Storms and chickens

[Belcherman]

We just got our Eglu Cube with run and are figuring out how to prep the site so that cleaning is made as simple as possible. We plan to have the run fixed in place as opposed to moving it around. One of the things that seems a challenge is cleaning the run. Because of the length of the run and the narrowness of the run door, l don’t see an easy way of cleaning out the run. Without actually crawling inside, what do people do?

[Patricia W]

You can clean part of it with a long rake. Then I take the back panel off below the cube to get the rest.  Some people have cut a side door to make it easier.  Or, you can take the run off the cube.  But that’s mega work in my book.  

I use aubiouse in the run which is covered.  Si I only need to change it about 3 times a year. 

Edited April 21, 2019 by Patricia W

[The Dogmother]

12 hours ago, Patricia W said:

I use aubiouse in the run which is covered.  Si I only need to change it about 3 times a year. 

Me too

Do you have a mark 1 or mark 2 cube? The mark 1 run is larger and has a bigger door, so much easier to clean out. I tend to get inside and bag up the litter+ manure and then haul it out. It's hard work, but well worth it. I sprinkle the Aubiose litter in the runs with Ground Sanitising Powder each week, so there's no smell or bacteria build-up.

[Belcherman]

45 minutes ago, The Dogmother said:

Me too

Do you have a mark 1 or mark 2 cube? The mark 1 run is larger and has a bigger door, so much easier to clean out. I tend to get inside and bag up the litter+ manure and then haul it out. It's hard work, but well worth it. I sprinkle the Aubiose litter in the runs with Ground Sanitising Powder each week, so there's no smell or bacteria build-up.

I have the MK2. I Can’t see myself squeezing through that door easily. I’m thinking long-handled rake but not sure if that will be sufficient for proper clean-out. 

[The Dogmother]

Yes, those are much smaller runs and housing. Not at all easy to get into.

[Belcherman]

We just set up our Eglu cube with run yesterday. I find that I can get in and through the door but only by crawling on my hands and knees. I don’t really fancy crawling through chicken poop, but that’s an option, I guess. 

[Patricia W]

If you use something like aubiouse, which is hemp based, the poop disappears - seemingly.  If that’s any comfort....

[Cat tails]

If you place it on dirt/earth the poop definitely disappears. In the books of Dogmother I would definitely count as a lazy chickenparent... I never poop pick, but just leave them too it. Mine are on earth with slabs dug into the ground to prevent the chickens from digging their way out. I never clean the run, but only add some more earth once in while as it sort of turns to dust. In summer I just hose down the run once in while to soak through all the earth. It doesn’t smell and the only flies I ever get are on the poop that they leave on the paved bit of their run.

[The Dogmother]

2 hours ago, Cat tails said:

If you place it on dirt/earth the poop definitely disappears. In the books of Dogmother I would definitely count as a lazy chickenparent... I never poop pick, but just leave them too it. Mine are on earth with slabs dug into the ground to prevent the chickens from digging their way out. I never clean the run, but only add some more earth once in while as it sort of turns to dust. In summer I just hose down the run once in while to soak through all the earth. It doesn’t smell and the only flies I ever get are on the poop that they leave on the paved bit of their run.

It would probably surprise you to know that I do exactly the same  mine are on Aubiose on slabs, I never poo pick - life is too short - I just rake it through each week and sprinkle with Ground Sanitising Powder. The whole run gets mucked out when it starts to look manky. This depends on the time of year, how long they are in the run for and how many birds there are.

[ajm200]

We used heavy duty bulldog clips rather than run clips to secure the send panel of ours.  We’d undo and remove the whole end panel for cleaning.  Still wasn’t very practical but not impossible.  

 

We now have a walk in run made from a converted greenhouse and it is so easy to clean

[Luvachicken]

When I first got my cube and run it came with a tiny door and then a few days after it had been ordered they brought out the bigger door.

The bigger door was better but as you say you do have to scrabble through it. I got tired of doing this after many years, so last year hubby removed the end panel door part so I now just have to duck ..... so much easier. Obviously we did make it stay safe for the chickens.

[ajm200]

1 hour ago, The Dogmother said:

It would probably surprise you to know that I do exactly the same  mine are on Aubiose on slabs, I never poo pick - life is too short - I just rake it through each week and sprinkle with Ground Sanitising Powder. The whole run gets mucked out when it starts to look manky. This depends on the time of year, how long they are in the run for and how many birds there are.

Thar’s what we do now on the walk-in run.  We  add lots of sanitising powder and rake it through.  The cube is whiffy atm as I was waiting for the plastic roosting bars before cleaning it this time.  (Our 11 year old wooden ones are past it and splintering).   The run usually smells of lavenderas we sprinkle lavender oil/flowers in the nesting box and bedding to keep flies down

 

have live lavender plants to plant around  the perimeter soon to save money 

Edited April 22, 2019 by ajm200