Solitary chicken - need advice

[Ashmeads Kernel]

I am unable to find a guide to cleaning the run/coup (Cube) - frequency with the different actions. I have six Nova Browns, bought in May this year.

 

The run surface is paving slabs which I s"Ooops, word censored!"e muck off usually daily. I wondered if I can cover it with wood shreddings, which would give them something to peck at. Should this be replaced weekly?

 

I currently replace the bedding and next box weekly, giving it a good hose down with a pressure washer with plain water. (I haven't heard of any one using a pressure washer)

 

I have Sprite for the dreaded red mite, but don't know the frequency and routine for treatment.

 

I get the impression everyone does their own thing, which is OK, but better to start off on the right foot.

 

Could replies be condensed into a sticky?

 

Thanks

 

Andrew

[gavclojak]

Your right, everyone does what right for them! my way is...

1] wipe roosting bars down with wet wipes in the morning and poop pick trays

 

2] in summer, remove all bedding weekly, wash with soapy water, rinse then spray with poultry shield, leave on for an hour of so then rinse off. Once all is dry put the cube together and puff DE into every nook and cranny. I then sprinkle NETTEX ground sanitizer on the top of the auboise in the litter trays to deter flies and DE over the clean auboise in the nest box

 

3] In winter as above but every other week or so and I don't worry so much about the ground sanitizer!!

 

during the summer I have been known to pressure wash the whole cube too

[acw295]

I have 3 little pekins in a wooden coop with run and run extension. Run surface is paving slabs with thick layer of hardwood wood pellets on top – they love to scratch in this, it drains well and lasts 6 months. I rake over weekly and add ground sanitiser. I really rate the hardwood woodships as a run surface.

 

In the coop they have shavings in the nest box and the floor of the coop – I change this weekly usually, and spray the inside with poultry shield. I also spray the perches and wipe down. When the inside is dry I replace the shavings with fresh and add plenty of diatom powder to it.

 

If it is too wet though in winter to dry it out then I just quickly change the shavings and add the diatom but don’t spray it.

 

Most days I remove the poo from the nest box as my 3 like to sleep in there all snuggled up, they don’t make much mess but I like to keep it clean-ish.

 

This works fine for us, I have had them for a year now and they seem well. As I only have the 3 and they are so little they don’t make much mess, my routine might not work on a larger set up.

[mullethunter]

I have 4 bantams in an Eglu Go with 3m run on earth. I 'poo pick' the run most days, and sprinkle Nettex ground sanitiser weekly. In the house I empty the poo tray every day, then remove all nest bedding and pressure wash both parts of the floor and spray with poultry shield once a fortnight. When I do this I also sprinkle DE on the nest box bedding an the bedding under the roosting bars.

[Ashmeads Kernel]

Where do I use Sprite in the routine? I have ordered Poultry shield.

[gavclojak]

Where do I use Sprite in the routine? I have ordered Poultry shield.

 

I use poultry shield, I would use smite should I get an infestation or another product but touch wood I have not had any.

I do use ivermectin spot on (not licenced for use on poultry) it works like a spot on treatment you might use for dogs/ cat. It is available from flyte so fancy amongst other places but if you do choose to use it make sure you keep a medicine book. You can down load one from my vets at http://darwinvets.com/sites/darwinvets.com/files/Poultry%20Medicine%20Book.pdf

I find it really helpful to keep track of the worming cycle.

The only other thing I would say is start with a really good worming program and make sure you stick to it.

I know how you feel, I have a bow full of lotions and potions I brought and either didn't need or never used!!

I hope this helps but don't stress too much, you will soon find a way that works for you!

[The Dogmother]

I currently have 14 pure breed bantams in a cube with a massive run on slabs; I use Aubiose hemp bedding in the run and housing, it is by far the best thing I have ever used, and composts well too.

 

I clean the housing once a week, scrubbing the roosting bars, nest box and poo trays. Everything is then sprayed with Total Mite Kill Concentrate and powdered with Buz Busters louse powder - both these products will knock down and kill all lice or mites. The Aubiose in the run is sprinkled with Ground Sanitising powder each week and replaced when it looks manky, which is around 6-8 weeks depending on how much time they spend in the run.

 

I pressure wash the housing every month, weather depending, and once or twice a year, in the summer, I take all the panels off the cube, lay it out flat, jet wash and spray/powder the lot before putting it back together.

 

Simple routine, works well for me and takes very little time.

 

The feeders and drinkers all go in the dishwasher once a week with the dog and cat bowls; they get cleaned on a hot setting with a cup of Viratec disinfectant.