Doreen

[jomaxsmith]

I'd seen the bark chip advice elsewhere on other poultry info sites as well so it's not just an unfounded scare story.

 

I don't think it's nice to sneer at someone who thinks they're offering useful information. I thought the point of sites such as this is that we're all amateurs doing the best we can and sharing tips and advice - not experts and pupils.

 

Jo

[Richard]

please don't anyone get upset.

 

This forum's strength is that people post a wide range of opinions, and that other people can answer and debate etc. Its a lovely group of people, and as with any group of folk there will be different opinions and varying views.

 

Long may that continue!

[Olly]

However, it really makes me laugh when I see someone posting as an authority about a topic/question on here when only a matter of weeks ago they were asking questions themselves.

 

I think that's a little unfair, Matthew! I've learned everything I know off this site, I certainly don't call myself an expert but I have a good memory - sometimes someone posts a question that has been asked before, and I will post what I've read from other people, or suggest they search against a topic. I never claim it's my own knowledge, but I do know that when someone posts a question on here, it's often because they need an answer quickly.

 

You only need to have chickens for a short while to learn a lot about them, anyway! This is a really friendly forum, no question is too stupid to ask, and everyone benefits from sharing advice and experience - we all learn what suits us and our chickens best and there are a variety of views on here. If only people who were 'experts' posted on here, it would be very dull!

 

I hope you continue to browse on here, and get your questions answered, I'm sure you will have some! Who knows, you might be answering some yourself one day

[Guest]

I'm sure my bark is worse than his bite

 

was that really bad?

[jomaxsmith]

was that really bad?

 

Doesn't inspire me to commission any poems from you

 

Jo

[Guest]

was that really bad?

 

Doesn't inspire me to commission any poems from you

 

Jo

 

that reminds me, i really need to get me chicken one written!!!! Watch this space, well maybe not this space, I'll probably post it under a new thread!

 

x

[Tessa the Duchess]

Poet wrote:

 

 

I'm sure my bark is worse than his bite

quote]

 

 

I think I sort of understand what Matthew was trying to say, I have seen a question posted sometimes and I 'think' I know the answer to the problem,

then I think "should I reply because I am only a few months into keeping chickens myself" but I have answered and it has been fine. When you first get into keeping chickens you become obsessed with learning all about caring for them and indeed one does learn really fast.

 

Tessa

[Ain't Nobody Here]

... when I see someone posting as an authority about a topic/question on here when only a matter of weeks ago they were asking questions themselves.

 

I think that's been me on occasion . I'm just so pleased to read a question that I know the answer to I can't help passing on my newfound knowledge! Also, when I started out I found so many friendly and helpful people answering my posts, I want to do the same for people who are newer than me .

[Richard]

I'm sure my bark is worse than his bite

 

was that really bad?

 

Yep, it was. But it shows you have a good sence of humour!

 

and it took me a minute or two to get it - which maybe shows that I haven't!

[Guest]

i just wanted to say that i didn't mean to come across as some sort of authority. I was talking to someone on another forum about the bark in our run and she told me about the (potential) problem of using bark. I did a bit of a google to check and sure enough, there were other sites confirming what she'd said.

 

I was so concerned that my first instinct was to let all my friends know on omlet. Not intending to come across as an authority at all. I knew some of you used bark and I didn't want your hens to get sick, that was my motivation, not to come across as a "know all".

[Guest]

oh god, now someone will accuse me as coming across as all "Ooops, word censored!"le!

 

reminds me of that thread with great movie lines, here's one from 'Dirty Dancing'

 

 

"You were right, Johnny, you can't win no matter what you do!"

 

[Richard]

Hey Poet - I think you can take a rest now, before you wrack up a record number of postings in one night! Turn your computer off and go and watch the horrendously irritating Bill Oddie, and the lovely Kate Humble in Autumn watch!

 

Have a good evening!

[The Dogmother]

I ditched bark quite early on in hen keeping because it got too damp, smelly and mouldy. I tired wood chips - slightly better but still inclined to be damp and smell. Dilly got me onto Hemcore/Aubiose and it's brilliant. I've used it about a couple of years now, and with a run and extension, plus a bunny hutch, an bale lasts about 6-8 weeks.

[Guest]

Hey Poet - I think you can take a rest now, before you wrack up a record number of postings in one night! Turn your computer off and go and watch the horrendously irritating Bill Oddie, and the lovely Kate Humble in Autumn watch!

 

Have a good evening!

 

okay

 

xxx

[Egluntyne]

I found bark too heavy to shift when it was time to change it...and it was horribly smelly and slippery.

 

Aubiose is much lighter and super absorbent. It does get smelly, but not as revoltingly and it makes the most divine compost, whereas bark hangs around forever.

 

No contest in my book.

 

Re woodchippings....we had a couple of trees cut down last year and the chap left me the chippings as I thought oooh....I'll use that for the hens!

