My eco solution to rat problems

[James516]

Having reluctantly admitted that even moving the run every week, the lawn will still get destroyed, I am building a permanent spot for the eglu.

 

I was going to put some log roll on the lawn and fill it up with woodchips to make it all nice and level - our lawn is on a bit of a slope - and then put hemcore on top of the woodchips in the run.

 

Does anyone else do this? It seems most people use bark/wood chips OR hemcore/aubiose, not both.

[Olly]

I am not sure the two would mix - the hemcore/aubiose will probably sink to the bottom, being smaller and lighter than the chips. I think most people prefer hemcore or similar stuff to woodchip - it soaks up droppings, doesn't get too wet, and composts more quickly. Woodchip might be better for outside the run, however, to keep the grass down if you're doing a logroll area around it.

 

I don't think the chooks will mind if the garden slopes a bit - and you'd need the run to be pegged firmly to the ground, otherwise the woodchip might offer opportunities for Wild Things to burrow or tunnel underneath the skirt.

[Egluntyne]

I wouldn't mix the two either....I don't think it would work.

 

I agree, Hemcore in the run, woodchip outside.

 

Mine slum it I'm afraid with plain old earth outside the run.

[chelsea]

we use hemcore in the run, outside the run we have bark chips on oneside of the run for the chickens to forage in and on the other side (the side we have to walk on to access the eggport) we have stone chippings and deck boards so our feet stay nice and clean and dry!

[Mel (& Paul)]

Our pen has soil, with bark on top and the occasionaly layer of aubiose.

We then dig round and loosen up the areas that the girls have trampled flat and solid

[Egluntyne]

We then dig round and loosen up the areas that the girls have trampled flat and solid

 

I do that from time to time......they go mad for the worms that appear!