beach chick Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 hi all - my chickens are only in the eglu & basic run at night, they freerange all day every day. so I have decided to keep the run in just one place now, and obviously the grass has totally disappeared in that section. given the little amount of time they spend in there do I really need to put down anything special? when we went to the Rare Breeds Farm recently, I noticed that all their chickens had in the outside area was mud... when I clean them out I squirt the poos in the run with the hose, which seems to keep them down a bit. or I suppose I could rake them out... or can I just leave them to it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladylucan Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 what ever is easier for you i would say, do you add garlic powder to their feed to stop it all smelling?, if so then i would say just hose down, if it smells then i would pick up to avoid smelling and to stop all the flies, but i am sure someone else will be along to offer advice, I hose at the moment, but then every other week i have a rake up ( as mine are on bark) . but i have found since using the powder on their food i havent had half the problems i did have with the flies, good luck x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 My Eglu's are on paving slabs. It makes hosing down very easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh sarah Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 egluntine do you mean their run is on paving or just the eglu i was wondering about putting mine on the paving stone hard standing in front of my shed in the winter to save the grass but i thought i would have to provide something for them to scratch in what do you think sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 Hi Sarah There are quite a few of us who have the base of the run as concrete or paving slabs. I then use Aubiose/hemcore as a layer for them to scratch around in. Every few weeks I just rake it all out and replace with fresh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh sarah Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 thanks laura so i can just put the eglu and run on the hardstanding buy a bale of this hemcore stuff and just put some in the run for them to scratch in. i will let them out to free range but i thought in the winter by the time i get home at 4pm they will be thinking of going to bed because it will be dark early so i want them to have some fun when we are not at home sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 You may want to put something around the edge of the run skirt to hold it in place and to stop the hemcore spilling out of the run - maybe some big rockery stones or something?? Have you also got good drainage on the hardstanding? Otherwise it may be worth thinking about an additional layer of paving slabs on top so that any rain water seeps through the gaps - unless you plan to completely cover the run so it doesnt get wet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh sarah Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 hi well the rain could run off the paving onto the the lawn i surpose like it does now but there are no drainage holes in the paving as such it is cemented down i keep my compost heap on it and any pots no in use i was thinking of fencing off the whole area so they could have a huge run but i will have to persuade my other half to go for that idea sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 i was thinking of fencing off the whole area so they could have a huge run but i will have to persuade my other half to go for that idea sarah Go Sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh sarah Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 i only see him on the weekend he lives in manchester and i live south wales so i think i will play it carefully i will cook him a lovelly tea for starters and see how it goes i surpose i have got a few months to talk him into it although i do feel guility asking him to do any diy as he works so hard monday to friday wish me luck sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 beachchick, I would really recommend hemcore/aubiose for your permanent run - it keeps the ground much drier, and gives the chickens something to scratch around in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 egluntinedo you mean their run is on paving or just the eglu i was wondering about putting mine on the paving stone hard standing in front of my shed in the winter to save the grass but i thought i would have to provide something for them to scratch in what do you think sarah The run and Eglu are all on slabs. I forgot to say that I put a layer of Aubiose on top of the slabs, and hose it off with a power washer. Dead easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh sarah Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 thanks egluntine i will try to get hold of some aubiose/ hemcore ready for the winter they are on the lawn now and i move it every day well actually they are out most of the day because i am off school so they seem to spend much of their time sitting in the kitchen !! they will have a shock in september when they are in the run all day untill 4pm sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 I would recommend flooring that you can remove/clean as worms can build up in the ground and fresh ground is healthier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh sarah Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 if i get aubiose or hemcore i can just get rid of it every now and again when it looks or smells bad, then i can wash the paving underneath and start again or does that sound too easy i dont know what this aubiose or hemcore is like ? sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 It can be that easy!! - s'what I do Have a look here for hemcore http://www.hemcore.co.uk/why.