What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[gavclojak]

The title sums it up! I have been using straw in the nest box and recycled card in the litter trays with a dose of DE and a shake if netex, I am running out if room in my container to store everything and also read the straw is sometines a carrier of red mite so thought instead of both use one thing maybe auboise? My question is, what's best for the girls and Also does the amboise fall through the ventilation gap at the bottom of the cube nest box?

[Bramble]

Yes, it will fall through the gap, but I always put a layer of newspaper in first (also makes taking the aubiose out easier!) to stop that happening. I think another Omleteer (DM, I think?) invented a cunning little device to block the gap ...

I'd definitely use aubiose or similar in the nest box ... specially in the winter, it doesn't go all soggy like straw and paper does!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I've used Hemcore before and now use Easibed - both similar to Aubiose if you can't get that. Both excellent for the job.

 

I cut a small square of lino for the base of my Eglu nestbox and that stopped it falling through the hole.

[Patricia W]

Aubiose or similar- straw can harbour red mite and gets damp. Someone (DM?) has an ingenious way of blocking the gap in the cube. In the eglu I use a wine cork which I remove when I clean.

[gavclojak]

Thank you so much, amazing replies as always, just waiting for DM input too, is one warmer than the other? Am going to treat my cube to the cube coat this year but worry about the freezing cold winter.

[Egluntyne]

I use Aubiose when I can get hold of it. Failing that I use wood shavings. Both are light and absorbent. I have noticed that the aubiose scratches the surface of the eggs more than the shavings. However, that is only a problem if you enter your eggs into shows.

[good_egg]

I use dust free shavings in trays and nest box (just to confuse) but easibed in dust bath and probably changing back to it in run... Anyway, I put a line of duck tape over the hole and replace every few weeks - works well but need to make sure dry or won't stick!

[Chortle Chook]

I use aubiose in the main area and finely cut barley straw in the nest box as I thought this would be cosier for the chooks to lay in. However quite a few of my chooks are perfectly happy to lay in the aubiose just outside the nest box if there's 'no room' .

[Lavenders_Blue]

I use barley straw in the nest box in summer, but I prefer to use shavings in winter. This is mainly because Bella sleeps and therefore poos in the nest box overnight. In the summer, the amount of poo is minimal and therefore doesn't make the straw damp and soggy, but in winter the shavings dry out the poo better and generally makes everything a bit more pleasant. I think on the whole, the chooks prefer straw though.

[Chickabee]

I use shredded paper and soft hay. They like to make a nice shape with the hay, also they have a little nibble at it. When I've put wood chip or aubiose in the nest box they've chucked it all out. I do think aubiose is a very good product though. Have used it in my walk in run (now use chopped straw), also used it for my horse. It's very good at sapping the wet away, don't know how.

[WitchHazel]

Aubiose or similar.

Straw isn't very absorbent, so the poo and everything tends to get stuck everywhere,

 

I used to taoe up the hole with gaffer tape and then slice it. Howeverm I've since discovered that if I put a mass of aubiose iun in one go (one whumph and the whole lot is in, not shaking it in gradually), it actually covers the hole without falling through.

[Purplemaniacs]

Another fan of aubiose here. When I can't get it I use similar products like Easibed.

 

I cover hole in the cube and used to with the eglu but like WH I have found if you put a lot in at once in the eglu it tends to stay there and not fall through the hole.

 

Chrissie

[Angie]

I use aubiose or hemcore, and I have a flexi chopping board from ikea to cover the vent hole in the cube. ( the very thin bendy chopping board)