Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[beccauk]

Hi

Im not really sure where to put this question, but i have a 2 meter omlet run and within the next 2 - 3 weeks, my dad being interested in any form of engineering and anything structural to be built has come up with a design for a 12ft by 4 ft run which will be permanent giving the chickens more room and not needing to rotate them on the lawn.

 

Im going to be putting chip bark down in the run, at the moment i brush the run which is on grass to clean the poop up, what do people do when they are using chip bark does it just get mixed in and break down?

 

OR if anyone has any other ideas please share.

 

Sorry if its a silly question lol feel ive asked afew on here but everyone is so helpful and have great advice.

 

Becca

[Snowy]

It can just be topped up regularly, then every so often, take the whole lot out and start again. My run is chips/aubiose/leaves on soil and I just add a fresh layer when it needs it. Once a year it all gets bagged up and some is freecycled and some is taken to my allotment.

[poppers77]

Same here, I poo pick the most obvious about weekly, then rake out it all and compost. I've switched to Auboise. As it's smaller and should break down quicker. I used horse bedding for over a year from scats which was fine and lasted for ages. Just funny when they go back in and rearrange it exactly how they like it! I've. Just cleared the old grow bags from last year and empty those in there too for them to dig through. When I rake out I also sprinkle Stalasan F disinfectant. Powder and this keeps the smell away. Not that it smells but the neighbours are the other side of the fence of their run and prefer to manage any potential issues. Works well, mine are white and they don't get muddy.

 

Hope that helps.

[beccauk]

Thats good to hear, im hoping it be easier to maintain and i can still have a nice lawn lol , im going to sound stupid now but whats aubiose? And is it from garden centres?

 

Becca

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Aubiose is a horse bedding. You'll most likely find it at horse/outdoor type places. It comes in large bales which usually cost roughly £10. I use Easibed and have used Hemcore too. Both are fab.

[The Dogmother]

Mine has Aubiose which is cleared out every 6-8 weeks, I sprinkle the soil with NetTex ground sanitising powder or BioDri then put new litter down. Simple, clean and effective.

[beccauk]

well that sounds as tho it would be good to use il have to see where i can get it from locally, how easy is it to get rid of is it excepted in wheelie bins?

 

still torn between bark chips and auboise/easibed as read about them both, just wondering if its like wood dshavings to where it would blow about as was going to just put a 4" gravel board round sides of run for my bed deepth it can get windy in the flats of lincolnshire. lol

 

becca

[Mrs Potts]

Hello, and welcome.

 

I use woodchip in the run, which I change or add to every three months or so (two sacks at a time). It breaks down a little, and is great for bagging up and leaving to break down even more then adding to the garden. I use Stalosan on it too, to keep it smelling nice and help with sanitization. I use Linkabord to keep the woodchip in - quite cheap, looks nice and does the job. Lots of people use Aubiose so can advise you on the blowing about aspect - I think I would be interested to know that too, but have never asked, so thank you for raising it!

 

Mrs Potts

[skwump]

At the moment I'm using aubiose in my cube run. So far I've been raking it all out and replacing it regularly. But would it be ok to add some on top on a regular basis, and then, every few months or so, rake the whole lot out? And if so, how often?

[The Dogmother]

well that sounds as tho it would be good to use il have to see where i can get it from locally, how easy is it to get rid of is it excepted in wheelie bins?

 

Aubiose composts really well, when my composts are full I bag it up and either my ex takes it for his allotment or I give it to a coudple of other friends with lotties.

[clucker1]

We use wood chip in our run. It is very deep!!! So far, hae had it 9 months, topped up once after initial settling...have taken none out and clean regularly with Nettex ground sanitiser. The chickens love it for digging!

[sparkysmum]

If your run is going to be covered you will be able to use any of the horsey type coverings. All very lovely & absorbant. If its uncovered you will have to use woodchips or similar - doesn't go soggy & poo washes off in the rain, well at least it does here in the wetlands

[beccauk]

I probably should of said it would be pretty much uncovered unless we got bad weather for any lenght of time i plan to make a huge cover like the clear rain/wind proof ones omlet do for the runs.

Plus the self cleaning when it rains sounds excellent lol

 

going to put photos up when i get it done.

 

Becca

[sparkysmum]

Becca, have a look at my run http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=86338 The woodchips are from a local tree surgeon & cost almost nothing, so if you are planning on covering a sizeable area this is well worth thinking about. Good luck with building it Alli x

[joh]

Hello

 

Sorry to intrude on this post but I wanted to ask a question about wood chip in chicken runs. I'm a hopefully soon-to-be new chicken owner (v excited!) and am planning on getting an eglu and putting wood chip down on the floor of the run. I wondered how people disposed of their soiled wood chip and how often it needs to be changed? I hear it takes ages to compost... Is it the kind of thing I could put in my garden waste bin? Not sure how the council would feel about that!

 

Ta very much in advance,

Jo

[mollyripkim]

I have had woodchip down for about six months, it has partially rotted down which I will use in the garden and I will bag the rest and take to the tip who have a garden waste bin. I use Stalostan as well weekly, used the horse bedding before this but found it difficult keeping it dry and contained. The link a boards are really good as well.

[tdf010604]

Hi, can I ask questions please as a newbie? We are putting our run on a concrete base and was planning to cover with wood chippings.

1. we have piles of wood chippings (homemade) from chopped down trees. Could we use that? (the run is covered)

2. How deep should the chippings be on the concrete base?

3. How do I clean it? Can I "poo pick" and then how often should I thoroughly clean & replace?

 

If anyone has any (simple) advise it would be really appreciated.

Thanks xx

[Redwing]

yes you can use your own woodchip provided its quite chunky and not all bark

 

A layer two inches deep or more would be good, you may need to use some boards around the run to keep it in

 

Rake it over to keep it nice and loose every now and again and hook it all out when it gets dirty - no need to poo pick

 

Or you could put in a layer an inch or so deep and rake it out more often

[tdf010604]

Thanks Redwing, thats great, my husband will be thrilled all that chipping hasn't gone to waste!!

x

[Henergy]

Try as I might - I can't get the woodchip to stay in their run ! I have put edging down but they seem to love to scratch it out of the door & it then works its way down the hill !!! I've nearly given up - their run is now bare soil !

 

I can't get any hardwood chip here - would softwood chips be ok (they have them in B&Q) ?

[heth1986]

I think soft wood is more inclined to mulch as it's quite absorbant where as hard wood should allow the rain to run through rather than soak it all up. If your run's covered it would be okay

x