New hens not going into Eglu Go Up

[Sammiboo]

Ive been reading through the forums on substrate for using in the runs. Until this weekend I had been moving the cube around the garden every sunday since i first got it in february. It is now clear we cannot continue to do this as the garden cannot take much more chicken abuse.

 

After growing concerns with the cess pit that was the chickens run I decided to take the plunge and make the cube more perminant in its position.

 

 

Below a very mucky/muddy run

 

 

Girls having a dusbath and admiring my hard work from afar....

 

 

The Usual weekly cleaning kit. Fairy in the bucket mixed with very hot water

 

 

The obligatory cuppa complete with chook mug

 

 

What remains of a weeks use

 

 

Mabel has decided this is far more interesting than what everyone else is doing, if she can get in the way all the better.......

 

 

perching bars removed to reveal all

 

 

All trays, panels, roof removed ready to be scrubbed

 

 

Everything out ready for a clean - after their feathered inspection...

 

 

All sudded up

 

 

Bunty is admiring the hard work

 

 

Phyllis gives the all clear "looks fine from up here"

 

 

Mucky feet *sighs and grabs cloth*

 

 

Perching bar ready for scrubbing

 

 

Starting to come together

 

 

Almost as good as new!!

 

 

Stable mats laid down (2x £38.00 each) cube sitting on top. Gave it a good hose down to check the run off

 

 

Not too bad... just the one puddle

 

 

Patching up where the cube was... top soil and grass seeds

 

 

Hywel has some helpers...

 

 

taaa daaaa no more puddles. Lawn sand used to fill in the gaps and also pack in the sides of the mats

 

 

Ladder all nice and clean too

 

 

Extra shade added to help reduce rain

 

 

Aubiose covering the mat, I did intend this to be woodchip (long story) but that will have to be another day

 

 

All run covered

 

 

In goes the food and water and a makeshift perch - chickens check it out

 

No more mud YAY!!!

 

 

mat overhang at the back to stop muddy mess at the back of the cube, is an issue in the winter so mud free feet

 

I will post an update next week on the next clean to see how the stable mats with the abiouse have weathered. Although i would prefer wood chippings i do feel better that the chickens are in a nice clean environment.

[Olly]

Wow, that looks great. I don't think you will regret the aubiose - it's excellent for the run, and it will compost much more easily than woodchip when it's time to change it.

 

That's a great demonstration for any prospective Eglu/Cube owners of what the cleaning routine is like!

[Kazzy73]

That was a very busy day but your girls look very happy, with it love the mats.Dont ya just love auboise I have only been using it a couple of weeks and its so easy to clean out the trays with it in with my cat litter scooper thingy

[Bramble]

That looks fab, glad the girls were helpful!!!!

[chestnutmare]

Looking good. I cleaned my WIR out yesterday. The things we do for the chickens. I have rubber matting in stables and yours are looking great for the chickens. Re. the aubiose - does it get wet from the rain coming in at the side of the run?

Thanks for posting, I enjoyed looking.

[Chicken shack]

I would get some clear tarpaulin for the top to stop it getting wet again. If you get it large enough you will be able to cover the sides in heavy rain or snow. You will be surprised at how dry it will keep.

[The Dogmother]

Well done. Can I suggest that you get some plastic lawn edging and cable tie it along the bottom of the run - it stops the Aubiose from being kicked out.

 

I have one of these over the run and it never gets wet, yet is nice and light.

 

 

I got it on ebay from the qvsonline seller, they were very helpful and prompt.

[chick wiggle]

Looks brilliant, i loved seeing all your pictures, it was like reading a picture story book

I agree about the lawn edging along the side of the run though otherwise the little madams will have that bedding kicked out in no time

I cant remember the last time my cubes looked that clean well done...........wanna come and do mine now?

[Sam]

That looks really good

 

It seems like B&Q have stopped with wood chip so might have to try aubiose, hemcore or whatever similar the shop has, but it looks really fine like it will just blow all over the place! Would that be the case? I have a wir, 2 sides covered (ish) & a roof, would it be okay? Oh, and its on bare earth.

Edited November 2, 2011 by Guest

[The Dogmother]

It's fine in mine.

[Sam]

Thanks, will probably give it a go when I next need some then

[Henergy]

Sorry to sound a bit dopey - do the stable mats have holes in them to allow poo to decompose through or will you be replacing the Aubiose frequently ?

 

Also, what happens when Aubiose gets wet - does it dry as I am thinking of putting it in our run that does have a roof but water seems to drain in on one side.

[Sammiboo]

thanks for all your replies and comments all very welcome. its still early days so still experimenting.

 

The mats arent porous but have being staying dry. The price of the aubious is a fraction of what woodchip and i dont think i used quarter of a bag to fill the run. If you read the instructions on the abiouse it reccommends that you put it on a damp surface to enhance its absorbancy.

