Henergy Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 I'm having difficulty sourcing woodchip here in Plymouth after B&Q stopped selling it. So I've contacted a tree surgeon who says he can deliver any amount to me however small. His chips are the smaller branches of trees chopped up (and so will have some bark on) - is this ok given they should not have bark ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashjc Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Hi Lisa I currently have both bark and wood chippings in my run. They advise using wood chippings just because they dont hold as much moisture so are dryer in wet weather. I have just cleaned my run out and put just bark in. I have noticed its alot wetter so went to B&Q and bought a few bags of wood chippings and put these on top. It has got a bit dryer. Smells nicer than bark too. Hope its not a nationwide withdrawal of bark chippings from B&Q! I dont think there are any issues using bark in your run Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banus Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Have a look at the info on this thread that I post a while ago on Woodchip issues. Yes B&Q for some reason are stopping supplying it. http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=81985 ASHJC - just out of interest what do you put underneath your woodchip as I'm trying to prevent ti coming into contact with the soil below and turning into one big brown soup when it rains. Fabric weed control is no good as the girls will tear it to shreads in no time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 We used a weed membrane fabric, with sand and gravel for added drainage topped with slabs and then 6 - 8 inches thick of wood chips.(thicker in some places when the girls have been doing their housework!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashjc Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 I'll be honest I havent had a problem and my woodchip is straight on my lawn that was. I do however have covers over my run so the rain doesnt get on it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banus Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Yep - I have rain covers too but the soil has now mixed with the woodchip making it a bit of a mess and by putting something between the chips and the soil would keep it clean and dryer for the forthcoming months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashjc Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Hmm I had just two chickens in my run until about 2 weeks ago and reasonable weather so perhaps I am about to experience this now I have doubled up to 4 chickens and the weather is changing.... I will have to wait and see I guess. I did see advertised in a chicken magazine a company that sell rubber chips... their advert talks about how you can wash the rubber chips so its great when the run gets dirty... other than that I guess slabs would be an option... I know some people put their runs on slabs then use chips or rubber chips. When we move I might look at these rubber chips (black ones) as they look great in terms of cleaning the hen poo off and reusing. I have just dug out my run and filled two recycle bins with wood chips and had to buy 8 bags at £7 each to replace so it might work out cheaper and from a bacteria perspective better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chestnutmare Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 B&Q are still selling the softwood chips here but no longer the hardwood chips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banus Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Thanks both for that. I'm just planning on putting a barrier / membrane down to seperate the woodchips from the soil to keep them clean and dry. If yuom don't it will soon turn into a big brown soup! Material weed prevention fabric is no good as it is too thin and the girls would soon peck / scratch their way through it. My neighbour has a similar product thats made from thick plastic which is porous, I'm waiting to hear from him as to where he bought it from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chestnutmare Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Thanks both for that. I'm just planning on putting a barrier / membrane down to seperate the woodchips from the soil to keep them clean and dry. If yuom don't it will soon turn into a big brown soup! Material weed prevention fabric is no good as it is too thin and the girls would soon peck / scratch their way through it. My neighbour has a similar product thats made from thick plastic which is porous, I'm waiting to hear from him as to where he bought it from. I had my down on earth. It wasn't great. They now have a WIR and the concerete makes life so much easier. How about using rubber matting? Someone posted pictures today... will go and find the thread now. Here it is: http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=83356 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppymillieannabel Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Thanks both for that. I'm just planning on putting a barrier / membrane down to seperate the woodchips from the soil to keep them clean and dry. If yuom don't it will soon turn into a big brown soup! Material weed prevention fabric is no good as it is too thin and the girls would soon peck / scratch their way through it. My neighbour has a similar product thats made from thick plastic which is porous, I'm waiting to hear from him as to where he bought it from. Oooh please let me know if you think it's thick enough and where they got it from. My run is so muddy due to the huge amount of rain we get here (daily!). I use B&Q softwood chips on, well, now mud! Thought about getting the rubber chips but thought that their membrane might be too thin? Thought about getting plastic, but when I put a thick plastic garden sack on my daughter's knee for the chicken to sit on, her claws go through it, and that's without digging! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppymillieannabel Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 [quote=I had my down on earth. It wasn't great. They now have a WIR and the concerete makes life so much easier. How about using rubber matting? Someone posted pictures today... will go and find the thread now. Here it is: http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=83356 Oooh we are in wales too, where did you get your WIR from and are you pleased with it? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chestnutmare Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 [quote name=I had my down on earth. It wasn't great. They now have a WIR and the concerete makes life so much easier. How about using rubber matting? Someone posted pictures today... will go and find the thread now.Here it is: http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=83356 Oooh we are in wales too' date=' where did you get your WIR from and are you pleased with it? thanks[/quote] Hi! My WIR wasn't local. I had it from Bay Animal Housing. There were a few issues with delivery (lack of communication particularly on the courier's part) and I was a roof panel short (which I got in B&Q, no harm done) but apart from that I am very pleased with it and reasonably priced too. I will see if I can find more info for you and pic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 we used weed suppressant, then ballast for drainage, then slabs, then another layer of weed suppressant (only because we had loads) then bark...lots of. So far so good and OH did it in June. We looked very carefully at the rubber ones and were going to go for them....but apart from the huge expense to get enought for the girls to dig around in...someone on here I think mentioned about when it is hot weather, the rubber gets hot and then poo gets smelly too and not sure about the girls walking on hot rubber. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashjc Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 clucker thats good to know... hot rubber not good for chicken feet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
