[pink-chicken]

I'd read that whatever we do we must not give them hay but that straw is OK for the girls? I'm beginning to wonder now whether straw could be just as bad? Please advise..

Thank you, Jan.x

[poultrygeist]

A mould can grow on hay and the hens may eat it, potentially making them crop bound.

Straw is fine provided it's changed regularly, kept dry but can be a problem if you have red mite in the coop.

We've used it in the nest box and sometimes in the covered run for the last 2 years.

Rob

[GrannieAnnie]

If straw does get damp, being hollow, mould can also grow in it and help cause respiratory diseases.

I know a lot of people still use it, but we don't as I find shavings more absorbent than straw anyway.

[janet12000]

  I use hay in the nest boxes on top of the shavings.

Should I stop?

[pink-chicken]

Thank you Rob and GrannieAnnie, (janet12000 I think hay can get tangled up inside them if they eat it?  )

At least it's not a definate no no as I'd gone into panic mode about it. One of our girls does have a recurring crop problem now and again but she's been fine during the dry weather. After the wet spell she showed signs of sour crop again and her crop seemed hardened this morning. Her poos are quite liquid and smelly. She's at the vets now but we've had a call to say that it's cleared itself so no need for a crop flush. She does shovel mud down when she can get to it hence us re-thinking the the flooring, change over to bark etc. Strange thing is that non of the other girls are affected  

Jan.x

[Aunt Sally]

I use hay in the nest boxes on top of the shavings.

Should I stop?

Yes you should.  It's one of the biggest causes of impacted crop  

I use aubiose in the nest box. Nice and soft and comfy  

[joyfull]

Aunty is aubiose much different to hemcore? Never seen it in any of our suppliers places.

[Aunt Sally]

I think it's just the same Joy !

aubiose, as the name might sugest, is from France while Hemcore is made in UK but they are both basically the same.

[pink-chicken]

I've been struggling to find suppliers of Aubiose in the West Mids so it sounds as if Hemcore is virtually the same. Will start Googling now 

Jan.x

[janet12000]

I've been googling it too with no joy as to a supplier in west mids. 
I feel bad now. Never had crop problems with my lot but you have got me paranoid now. 

Bad Mummy 

[pink-chicken]

awwh Janet you're not a bad mummy, it's like everything we are learning all the while. At least now you can decide whether to use something different. I've been using straw, which is supposed to be safer than hay but it still isn't ideal   I'm struggling for suppliers of Hemcore now too, do people in the West Midlands not keep horses?  

Jan.x

[Aunt Sally]

Try here:

http://www.hemcore.co.uk/distributors.php

you can put your post code in or click on the map.

[LadyPluck]

oooh ya beat me to it Aunty lol

[pink-chicken]

Thank you Aunt Sally, have found someone! It's off to Stafford we'll be.

Jan.x

[janet12000]

Lol.
Thats the site I found and was going to post a link!

The distributors seem a bit few and far though.

Oh well. I suppose the chicky chooks deserve the best so I'll be on a mission tomorrow