Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: Littlemisspepperpot on November 20, 2021, 21:32

Title: How often do you change bedding?
Post by: Littlemisspepperpot on November 20, 2021, 21:32

Hi all  :D
I poo pick the bedding and check for mites etc, every morning as soon as the girls are out and have been changing the bedding every 10 days. I have 3 Sablepoots. Can I leave it longer or should I be changing the bedding more often? I'm asking because it always looks and smells clean. Thank you in advance   ::)

Title: Re: How often do you change bedding?
Post by: New shoot on November 22, 2021, 13:47

You can leave it longer if you are cleaning up so regularly. I find 3 weeks is about the max for my big run, but that is 4 chickens in a coop that could take at least double that.  I scoop out the bad bits where they roost and put a couple of fresh handfuls of fresh bedding there and then spot clean the rest.

You can start to smell ammonia when the bedding has had it.

Title: Re: How often do you change bedding?
Post by: Littlemisspepperpot on November 24, 2021, 18:42

Quote from: New shoot on November 22, 2021, 13:47

You can leave it longer if you are cleaning up so regularly. I find 3 weeks is about the max for my big run, but that is 4 chickens in a coop that could take at least double that.  I scoop out the bad bits where they roost and put a couple of fresh handfuls of fresh bedding there and then spot clean the rest.

You can start to smell ammonia when the bedding has had it.

Thank you New Shoot. That's reassuring to know. It just seemed like I was throwing away perfectly good bedding for no real reason.