Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: Griffete on November 29, 2012, 20:18
-
Hi there everyone, I,v just got myself some chickens :)
I can get sawdust wood chippings for free....i,ve been told that its dangerous if it has redwood in it......is this true....seems stupid to me as its a natural timber.....i could understand if the timber has been treated.....
Any advice would be great.
here are the chucks
(http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu2/fekete_2009/chickens-1.jpg)
-
not sure about the redwood but you shouldn't use sawdust instead you should use dust extracted shavings.
-
forgot to say congratulations on getting your girls - life will never be the same :D
-
Hi thanks for congrats.....the shavings are from a dust extractor in a wood yard being all the wast out the machines.... is this the same as dust extracted shavings ? or has the dust extracted shaving gone through a different process.....all the dust taken out the shavings ? sorry for the stupid questions just want to get it right
-
The dust needs to be extracted as it can cause respiratory problems for birds. What you have described does not sound suitable.
You can get big bales of shavings from equine supplies at reasonable prices. There are also lots of other products made from hemp core, miscanthus and rape seed straw which are suitable and possibly more absorbant than shavings. They will also compost quicker. ;)
Congratulations on getting your chickens. :D
-
Hemp products definately compost much quicker. Not sure how long redwood shavings would take. Sounds like you have already overcome the dust problem if you do use shavings. And you might not be composting your shavings? Good luck.
-
Hi, you don't actually say what you want the material for, but all previous posts re dust are spot on. As you're on the Wirral then Charlies are a good source of many chook things (one at Queensferry) with shavings at £7-14 per bag. Looking at your run, and the weather we've had and the forecast :-( can I suggest some 20mm gravel on at least a part? Makes life a lot easier and can be washed/raked. Enjoy your chooks.
-
Thanks for all the help and advice......will pop into Charlies and pick some up.....its for the floor on the run as its a bit wet but as said will put gravel down when i get the chance...thanks again everyone....will get some more pictures when its all sorted out as the run there in is just temporary
-
as your on the wirral lartons livery at frankby are closer and just as cheap,on the floor of my run i use straw get a bale for 3.50 lasts ages and if you composting wen u clean it up its great on ure heap i just scatter the straw to cover the floor the chooks love rummaging through it
-
That's great advice...... didn't even know lartons even existed........ will try the straw 8)
-
Are you just looking for something for the floor of your run (where it's muddy) or inside the coop where it seems to have a roof so presumably drier?
For the run I would suggest a base that's free-draining. Something like gravel or sand would work well. Then on top of that you could put something that the chickens can scratch through like bark or wood chips. It still needs to be free-draining though, so probably not sawdust that would get wet and compacted and potentially mouldy. I would have thought straw would get wet and mouldy in an outdoor area too.
Also in the outdoor part think about whether the ground cover will end up getting blown around your garden!
For the indoor part, wood shavings work really well. It's this indoor area where you need to be especially careful about dust and mould spores.
Whatever you use, by keeping your hens' feet up off the mud, you will find their nests (and therefore their eggs) will stay much cleaner. Good luck, and please may we see the 'after' pictures when you're done? ;)
-
Not only does the dust get in their lungs, but also into eyes when they flap about and causes discomfort and infections. Been there, done that.
Redwood (aka sequoia) is quite weather resistant like cedar and may contain oils harmful to poultry. No one is willing to test out the theory on their birds. In North America, the recommended poultry shavings are soft woods that will break down quickly and not retain molds harmful to birds. Some folk I know are now using wood chips for their birds and it's working well so far.
