[camelliagirl]

Hello
Haven't got my chickens yet but hoping to get some ex-bats later in June once the house and run have been sorted out but am new to chicken-keeping.

I was wondering what the best would be to use for bedding - have been reading about things other than straw such as medi-bed, hemp and other alternatives.

Any advice gratefully received...

Thanks

[redmolly]

I currently have shavings on my floor at the moment. I did have straw, when the horse was in during the winter, but as she's now out - the girls have shavings. Actually the shavings are easier - dries everything up and is easy to sweep out. The don't need loads - so a large bale lasts quite a while....well I say a while, but as I leave the bale in there, they break into it and lay eggs, whilst turfing out half across the floor anyway!! Enjoy!! 

[Kate and her Ducks]

I use hemcore and would never go back to woodshavings or straw.

[joyfull]

love my hemcore 

[Pretty Chick]

Mine have always been on woodshavings and they love it 

[camelliagirl]

Thanks all -

Where do you get Hemcore?  Is it available from places like Cornwall Farmers / Mole Valley Farmers or can you buy on Internet? 

[dizzylizzie]

we're hempcore fans too

[Bev]

Hi, Am quite a newbie too and have not tried any thing else but am amazed that my first bale of shavings has lasted me about 13 months, I have 3 hens.

I use hay in the nest boxes and I just pick up a couple of wads of my Mum and Dad or sister every 2 or 3 months.

Bale of shavings - about £10 at CWG I think.

Bev

[Flowerpower136]

Didn't like straw, comfy but no absorbancy.  Woodshavings were OK, but take ages to compost down.  Hemcore is very good.  Very absorbent and rots down quick.

I get mine from horse supply place and use it in next boxes and coop. Just leave a big heap in the middle of the floor and the girls do the rest.

[amckeen]

I use Hemcore and think it is great - it is a horse bedding primarily so if you have a local equestrian supplier you can try them.  My village pet store can now order it and it costs £11 a bale.  I bought my first bale online and payed £16 plus postage so obviously I save some money now.  I have used 2 bales in almost 4 months but have to admit I am a little heavy-handed when poop-picking so probably could have made it last much longer (I have 8 girls in a coop designed for about 15).

The good things about Hemcore - it is citronella scented, it clumps well so you don't waste a lot when cleaning, and it is not hollow like straw is so mould, etc has less chance of developing.  The website for info is www.hemcore.co.uk.

The company has developed a cheaper alternative called Rapport which is shredded oilseed rape plant.  I am going to be trying that the next time my pet shop does an order as it only costs about £7 for the same sized bale.

However, after saying all of that, everyone has a preference and each form of bedding will have its die-hard fans.

[Ma Lowe]

I am a Hemcore fan too have never used anything else. Any horse suppliers should have it.

[joolie]

i love hemcore - or aubiose as its called from my local 'Crowthers' - I pay £8 a bale which lasts about 10 weeks for my 10 girls.

[Bev]

I think it must be really hard to compare how much you will use because it depends so much on how and how often you clean out your chickens and the design of your hen house etc.

Because of my silly egg eating chicken - Buffy - I tend to do a quick pick out of the broken egg, eggy shavings, and most of the poos most days so they don't get very dirty and I don't need to change much of the bedding very often. A little bit of water comes in at the edge of my hen house in heavy rain and I take out the wet bedding and put in more dry so I use more bedding when it is rainy!

Bev

[gingerplant]

Ooo, I'd never heard of Hemcore, and we have an equestrian supply place just down the road, sounds like great stuff!
Thanks!

[camelliagirl]

Sounds like Hemcore is good stuff - I had a look at the website and it seemed to say that once you've put it down, you need to sprinkle it with water.  Being as it is primarily designed for equestrian use, is this still the case when using it for chickens?

How thickly should you put it down to start with and do you then clear the whole lot out each week? 

Sorry to be so thick but I've never had chickens before and I want to make sure I know what's what before they arrive?

Also, having read some of the other information on this site about poisonous plants, hemp was on the list.  Presumably this is in live plant form rather than as it is in hemcore format.

Thanks for all you patient chicken keepers for answering what probably seems like daft questions.