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh sarah Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 thanks laura it looks good i will go on the hunt later and see if i can find any it obviously will compost too whick is another bonus sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted August 4, 2007 Author Share Posted August 4, 2007 good point about worms in the ground chocchick, but they are literally only in there for max an hour a day - they are always out by 8.30, and dont go back in there til they go to bed really. just waiting for my omlet delivery with garlic powder (and lots of other lovely stuff!) and then hopefully that will help. dont want to seem mean, but they are in there for so little time that it seems silly to create extra work/spend more cash! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 4, 2007 Share Posted August 4, 2007 Hi Sarah - click on my www link below to see an outdoor uncovered run with my chickens in it. I enclosed an area of compacted soil where grass once was with 9" high log roll. That keeps all the aubiose or hemcore or whatever you use inside and they don't scratch it all out and make a mess of the surrounding area.l I put in posts the tied chicken wire to the posts. Then stapled the bottom all around to the log roll. On top I put fruit cage netting - cheap and in a roll and stretchy, and used that - attached all around to the chicken wire by looping thin plastic covered garden wire in a 'sewing' type action to keep wild birds out. I had some shredded silver birch down all over winter which I removed and put on the flower beds. I sprinkled a bit of garden lime over the soil and raked it in. (It is important that you do not use builders lime! I then used a bale of aubiose on top - it has been down a month now - it all those storms and torrential rain. I rake in once a day - last thing at night usually - and it doesn't smell - as some of my visitors on here will vouch for! It gradually gets incorporated into the soil as the chickens scratch around in it. When it gets to the point where is has virtually disappeared or a bit muddy I just add a sprinkling more. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladylucan Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 Well yesterday iwent and ordered 4 bales of Auboise which i am told should be in Thursday, so next weekend is major clear out weekend, to get rid of all the bark, i am going to put log edging round the pond that is in there and then fill it up with the Auboise and see how we go........... Again, havent yet told DH, but oh well........................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted August 17, 2007 Share Posted August 17, 2007 I have my Eglu and Run on patio slabs and use Hemcore as flooring. I have read so much about Hemcore staying fresh for 4-6 weeks or even longer, drying rather than compacting and never smelling etc. I have gone through a whole bale of Hemcore in 7 weeks because it was either stinking, looking very dirty and mucky or getting wet and compacted!! Maybe I'm just too fussy but the poo's do not dissapear in mine-they just get covered in Hemcore and one drop of rain turns the Hemcore filthy looking!! I did cover the run with plastic sheeting which kept it very much drier but the sun would make the run too hot so I would uncover it, go shopping and it would pour down making the Hemcore soggy again or I would leave the cover on, go out and the sun would get so hot that I would be worried that my girls would get cooked! Even then it would still start to smell bad after a week or so. Does Hemcore work better on grass? I have no problem having to replace it fortnightly and it only costs me £7.00 per bale so it is still working out quite cheap but I just wondered why mine seems to need replacing more often than everyone elses?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted August 17, 2007 Share Posted August 17, 2007 I use hemcore straight ontop of the grass (or what was grass and was quickly turned to mud) so they can still dig around and it's so easy to look after - I used to have to pick up poo daily from their run but they scratch around in the hemcore and their poo seems to disappear in it - I rake it about once a week through the run door to get the big clumps out and any shredded paper they've turfed out the nest, and top it up with some fresh hemcore. It's looking a bit trodden in at the moment so am going to move the whole run off and give it a really good rake but I don't think it needs replacing yet, has been just over 2 weeks, I've heard off others about once a month it should all be replaced Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh sarah Posted August 17, 2007 Share Posted August 17, 2007 hi i cant find a supplier of hemcore or the other stuff beginning with"A" is "easy bed" the same as i found some of that at a horse supplier thanks Sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted August 17, 2007 Share Posted August 17, 2007 when I was looking the place I get my chicken feed from only had easibed or aubiose and they looked exactly the same except easibed was cheaper! I ended up finding a hemcore stockist locally (can look up stockists in your area on their website www.hemcore.co.uk or www.hemcore.com) as it is treated with citronella and we had problems with flies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinkkat Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 I have my Eglu and Run on patio slabs and use Hemcore as flooring. Maybe I'm just too fussy but the poo's do not dissapear in mine-they just get covered in Hemcore and one drop of rain turns the Hemcore filthy looking!! I have no problem having to replace it fortnightly and it only costs me £7.00 per bale so it is still working out quite cheap but I just wondered why mine seems to need replacing more often than everyone elses?? Glad I'm not the only one - I was reading about forumeers replacing the hemcore every 4 or 6 weeks and wondering why I had to do it weekly I try to poo pick evey day to keep the smell down and to stop the hemcore turning into a filthy mess. I tried a very deep layer, medium, then thinner layer but with the same result. Do we have particularly filthy chickens? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
