely firms up their poos

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I do . I got a great deal on Bokashi Bran on Ebay which has lasted me months and months .

[auntielizzie]

Well I ran out of Bokashi about a week ago and I have definitely noticed a difference in the poo smell. The poo definitely is more smelly without it and maybe not quite as firm . I think the girls miss it too, so I better get some more

[mollyripkim]

Me too, they have a handful between them a couple of times a week, today I mixed it with a bit of water and they loved that too. I think I read somewhere that it neutralises the poo which I thought was good seeing as the dogs eat it!

[sadietoo]

I think I read somewhere that it neutralises the poo which I thought was good seeing as the dogs eat it!

 

 

Why do they do that?

I really miss Betty the Rocket Dog, our old miniature wire haired daschund,who used to do a fabulous job of cleaning up the run for me, but with the very low tum, used bring all the aubiose into the house afterwards. I've now realised her poo cleaning abilities far exceeded her capacity for covering the carpets in aubiose, which was easily cleaned up with the dyson..

[chestnutmare]

I hope my dog doesn't get any chicken-poo-cleaning ideas!

WIll have to get some Bokashi then! It's a shame the P&P is high though.

[Christian]

I chuck a handful in every now and again, it takes them ages to eat it! More of a treat that anything else. I have heard that it isn't 'active' for that long? Any ideas how long it stays fresh for? My bag is at least a year old.

[ashjc]

I bought some and put it in their food. I dont think they eat alot of it as when my grub feeder gets low its in the bottom of the feeder, however I have a cube and use it in there. I put newspaper on the two pull out shelves then sprinkle the bokashi active on top of the newspaper... when they roost and poop it falls through the roosting bars onto it and I have to admit it has helped with the smell of poop in the cube so worth the money.

[Henchanted]

From what I've read, if its kept dry and unopened it will lose power but gradually over time, if its open to air it begins to lose efficacy but if its even slightly damp it will go off pretty quickly and smell rancid and maybe of a little use in the compost no more than that.

[chestnutmare]

Hmm... so no good if it gets wet in the run then 'cause it'll stink??

[KimmyCustard]

I use Bokashi mixed with natural yoghurt, they love it! Very good for runny poo, especially if they've been eating lots of worms/buglies and their poo is a bit icky. I also mix it with their layers mash and they eat it just as fast, the bran goes off if it gets damp or unwrapped and open to the air....

[Henchanted]

Hmm... so no good if it gets wet in the run then 'cause it'll stink??

 

Actually it has to be wet to work so the good microbes will multiply in your run, in the hens bellies, in the compost etc

 

But you don't want to store it damp because it will ferment itself and then be useless on other things

 

[chestnutmare]

Hmm... so no good if it gets wet in the run then 'cause it'll stink??

 

Actually it has to be wet to work so the good microbes will multiply in your run, in the hens bellies, in the compost etc

 

But you don't want to store it damp because it will ferment itself and then be useless on other things

 

Ah I see. Thanks for that.

[sparkysmum]

My lot get Wiggly Wiggly layers mash with added bokashi. Hens love it. I don't have to buy it separately that way. Alli x

[LunaKiw1]

I needed to get some more Bokasi as our new girls love it just on its own and not mixed into porridge like our old girls. I looked on Amazon as I only want a single bag (last time we bought 3 they went mouldy before being used up) and the p&p via Omlet for one bag is more than the bokashi itself. So I was pleased to see Wiggly Wormers doing it much cheaper, with free p&p. Then I saw they now do it mixed with layers mash so I've gone for a small size bag of that to try out. Only £4.25 and no p&p!

[hammy72]

I store mine in an old coffee jar with an airtight lid and then sprinkle it in their food. Have noticed a reduction in smell from poo in their run too.

[chestnutmare]

Luna, wigglywigglers state this: Deliveries containing only LIVE! Birdfood, Fresh Flowers and/or Gift Vouchers qualify for FREE delivery.

But Bokashi is free P&P too?

 

Thanks SM and hammy. Will have to try it, especially with free P&P.

[LunaKiw1]

Hi, yes it was £4.20 with no p&p for a 300g bag of bokashi and layers mash. I ordered it via Amazon - I don't know if that makes a difference from going via Wiggly Wormers' direct website or not? Anyway, it arrived very quickly (yesterday)and when we presented it in the 'treat' bowl all three chooks ate it all up with great relish so I pronounce it a great success! We're leaving their normal layers pellets in their grub and planning to use the mash mix as an 'extra' but it will be interesting to see if they prefer it to pellets, in which case we might swap when we next run out of pellets.

Edited August 17, 2011 by Guest

[Henergy]

Mix it into my layers mash plus a tiny bit of corn & small handful of mealworms.