[arwen]

Okay, so I'm reading mixed reviews as to what I should be using for the run floor or the coop floor.

My run is large and earth but I was wondering if straw would help my girls from getting disgustingly mucky in the winter, however I've read that straw isn't good for hens...so confused.

Also, I've got hemp bedding for them to start with, but what do you find best for the coop please?

Thanks

[Clareg]

Hi,

I'm quite new to chicken keeping and started off using wood shavings in my coop, I then changed and now use hemcore rapport in the coop. This seems to be much more cost effective and I prefer the rapport bedding. It's easy to poop pick and has quite a nice fragrance. 

On the run floor I use hard wood chips - once a fortnight I sprinkle Bio-dry powder on the chips.  Once I month I give them a clean with some hot water.

My chickens seem to like kicking the wood chips about and their feet don't seem to get too muddy when it's wet outside.
 

[alisonwo]

I have tried straw in the house this week, but it goes disgusting and smelly, usually use hemcore which is good, I sieve it every couple of days with a cheap garden sieve and sprinkle bio dry or dry disinfectant on it, sometimes citronella oil to keep the flies at bay.  In the run we tried bark chips but in the winter they go fusty and mouldy very dangerous for the girls and we are on clay here so hosing it down didn't do much.  Now we have stones which we can hose down a bit easier.  Incidentally this last week my husband raked over the soil in the pen sieved the stones over a barrow and got some lovely soil/ compost out of it.  A lot of work but 5 bags of great compost was worth it.

[emmaellis]

Hi,

I agree with Clareg and also use hardwood chips which I rake through with Stalosan F every couple of weeks. I really does last for ages. Mine has been down for a year and has only needed topping up once.

My run is covered but even when it was 'roofless' (after collapsing in heavy rain) the woodchips were fab and the run was the only area in my garden that I didn't sink into!
(Heavy clay soil too!)

[ChristyRose]

What size is your run?  Mine are on earth and they love digging around looking for bugs and worms and having dust baths.  It is quite large (I think) 8m x 8m so couldnt cover that area with chippings.  Dosnt the rain just wash it through anyway? 
Inside the coop I just use shavings.  Havnt been able to find hemcore where I live
I've always stayed clear of straw as I heard it can carry redmite.  Is this true?

[Lindeggs]

Straw has hollow stems so the red mite can hide in it and come out at night to suck blood from your hens! 

Any coarse organic matter that doesn't compact will improve the condition of your run floor.  I have used twiggy prunings from all kinds of trees, pine needles from my neighbour's Christmas tree, fallen dry leaves, macadamia nut husks, dry grass and anything else I can lay my hands on.  Sand also improves the soil texture.

ChristyRose, you don't have to fill the whole run.  Just throw things in there as they become available and let the chickens dig through and spread them around.  Every bucketful of good dry organic matter will improve the soil condition.

In the coop I have been using dry leaves, but recently I added wood shavings (pine) which are also working well.

[arwen]

Thanks for all your replies.

So would the straw harbour the redmite even if it were only in the outside area?

My run is approx 10ft by 6ft so it could take the woodchippings. I have put a few slabs around the edges, partly to double protect against the foxes (although with two dogs and a fort knox style garden, I'm hoping I'm craftier ;-) and currently there are just weeds there, which I'll leave for the girls to begin with.

I was just thinking straw through the winter outside, and then hemcore or dust free shavings inside all year round.

[JaK]

I can't get any of the hemp badding here so I use a product called miscanthus (a type of thick and almost woody grass that is dried and chopped up), it's great for the run and the coop. Miscanthus is also cheaper at £6.20 a bale here.