[gibbo]

What are your oppinions?  Which is better, Stalalsan-f or biodri? Biodri is a little cheaper but is it as good? 

[GrannieAnnie]

I use bio-dri and think its fine, but I've never used Stalosan F so can't compare, sorry!

[gibbo]

What kind of bedding do you use?  Im use wood shavings but find that when it rains a lot it gets damp really quick. My house is not leaking its just what the girls walk in and out. Do you find that the biodri helps with this sort of problem.

[jinty1911]

How many girls do you have, Gibbo?
Jinty

[sarah f]

i use bio dry too, ive never tryed stalosan f.
 bio dry does absorb the dampness in the coop and round the drinker, and hopefully will stop the smell in the warmer weather too

[orchardlady]

Bio dry is excellent. It absorbs a huge amount of moisture. I use Aubiose in the house for bedding and nest boxes and it's pretty dry when I clean the hen house. I also use it with the ducks as they are much wetter beasties an it's still very good.

OL

[gibbo]

hi jinty, i have four hens in a house about 120x60cm, nest boxes extra.  I just brought a new bale of wood shavings that will probably last me for 5 months or more!  But i might try hempcore next time, athough it is about £5 more!  Will deffinaltly try and get some biodri soon. l would like to buy it localy but i dont think anyone stocks it here, so will have to pay a £6 or more dilivary charge and order it online!

[hillfooter]

If the wood shavings are damp because they are absorbing the water then that's exactly what you want isn't it?  The quality of the shavings does matter too.  Shavings like Snowflakes Premium or Hunters are thin light and fluffy and absorb water well.  The added benefit is that softwood shavings are antiseptic too.  Hemcore smells very nice and is absorbent though I don't know that it's better than shavings.  It's not however antiseptic and is virtually sterile.  It would be interesting to test their relative absorbancy.

Diatom is very absorbant but be careful with any dust you use in the house and the same does for the two you are trying to compare here too.
HF

[joyfull]

hemcore does compost down very quickly. It is citronella impregnated which is a bonus as this is a fly repellant and is far more absorbant than wood shavings - or so I have found in my coops.
As for biodry and stalisan f I have never used biodry so have no thoughts on this but do use Stalisan f which is very good 

[Chrysalis]

We use stalosan and have no complaints. no mites ever (2 years) and no probs with The Girls.  Diatom Ok, but pricey.  Only used it once.  May try biodry (?) if we can get hold of it at our local feed /shavings merchant.
As long as the girls are ok, does it matter?