Here's a handy, if lengthy, list on stuff harmful to all birds: LINK (http://www.lairofdragonsbirdrescue.com/files/How_20to_20Kill_20Your_20Birds_20Without_20Trying.pdf)
-
Once again guys thanks for all the help and advice.... will take a few pictures of the new coop its nearly ready......just got to get the nest boxes sorted and put a door on...i was lucky to get a free shed 12 x 8 8) I've ripped it apart and made it in to a coop......the chucks will be out the mud by Saturday and in the new coop
here are a few pictures getting built
(http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu2/fekete_2009/coop-1.jpg)
(http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu2/fekete_2009/photo6.jpg)
(http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu2/fekete_2009/photo5.jpg)
(http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu2/fekete_2009/photo7.jpg)
(http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu2/fekete_2009/photo8.jpg)
-
Here is a picture of the coop finished........just got to put nest boxes in and perches
http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu2/fekete_2009/photo9.jpg
-
You spoil those chooks :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
Great job
-
Thanks i will look after them the best i can :)Here are a few more pictures of the nest boxes i made and a couple of perches....
(http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu2/fekete_2009/photo17.jpg)
(http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu2/fekete_2009/photo20.jpg)
(http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu2/fekete_2009/photo19.jpg)
(http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu2/fekete_2009/photo18.jpg)
-
Blimey! Lucky chickens, that looks great.
-
Thanks there settled in fine now and loving the new coop.........happy hens :D
-
It all looks absolutely brilliant.
I cannot see from the photos re the perches. Have you rounded off the edges? If not they will be much better if they are rounded off (not round though). Apologies if you have done this. It looks as though you could go into business making hen huts! ;)
-
Hi Sassy, no i haven't rounded off the edges.........i will get the router out and do that tomorrow first job....thanks for the heads up 8)
-
Brilliant photos - really helpful. I'd love madam to do some perching and save the daily poo pick. I thought the same about rounded edges - are bird's feet designed to wrap around a branch - or sit on top?
-
They wrap around hence the need to round off the edges of perches. ;)
-
3 more girls coming tomorrow 8)
-
To 5* accommodation :)
-
Great job on the house, I'm sure they'll be happy in there. How many hens are you going to have?
-
There is 10 in there now....see how its go's next year i may get a few more but for now i think there is just enough for the size of the coop...... want them to have plenty of room and be happy :happy: will keep you all updated on how thing go.....they had a bit of a fight when i first put them in there but seemed to have sorted it out....i got them for free they was in a back garden with no room so should be better on the plot with lots of room to run round ...will get some pictures tomorrow of them and the rest of the girls. I've just taken on the plot next door so lots of space for them 8)
-
To 5* accommodation :)
Thanks Sassy :blink:
-
Great job Griffete, I have serious Hen House envy! :blink:
You have given me a few ideas for my girls come spring, really like the Nest boxes, what did you use? They look like milk crates but not sure!?!?
:blink: :blink:
-
Thanks number7, One of the guys on the allotment gets them from work.....there just stacking crates...i was going to use 20LT plastic drums but these stack better and was the perfect size
here is the other option with the drums
(http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu2/fekete_2009/box_zps9e00d7b4.gif)
milk crates would do great as well....hope this helps
-
Thanks for that last photo Griffete my neighbour has given me a container like that. Her son runs his Jeep on some sort of oil and she said I can have as many as I need. I was trying to work out what would be best to use them for and now I know. I like the design so the eggs roll to the front under the wood to keep them safe and clean. :blink:
-
Should help with the red mite as well with them being plastic and easy to clean 8)
-
Thanks Griffete, I'll keep my eyes open for few spares! :blink:
-
Here are the girls having fun in the poly tunnel eating all the slugs and what's left of me veg :lol: and making a mess >:( kicking soil everywhere
(http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu2/fekete_2009/photo27_zps518c3af6.jpg)
(http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu2/fekete_2009/photo28_zps4136034e.jpg)
(http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu2/fekete_2009/photo29_zps63edda9c.jpg)
-
Thugs with feathers, trashing your poly tunnel. :D
-
That's what they are ANHBUC, will have to keep them lock up when the growing season starts :lol:
-
I don't think even an ASBO will keep them out!! :D
-
There getting well fenced in the little rascals ASDO there getting custody for a few months :lol: