arowland17 Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 This may be a stupid question, but I am about to make my run stationary on Hemcore - I have bought a border fence from Homebase (bit like log roll but in 1.2m long sections) to keep the Hemcore just in the area surrounding the run, but am not sure how I will go about cleaning out the run. I have been cleaning it everyday as we have had fly problems (fingers-crossed these seem to be ok now) but with this little border up around it, I wont be able to lift the run up and swivel it round like I normally do. I was wondering if anyone else has their run on Hemcore or similar, and if they clean it everyday how you go about it - can it be raked up? or does it not need cleaning as often? I'd be grateful if anyone has any suggestions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 Mine is on paving slabs with Aubiose on top. The poo mysteriously vanishes and I get the power washer out about once a month and blast it all away. I dig it into the earth and the hens love to feast on the worms that appear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 I've raked it out (aubiose) and freshened/changed it when it needs doing. Other people poo pick every day, but I'm not that good and am now trying grass again anyway. Other people have used citronella for flies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted August 7, 2007 Author Share Posted August 7, 2007 yes we've been using citronella and it's worked well but we still try to pick up poop daily as the 2 of them seem to make such a mess!! It has been getting better, there was an awful lot more when we first got them but I think they're more settled in now! People have said the hemcore makes the poop disappear! sounds like magic, am hoping it'll mean less frequent run-cleanings are required, was just worried about how to get in the run without being able to move it but if raking it or spraying with a jet washer does the trick I'll give them a go. Does the hemcore not get ruined with water from a hose?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 I bought a Flitrap ...click here... and put it up about a week ago. It does seem to work as it is heaving with flies. It pongs a bit when you get close....but I suppose it is meant to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted August 7, 2007 Author Share Posted August 7, 2007 I bought a flitrap too on someone's advise here! I haven't put it up yet as when it arrived some of the bags of bait had burst so everything is covered in the powder and I'm trying to contact them about getting more bait sent out! Where did you put it with regards to chickens and house?! Some people have said that the number of flies increases, did you have that problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkleeeeee Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 i use bliss which is like hemcore and it has the citrionella in it. i jet wash any poos that are left when i get time and once every few weeks i take the side off and s"Ooops, word censored!"e it out into a bucket and put it in the compost and re bliss the run. now i have my huge extension on one of my eglus i am not sure if i will have to get in and crawl along the run as the side is too big to take off. we had some old play area grass protection come back from a job, it was going to go into the skip so i grabbed it and now have it under the bliss in the runs as i have some chooks that dig big holes so its really hard to clean out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 I bought a flitrap too on someone's advise here! I haven't put it up yet as when it arrived some of the bags of bait had burst so everything is covered in the powder and I'm trying to contact them about getting more bait sent out!Where did you put it with regards to chickens and house?! Some people have said that the number of flies increases, did you have that problem? I hung it on a convenient branch situated between the 2 occupied Eglus, about 40 metres from the back door. I don't know if it has increased the number of flies.....it is an attractant so maybe more are drawn into the vicinity, but there are certainly fewer around the hens. So far I rate it...but it is early days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 I have an eglu with run extension filled with aubiose. Every 2-3 months I take the whole door end off the run (bit fiddly) and rake out the aubiose, sprinkle garden lime on the soil, water it in and replace with fresh aubiose. The whole eglu/run are in a larger run which is in the corner of the garden. They are allowed to freerange all day in 'their' corner when we are around. I also put a couple of pieces of kitchen paper under the run cover with citronella on, we haven't had a problem with flies. The odd day there are a few around, especially when Babs poos on the run cover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 Every 2-3 months I take the whole door end off the run (bit fiddly) Just to mention that when I had my eglu run I used to do the same to clean it but got so sick of keep breaking my nails on those darn clips that I replaced them with cable ties, then when it comes to cleaning time all you need is a pair of cutters and some new ties!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted August 7, 2007 Author Share Posted August 7, 2007 That's a good idea with taking the end off and also with the cable ties, I was going to be squeezing through the little door with my rake and spade I think!! I'm going to put the hemcore down and little border up this evening when the OH gets home from work - I have done all the cleaning of the hens so far so he can help out this evening! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 we clean the run out every week. We have the run and the converter, hubby rakes out what he can and then gets on his hands and knees if he has to of course I supervise from outside the run, comfortably standing up, telling him what bits he's missed !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 We have our chooks on bark chippings which we put straight onto the grass that was there. They are in a layer of about 8 inches. The girls are in heaven they dig enormous holes and it keeps them busy all day. The poo disappears but the weeping ornamental pear tree that is at the end of the run does seem to be growing rather well this summer. We let the chooks out once a week and lift the run and eglu off the chippings and give them a fork over and level them out. Eggzeena did once manage to escape under one corner of the run by digging under the wire we have since put some concrete blocks under that area. We looked in there one evening and something did not look right and we realised that they had knocked their grub down and it was no where to be seen. After a bit of digging our eldest daughter eventually found it buried without a trace under the chips. We are so glad that we went down the chips route we decided to do it after having the girls for about a week and a half because it was obvious that the grass was not going to take the strain. we are so glad that we did because it has done nothing but rain since. the chips have stood up to the weather very well even the monsoon on 20th July which left the girls looking very sad their tails were still damp the following morning. sorry about the length of this post but I would recommend bark chips without reservation our garden is on heavy clay and gets very waterlogged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted August 7, 2007 Author Share Posted August 7, 2007 brilliant, thanks for the advice - we've had ours a week and a half too and our poor lawn isn't coping with just the 2 of them!! they have dug up the grass where their run is completely and it's just mud and stones and dry grass now so the sooner we get the hemcore down the better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted August 7, 2007 Author Share Posted August 7, 2007 disappearing poo sounds too good to be true as well, another very good reason for getting it done today I think!! picking up poo that has been trodden into the muddy ground with my rubber gloves on is quickly becoming a chore I do not enjoy first thing in the morning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted August 8, 2007 Author Share Posted August 8, 2007 Just wanted to say thanks for all the advice on cleaning the hemcore etc - I put the border up yesterday and hemcore down and then got OH to lift the run and eglu back onto it and I was just going to spread it out and both the girls ran in and started kicking it about for me so no spreading on my part was required! They love it, I thought they'd miss the grass but they're acting like I've lined their run with mixed corn! straight out this morning scratching around again, I'm so pleased we put it down, looks a lot nicer than the patch of mud that they had turned their run into! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 My Eglu is on earth with aubiose in the run. Every few weeks I take the top off the Eglu & give it a good old clean, but I always drag it to a different area of the garden to do this, then put it back. I dig over the soil when it has been moved. Question- If I jet washed the Eglu in situ would the soil the run is on get really muddy? I know the soil would get wet (!) but wondered how wet- if not too wet then it would save me lugging the Eglu across the garden to clean it. I also know it would depend how long I took to wash the Eglu as to how wet the soil would get, but I just wondered what other people did in this situation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 Glad they love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 Just to add to this thread is it better to have a soil or concrete base? I haven't set mine up yet and so can do either. I assumed concrete would be easier to keep clean but it sounds like that might not be the case. Also what is ambiose (sp?) ? I don't think I've seent hat one mentioned before. Do all the usual animal feed type places sell it? I have a Marriages near me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted August 8, 2007 Author Share Posted August 8, 2007 I've stuck mine straight down ontop of what was left of the grass. Aubiose and hemcore are used for horse bedding they're made from plant fibre I think, bit like bark chips I suppose but hemcore is treated with citronella to deter flies - I'm very impressed with it, everyone said it makes poop disappear which I found hard to believe but on a thorough search of the run this morning I can't see any yet and it's been down since yesterday afternoon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladylucan Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 They are probably walking around with their legs crossed wondering what you've put down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted August 8, 2007 Author Share Posted August 8, 2007 he he probably! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted August 8, 2007 Author Share Posted August 8, 2007 Egluntine I have just put up my flitrap and have looked on their website for instructions and it says about when putting the lid back on to close it so the strap is between the lid and the flytrap body - I'm a bit unsure of what the strap is, there's a this plastic thing attached to the lid but I assumed this was to hang it up with... what did you do?? Might ring them up in a minute and ask, been trying to sort it out but with the stuff inside it it stinks so just want to get the thing up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 Oooh er! I used it to hang the Flitrap up! Have thrown the packaging away now! It is certainly catching flies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted August 8, 2007 Author Share Posted August 8, 2007 I used it to hang it to, nothing else to hang it with anyway! There's no flies anywhere near mine yet, for some reason though there are lots of bluebottles all over the new Hemcore in the run I thought we'd sorted the blue bottle problem and putting the Hemcore down was going to be another extra measure to stop them coming back but there are an awful lot out there on it this morning... hope the flitrap starts working soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