 

The pile started to smoulder on several occasions and had to be damped down.....and then it sprouted the most alarming looking toadstools, so It's Aubiose for me from now on.

 

We all have our own preferences.

 

Stick to what works best for you.

 

Edited to correct two spelling mistakes!

Edited November 15, 2007 by Guest

[ktdot]

I used bark for the first week I had my chickens. Got fed up with the black footprints spoiling the nice new house.

 

Use Hemcore now - brilliant stuff.

[Ziggy]

okie... now for the really stupid question here... i used whatever omlet recommended at the time (roughly 9 months ago)... can't remember for the life of me if it's woodchip or bark chip... and checking on google didn't help, as the pics of the stuff look awfully similar to me... what is the difference (in look) between both?

This being said, my chooks appear fine and healthy whatever it is... but it's about time (or more than time) we gave their run a makeover...

[Egluntyne]

Bark is chunkier and darker, generally.

[lozkate]

In 1889 a chap called S W Wheaton wrote a paper entitled "Case primarily of tubercle in which a fungus (Aspergillus) grew in the bronchi and lung, simulating actinomycosis "

 

Little did he know that over 100 years later a weird bloke from Yorkshire would read extracts from it and conclude that you might get the same respiatory problems from inhaling the spores from mouldy bread as you would from rogue tree bark!

 

Should we alert DEFRA?

 

Seriously, it looks like the mould will grow anywhere there are nutrients (chicken poo) a good substrate (bark, bread, maybe hemcore although I'm not sure about the nature of the product working on it *Edit* see next post) and a bit of damp.

 

I guess the nature of wood bark is that it has been out there being wet all it life, its then stripped from the trunk and remains untreated until it arrives in the groundforce wagon outside the house of some unsuspecting nurse from Peterborough. Its had a lot of opportunity to devlop a good culture of fungi and once it becomes static in the run the fungus can grow (and significantly - reproduce).

 

My semi (well quarter) educated guess would be that there is a higher likelihood that the fungus would be present BUT with spores as they are if there's a breath of wind they'll be off.

 

So the conclusion of the scientific research performed tonight is....

 

Do NOT, under any circumstances, spread chicken poo on wet bread, leave it for a fortnight then take deep breaths from a bag with it in.

 

Sound advice me thinks.

 

As ever. Happy to make things more complex.

 

Loz (in a weird mood - sorry!)

Edited November 15, 2007 by Guest

[Olly]

 

Well it's made me laugh!

 

I particularly like the 'unsuspecting nurse from Peterborough' line ... oh stop it, I'm off again

[lozkate]

Update:

 

Fascinating evening's research.

 

I think somewone mentioned that Hemcore is treated with Citronella??

 

If so there are a few research papers suggesting that one of its active ingredients is a strong anti-fungal agent! result!

 

All I need to do now is work out how toxic the smog of hemcore dust is on the human lung given the repeated exposure I now have when cleaning out the chooks.

 

Another interesting fact. A strain of the fungus in question (Aspergillus) produces a substance that chickens use to form egg-whites!!! Go figure. Its that "one glass of red wine a day" thing all over again. They give it to you with one fungus and then snatch it from you with the other.

 

As you might suspect from the above I have more than a passing interest in things biochemical. Keep them coming.

 

Loz

[Egluntyne]

Update:

 

Fascinating evening's research.

 

I think somewone mentioned that Hemcore is treated with Citronella??

 

If so there are a few research papers suggesting that one of its active ingredients is a strong anti-fungal agent! result!

 

All I need to do now is work out how toxic the smog of hemcore dust is on the human lung given the repeated exposure I now have when cleaning out the chooks.

 

Another interesting fact. A strain of the fungus in question (Aspergillus) produces a substance that chickens use to form egg-whites!!! Go figure. Its that "one glass of red wine a day" thing all over again. They give it to you with one fungus and then snatch it from you with the other.

 

As you might suspect from the above I have more than a passing interest in things biochemical. Keep them coming.

 

Loz

 

Aubiose is the same as Hemcore virtually.....except that it doesn't contain citronella....and is slightly less chunky.....so if you are fussed about the citronella thingy, swap to Aubiose.

 

And before you ask...no...I haven't got shares in the company.

[Lesley]

Aubiose is softer on the hands as well - I find Hemcore pieces a bit sharp.

 

The other difference was that Aubiose was French and Hemcore was British - but our supplier says that Hemcore import their bedding from France

[Egluntyne]

until it arrives in the groundforce wagon outside the house of some unsuspecting nurse from Peterborough.

I remember that programme!!

 

and

 

Do NOT, under any circumstances, spread chicken poo on wet bread, leave it for a fortnight then take deep breaths from a bag with it in.

 

Oh no.....I'll have to find something else to do on a Friday night now!!

 

 

Very funny lozkate!!

[Richard]

Do NOT, under any circumstances, spread chicken poo on wet bread,

 

Oh drat, now I have to change my breakfast habits do I? ...