Sooo much pooping

[Ariella26]

Hi everyone,

 

I posted back in the autumn when I first began researching what was needed to keep chickens. Over the winter we've prepared an area of the garden, laying down slabs and altering the layout of the garden to accomodate a cube and 4m run, with a view to extending to 5m in the future.

I've been saving all my pennies...okay, all my pounds....and am almost ready to spend them on the cube and all the extra neccessities but still have a few questions remaining before I do so.

I'd be so grateful for any advice.

 

1. I'm going to use Marriage layer pellets with flubenvet for worming and will buy red mite and louse powders to sprinkle in the cube and on the chooks. Does this mean Diatom would be unnecessary for me to buy?

 

2. If I'm worming every three months, do I still need to add Verm-X to the chickens water 3 days a month, or use the Verm-X pellets?

 

3. I'm going to have a dustbath for the hens and plan on putting in a mix of soil and sand. Is it a good idea to also add in some of the red mite and louse powders?

 

4. I'm going to get a spare glug/grub as I'm planning on 5-6 chickens and thought it would be good for them to not have to squabble over them. Is a further spare grub a good idea to put the oystershell and grit in so they don't blow about, or do you just add it in with their pellets?

 

5. What do you all feed porridge or corn in if you give them treats in addition to their main food? In the winter I'd like to offer them some pure oats and hot water in the morning to warm them up, but I'm sure this will make a fine mess of the grub, but I can't seem to find anything else suitable which they wouldn't tip up.

 

6. I can't source Aubiose in Devon but I think I can get Bliss. Is this similar and is it any good for the cube?

I'm undecided whether to use woodchip or Bliss in the run. I think I can get some woodchip from a local poultry breeder and I've spoken to a local tree-felling company who can offer deliveries of low bark content chips for about £30 per load (back of a mistubishi L200). I have no idea how much I'd need to cover the 4m of run though!!

 

7. I can't seem to find Bokashi bran for sale anywhere other than Omlet and certainly not locally or without astronomical delivery charges. Does garlic powder do the same thing and help to neutralise the droppings?

 

8. Apart from aracaunas and possibly legbars, are there any other breeds which lay blue eggs? Or even green ones?

The family have just about agreed on a mix of: a Welsummer, Leghorn and a couple of hybrids but we'd love some blue eggs too so are also contemplating a Legbar and Aracauna. Do you think they'd all get on if bought together? I know the legbar, leghorn and aracauna are smaller so we'd try and choose smaller hybrids too so they don't pick on the little ones, though if those experienced among you wouldn't recommend this combination, I'll go with what works for a harmonious flock.

 

9. Finally, I just need to choose the colour of the cube!! The hardest decision of all!! Such a shame they don't do blue anymore as we'd have all been happy with that choice in my household! I think it's between or though I know my daughter's vote will be .

 

I know that's a long list of questions but once I've settled these in my mind, I think we'll be ready to get on and start our new life as chicken-keepers.

Thanks.

[eve]

hi there its so exicting ive got a columbine hybrid that lays a blue egg she is a very pretty bird but flighty, i also have a ranger polly no 2 she is another hybrid and lovely my son of 4 can pick her up and she follows you around the garden.only had them 3wks brought pol.ranger £13 columbine £18. i use cider vineger in water to keep heathy and total mite powder for house. i alson smite all through summer the birds and coop as mine is wood. good luck

[LunaKiw1]

I don't know how you've managed to be so patient!

In response to a few of yuor questions:

1. Diatrom - we actually use pink Stalosan to sprinkle on the (soil) floor of our run and WIR to act as a disinfectant - the girls all dustbath in it and eat it and it is does them no harm;

 

2. The Verm-X is more of a preventative. We used to use it monthly but now we do use Flubenvet which more people think actually works;

 

3. Ours just dig their own dust bath holes in the soil in their run and every so often I tip a trug of fresh composted soil and leaf mulch in and they love that. In the garden they have created their own dustbaths (holes in the borders!)

