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

[sadieatthebridge]

Hello again,

 

We are one week into our new chickens and I have another question, see link for many previous questions! http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=101414

 

I have 4 chickens, in a fixed uncovered run.

 

The run floor is mainly soil, with a couple of paving slabs and the usual logs etc. Obviously since the girls arrived a week ago they have largely decimated the weed coverage in the run. I've been picking up the poops in the house every day, and trying to pick up the obvious ones in the run.

 

I am now wondering what kind of maintenance I need to do to keep the run fresh and the chooks healthy.

I have read about sanitizing powder - would I use that on bare soil? Or would we be better covering the run floor with wood chips or similar?

 

Thanks!

[emmalou]

I am just using DE at the moment just scattered in the run and coop and nothing else. I asked the same question but it seems most people just depoo and that's about it. I do hose the run down now and then or rely on the rain to clean it a little.mIt has been very hot here so I think it is necessary.

[mollyripkim]

My walk in run has a deep layer of wood chip which I poo pick every day and then use Stalosan sanitiser every couple of weeks.

[emmalou]

Does it really help the wiffs? We are in France so have had endless hot days and no rain so notice the smell a little atm. Have found it online but delivery is more than the item!

[mollyripkim]

I would say definitely helps with smell, there is another one which I think Dogmother uses as the stalosan is very pink and dusty.

[mollyripkim]

Meant to say, can we have some of your sun!

[emmalou]

You are welcome to it It has been 36 here this week, although nowhere near as hot as last year. We need rain now! Can we have your rain?

[sadieatthebridge]

Thank you!

 

You're both right of course. The typical British summer we are having is cleaning the run every day at the moment...

 

I haven't noticed any smells really - but we're only 8 days in so there's time for that yet!

[emmalou]

Me and my big mouth. We now need an Ark!