 

i will take pics at the weekend so you can see what a week in blustery wet weather has done to the run

[Plum]

I feel exhausted looking at your pictures, go and put your feet up and have a cup of tea

 

Couple of my girls are just like that, always got to be nosy and spread dirt on clean surfaces

[chestnutmare]

i will take pics at the weekend so you can see what a week in blustery wet weather has done to the run

I will be interested to see this. I change my woodchip in the run regularly and would like to use Rapport (also suggests adding some water to start a base but I never have), but have always thought it's going to get wet and useless due to the rain through the sides of the run.

[The Dogmother]

Can you get a tarp to cover the sides of the run?

[redcharlie43]

Your set up is the same as mine. I have used the stable mats for about 6 months now and they are great. Your stable mats should be porous as they are desingned to let through horse wee. With regard to the auboise getting wet, I would put something around the egde of the run as someone has suggested. I have used small sleepers from B&Q. It keeps everything nice and tidy as when the chickens scratch around they have a habit of kicking everything out the sides of the run. I have chippings down and every now and then i rake them out, wash them, give the mats a quick clean with a brush and replace the chips when dry. It makes things really easy and the chickens stay clean and dry when I am at work and can't be let out of the run.

[Guest]

Love your set up and the stages of progress pics. I had not thought of stable mats, may get them not for the run but to make a walk way through the mud as today it is pouring here and I am sick of sliding around. Would they be non slip enough for that?

 

My WIR is on slabs so I use aubiose/easibed on top and it is fab stuff, today I am changing the aubiose for fresh stuff so the grils can have a lovely dustbathe in it.

[redcharlie43]

I don't know whether the stable mats would be suitable for that unless the mats are not in an area the chickens use. If the muddy area is used by the chickens then the mats will get muddy and slippy too, although they will be easy to hose down/wash. If you want to use them in areas that the chickens don't roam in that would be fine. They are also really easy to cut so you won't need as many as you think as you can cut them easily with a stanley knife. I hope that helps.

[chestnutmare]

Your set up is the same as mine. I have used the stable mats for about 6 months now and they are great. Your stable mats should be porous as they are desingned to let through horse wee.

Really? I've never come across stable matting that lets urine through. Horse owners hate wee getting beneath the mats, they're heavy to lift in order to clean underneath.

[redcharlie43]

Hi, I did research the types of rubber mats available. The mats I have are "heavy duty, water-permeable polypropylene material. Unlike conventional rubber stall mats that force urine to puddle on the surface they permit the urine to flow easily through the mat when urine puddles on the surface ( as with rubber stall mats) it becomes absorbed by your expensive bedding - bedding that must now be removed when the stall is cleaned. "

I must admit I have cut and pasted from the website but I did lots and lots of research (am a bit of a geek when I get something in my head! ) and as my cube is on soil and not on concrete or slabs I wanted something that was porous so I found some porous stable mats.

[redcharlie43]

Have just had a thought, Chestnutmare is quite right. If you use stablemats for your eglu, make sure they are the porous sort. I presumed that everyone had that sort of matting as this is what I sourced. As I don't have horse's I presumed all mats were the same.... If you do use stable mats then do use the porous ones or your chickens will have wet feet Sorry but I am new to all this and presumed that all mats were equal......

[chestnutmare]

That is very interesting redcharlie. I'd never heard of them before.

[Sammiboo]

Have just had a thought, Chestnutmare is quite right. If you use stablemats for your eglu, make sure they are the porous sort. I presumed that everyone had that sort of matting as this is what I sourced. As I don't have horse's I presumed all mats were the same.... If you do use stable mats then do use the porous ones or your chickens will have wet feet Sorry but I am new to all this and presumed that all mats were equal......

Not if you lay them properly. I was gong to post (having experience with horses for a few years) i couldnt think of anything worse having horse wee sitting under the mat.... I dont want porous mats as i have described in the photos they have been laid so there are no puddles, the water will run off the mats, due to my garden being mostly clay, it doesnt drain properly so i do not want water to sit under the mats and fester there.

[redcharlie43]

I agree that you don't want the water to fester under the mats if you don't have free draining soil, but for me it was a good choice as the bit of the garden I have put them on drains well. I tried with the chickens on just woodchip but this did soon become a soggy mess and the smell and mess was horrible. Since putting the mats down the smell has gone and the floor of the run stays relatively clean (Except for near the run door which still gets messy around their feeders and drinkers and where they bring in mud from free ranging) Also like you I now have most of the run covered so it never really gets that wet. I rake out the chips and poo regularly so they only really get wet when I clean the cube itself. So far They have been lifted twice in 6 months for cleaning/moving and the ground underneath has been fine. I don't think they are that that porous that the water just drains straight through them (I have never tried but as I am doing a major clean up today I will test it). Ultimately I think its down to personal choice. I imagine that if you had horses they may not be the best, but for me they are perfect for under my chickens. I am sorry if i have upset anyone. It was never my intention and I was only trying to be helpful and pass on something that had really helped me.