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

[jasperaliceuk]

I think a lot of us know its hard to find a local source of clean hard woodchip for our runs. I was chatting to a Forestry Manager in the Guildford area to see if its something they could supply - they don't currently. So doing a bit of a poll, any of you from this area that use woodchip? I generally have to buy mine from Bark UK and have it delivered on yet another pallet I have to get rid of, but it would be handy if there was a supplier you could nip into for a few bags to keep supplies topped up.

[Luvachicken]

I was looking into the hardwood wood chip. I don't have any at the moment and have never had any.

It would be fab if there was some to buy in the Guildford area - particularly if they sold it at Rokers.

I'd be happy to put my name on a list to get some.

[PixieDust]

My OH was a tree surgeon for a number of years. Wood chip is just trees put in a chipper. They can't separate it from the bark.

 

We looked into it and he wasn't convinced by the companies selling wood chip for runs at inflated prices. We are in Surrey.

[emmalou]

Can you not get some free or for a couple of pounds from your local sawmill? Here in France I can get some from 2 sawmills locally and they have stacks of the stuff.

[sjp]

We don't have many saw mills left in the UK. the dust content would be a concern on wood shavings from sawmills and Joinery shops. We get wood chip dropped at the Allotments but it's mostly conifer and Laurel and rubbish. I've not seen a load with hardwood chips in the last 5 years and that one was from the council after they had the tree gang clear out the wood shop after they sold the yard off

[emmalou]

Woodchip is normally fine, sawdust is a different matter. They do various levels of wood chip etc.Ours does very fine stuff, right up to fairly dust free wood chip, so worth asking if you have got anywhere.

[jasperaliceuk]

Some interesting comments. I have always assumed the bark is stripped off first. BARK UK imply their hard woodchip doesn't contain bark and they do sell bark separately for mulch etc so I believe there is a way of doing it with special machinery. No doubt that machinery is expensive hence only really big outfits do it.

 

Tree surgeons do tend to just bring a chipper and chuck the whole tree in hence I haven't wanted to buy from them. Its the bark element which isn't good for the hens with all the mould spores etc.

 

Any other Surreyites that use chip?

[Luvachicken]

They can't separate it from the bark.

 

Does that matter then ?

I haven't had it before so wouldn't know.

[sjp]

They can't separate it from the bark.

 

Does that matter then ?

I haven't had it before so wouldn't know.

it's the bark that could harbor the mould spores but it's not just the bark tree surgeons wood chip can also contain leaves which start to rot down after a day or two when the chips are in a big pile which gets very hot in the center which then triggers the mould to start to grow a lot quicker than it would normally which in turn starts to rot the chip a lot quicker that clean dry wood chip also if the TS haven't got a full load of chips then they don't always empty the truck we from time to time get a right mix of woodchip dropped that has been on the truck several days which for the allotment is OK but you wouldn't want to put it in the chuck pen. we very rarely get chips from dead trees. live trees are full of moisture

basically if it ain't fit for horse bedding then it ain't fit for chicken bedding

[Luvachicken]

They can't separate it from the bark.

 

Does that matter then ?

I haven't had it before so wouldn't know.

it's the bark that could harbor the mould spores but it's not just the bark tree surgeons wood chip can also contain leaves which start to rot down after a day or two when the chips are in a big pile which gets very hot in the center which then triggers the mould to start to grow a lot quicker than it would normally which in turn starts to rot the chip a lot quicker that clean dry wood chip also if the TS haven't got a full load of chips then they don't always empty the truck we from time to time get a right mix of woodchip dropped that has been on the truck several days which for the allotment is OK but you wouldn't want to put it in the chuck pen. we very rarely get chips from dead trees. live trees are full of moisture

basically if it ain't fit for horse bedding then it ain't fit for chicken bedding

 

 

Thanks for that sjp

I will save my money then.