Poorly chicken

[oneyolktoanother]

Went to country wide as you all know been having problems with the flooring in the run and the coop due to crop problems and saw these stable rubber matting do you think they would be any good for the chicken run?

Decided in the coop to use bedmax as the flakes are very big instead of easi bed just hope Molly doesn't eat it!

[Patricia W]

I think it may be difficult to clean. I use aubiouse in a covered run - magic stuff

[oneyolktoanother]

I think it may be difficult to clean. I use aubiouse in a covered run - magic stuff

 

I was told to jet wash it I can't use the auboise as my hens will eat the smaller bedding and had to have a crop op this week so I am worried about it happening again and trying to find the best covering for the run.

[Miss Millies Chicken]

I've used the rubber stable matting in my cube run when one of my chooks was having crop problems. I laid it groove side up and used to hose it off once a day to keep it clean. It would be ok as a temporary measure but I wouldn't like to use it long term. How about hardwood chips for the run?

[Space Chick]

Never come across it... It is as it sounds? A flat mat?

 

If so, then I would say my objection would be a chicken behaviour one... Without having a traditional kind of bedding/flooring then you'd be preventing your chickens from scratching around and following natural behaviours.

[oneyolktoanother]

I've used the rubber stable matting in my cube run when one of my chooks was having crop problems. I laid it groove side up and used to hose it off once a day to keep it clean. It would be ok as a temporary measure but I wouldn't like to use it long term. How about hardwood chips for the run?

 

Had been using this in the run but the vets this can cause the crop problems so I don't know what to do

[Sandychick]

It seems to me that your vet has ruled out all your options I would ask the vet what they would recommend.

[Redwing]

I used to use stable matting for my rhea. The grooved stuff is incredibly difficult to clean, you can use it upside diwn though

 

I guess whatever solution you choose you have to think about the practicalities long term, I cant imagine not using most of the beddings that I use. could you maybe spray the bedding with something that makes it unpalatable?

 

If your run is covered you can use Bedmax in the run too, its not as light as some shavings and doesnt blow about as easily

 

Other options are rubber chippings or gravel, I'm not a fan of either but they are options to research if you havent already looked in to them

[oneyolktoanother]

It seems to me that your vet has ruled out all your options I would ask the vet what they would recommend.

 

When we spoke to vets and asked what they would recommended she said she hadn't got a clue that we should look in to in have scoured the Internet and we are stuck my oh thinks they would be ok on half concerte and half matting but I'm not sure. What a nightmare!!

[oneyolktoanother]

I've used the rubber stable matting in my cube run when one of my chooks was having crop problems. I laid it groove side up and used to hose it off once a day to keep it clean. It would be ok as a temporary measure but I wouldn't like to use it long term. How about hardwood chips for the run?

 

Just wandered what would the cons be of using it long term? as I am really struggling with what to use and the vet has no idea do I riskit with hard chips?

[Miss Millies Chicken]

Do your hens free range or are they kept in the run all the time?

 

If they are kept in the run all the time then rubber matting is not an option as they won't be able to scratch around which is a basic chicken need. I've used B & Q hardwood chips in the past which doesn't appear to be as appertising to hens as aubiose/shavings.

 

If they do free range and spend minimal time in the run than rubber matting would be ok. I found it quite easy to clean by using a stiff brush, water and brushing along the grooves.

 

A very difficult choice for you to make.

[oneyolktoanother]

Do your hens free range or are they kept in the run all the time?

 

If they are kept in the run all the time then rubber matting is not an option as they won't be able to scratch around which is a basic chicken need. I've used B & Q hardwood chips in the past which doesn't appear to be as appertising to hens as aubiose/shavings.

 

If they do free range and spend minimal time in the run than rubber matting would be ok. I found it quite easy to clean by using a stiff brush, water and brushing along the grooves.

 

A very difficult choice for you to make.

 

I think I am going to get the hardwood chips from b and q and just pray that Molly doesn't eat them as they only free range with me a hour a morning and half an hour late afternoon due to me fox. I like the rubber matting but don't like the idea of them not being able to scratch around. Just wandered what caused you chucks crop problems? Thanks for you help

[Miss Millies Chicken]

Dorcas used to get bouts of sour crop. Over a 6 month period tried various treatments from the vets but none worked and couldn't establish why she kept getting it. Although I suspect it was connected with egg laying. She would lay an egg and develop sour crop the following day. The sour crop caused her to loose weight and she would stop laying for a few weeks. As soon as she gained weight and started laying again the sour crop would start again. Sadly she was pts.

[oneyolktoanother]

Dorcas used to get bouts of sour crop. Over a 6 month period tried various treatments from the vets but none worked and couldn't establish why she kept getting it. Although I suspect it was connected with egg laying. She would lay an egg and develop sour crop the following day. The sour crop caused her to loose weight and she would stop laying for a few weeks. As soon as she gained weight and started laying again the sour crop would start again. Sadly she was pts.

 

Awww so to hear that, our last hen pip was pts due to crop problems she lost so much weight and could barely walk in the end they think she had a abnormality poor thing they do break your heart

[oneyolktoanother]

Well went to b and q but they had no hardwood chips only softwood chips so hit some for now, will it be ok?

[Miss Millies Chicken]

I've only used hardwood chips but if you search the forum others have use sotftwood ones with sucess

[chestnutmare]

I have rubber mats for my horses. The bubbled side is the top, the strips are underneath so horse's urine will flow easily if it gets trapped underneath. I would imagine a chicken would managed to damage the rubber matting and possibly eat some rubber.