 

4. We just scatter egg shell that has been baked in the microwave and crushed onto the soil. They have lovely hard shells as they get a lot of grit from natural rummaging in the soil.

 

5. I confess I treated ours to a 'chicken' design posh cereal bowl from M&S when we got the girls and that is 'their' treat bowl! They recognise it and know it means porridge or spaghetti or rice or! .......

 

6. We did use wood chip to start with but our soil and gravel surface stays really dry as we have the WIR well covered with transparent tarpaulins which which can roll up and down depending on the weather. I think more important than WHAT you use, is the need to keep as much rain out as possible.

 

7. If you Google 'Bokashi' on Amazon you get loads of suppliers - we use one called something 'Earth' i think and it is only about £6 incl P&P. Don't buy too much at once as we did to start with as by the time we got to using the 2nd, let alone the 3rd, pack it had gone mouldy - so small bags bought often are best. We mix it into their Layers Mash.

 

You'll love your new girls when you get them - good luck!

Thanks.

[alet_chicken]

Hi, this all sounds very exciting. Here is my take on your questions:

 

1. In my experience Diatom sprinkled in the Cube is really the best way of preventing red mite infestations in the first place. I know this may be contentious and others are likely to have different opinions (and besides, I am the proud owner of a big bin of Diatom as well as an assortment of lice and mite powders..) If you are keen to try the other powders, then I would say it is safe to leave the Diatom for now and see how you get on.

 

2. No. Flubenvet is a clinically proven wormer, and sufficient.

 

3. Yes. Or Diatom. I have to confess I haven't tried this as mine tend to dig their own craters around the garden.

 

4. I have done both, and either would be a good idea. Grit is rough, and so might take the shine of your new grub. In the past I have used (cheap!) small plastic coop cups to dispense grit.

 

5. Mine get a handful of corn in the afternoon (when I remember). In the midst of winter I give them pellets with hot water (and some oats) in the morning to warm them up. I'm sure this is mostly for my benefit, but it does ensure that they get some hydration (in case the drinkers freeze while I'm at work). I wouldn't recommend using the Grub for this as it will be a pain to clean. In the past I have used a big terracotta plant pot saucer; it's flat and heavy and so doesn't tip up too easily. At the moment I have a chick feeder plate that's of the same dimensions. I always pick it up after use because the little madams do like to jump in their food feed first.

 

6. I have used woodchip in my Cube run the past, which worked well. When I originally ordered the woodchip, I worked out the volume needed (I had a 5m Cube run) and ordered the woodchip accordingly. At the moment I use Easibed (which is just about all I can find where I am). Whatever you decide, I am sure you know that it is important to keep the run covered.

 

7. Yes, I use garlic powder and it works well.

 

8. The combination you have in mind sounds great. I have 14 hens and my top 3 are two leghorns and a legbar. They rule over a flock containing two big mean Maran girls and 9 feisty ex-batts. They are not small, just compact...

 

9. Ooh, that's a tough decision. Can't help with that one!

 

Hope this helps. Good luck with getting your Cube and chickens!

[jackian]

Oh it is so exciting ..I agree with every thing else said but I got my bolski bran from Wiggley wigglers.

[suebee]

Hi Ariella. In answer to your question number 5, I use a short length of plastic guttering fixed to the inside of the WIR, in much the same way as you'd fit any guttering..... brackets fixed with a screw... guttering sits in brackets.... end pieces on each end to prevent spillage. This works well, set at the same height as a suspended feeder. No one knocks it over or walks in it. I feed porridge/mash in it, or anything I want to contain, and not get in a mess on the floor. Good luck with your new chooks.... enjoy!

[Ariella26]

Thank you all so very much. You've made sense of the last few questions I had. I'm really looking forward to getting on and ordering things soon. I've been spending hours online and ordered quite a few books too.

I seem to be eating, sleeping and breathing chickens, but I'm loving it!