[lucyeff]

I use bark chipping in my run and always used the old ones as a mulch or put on the compost heap.

Hard wood chippings would not be good for the chooks feet as they are splintery.  Soft wood shavings would be OK  

Thanks for that - I read on the Eglu site a while back that wood chippings were preferable to bark chippings cos bark goes mushy, and someone there had said that they get theirs from a local arborist apart from when he cuts conifers cos there's too much green..I don't want chickens with splinters though!

It's true that you can read too much...there's so much conflicting advice on EVERYTHING on the net. Glad I found this site as it's much more common sense and experience.

 

[Aunt Sally]

It's true that you can read too much...there's so much conflicting advice on EVERYTHING on the net. Glad I found this site as it's much more common sense and experience.

 

We always say on here that 6 members will give you 10 different opinions, we can only tell you what we have learnt from our own experience.  

The bark I use is the biggest chunk stuff, the type they use for children's playgrounds.  If you get the garden mulch variety it will go mushy quite quickly.  If you can keep the area dryish, (we've built a chicken port), they will last for absolutely ages.  The poo dries out and becomes a soft dry powdered compost which can just be separated from the bark with a rake and shoveled up,  ideal for so many uses  

[lucyeff]

Thanks again. I've just had a quote from the local tree surgeon who's quoting £25 to fill a 9ftx4ft run to 5" (said it would be 1/2 a cubic metre)..I thought it would be cheaper!

He recommended the forest bark mulch, but tbh he was a cocky get on the phone so I don't think I'll be using him anyway (when I said it was dearer than I thought I got "the cheapest thing would be to not get the chickens", etc, etc, yawn..)

Where do you get yours from Aunt Sally? Just wondering if that IS cheap or if it's taking the Michael, I really have no idea! (He said the forest bark mulch was cheapest, so I'm guessing the bark chipping would be much dearer from him).  :?

Luce

[muntjac]

calll the local council and get it for free ........or £10 delivery but ask for non coniferous  

[Aunt Sally]

This is the type of stuff we use

http://www.gardenhealth.com/product/41/125

We contacted them to find our nearest stockest.  

If kept reasonable dry it would last for up to 6 month.  The manufacturers says 3 years, but I dont think they were thinking about chickens  :roll:

[ChickenAnn]

I've had my chickadiddlies for about 3 weeks... they're great, and honestly, you'll wonder what you were stressing about when you do get them.
I've Hemcore down in the run and in the house, though a lot of this is because it was vastly reduced becuase the bags were damaged....

I'll leave advice to someone who knows what they're talking about though!

[Aunt Sally]

I'll leave advice to someone who knows what they're talking about though!

All opinions are valued here Ann  

[muntjac]

and some of them make sense like that one of yours chcikenann

[lucyeff]

Thanks everyone - AND Chickenann!    A few people on here have suggested hemcore too, so you're very right that it sounds like a good option, esp as we're only covering a small-ish area. I've tracked a feed shop down that sells it, money permitting I might try a bale as well as the straw and see which works best for us.

I've noticed there's been lots of views of this thread which is good, maybe it's folk wanting to know stuff who are starting out too

I wonder if you tend to worm your chickens as standard and which wormer is best? I've heard you have to chuck 14 days worth of eggs away but I suppose it's better than having to feed worms and chickens (do the worms live in people, too, or are they just chicken worms, just out of interest?)

And cider vinegar...it's come up a few times and I wondered if anyone could give me some advice on it's uses (besides salad dressing)?Just wondering whether to keep my eye out at the local farm shop...

[muntjac]

putting cider vinegar in the drinkers help fight off inferctions and stop worms .... i use the normal shop bought apple cider vinegar 90p a bottle ,1/2 cup in each drinker  = gallon every time ya refill  
" werks for me "

[lucyeff]

Good news that cider vinegar stops worms, thanks Munty - seems a waste to chuck 14 days worth of eggs away.  :shock:

Dad and Si are frantically painting and sawing outside, think dad's well excited too cos he's always wanted some but mum said no! We got some rubber roofing left over from when Dad and Si redid Mum n Dads flat roof (after it collapsed into the dining room), saved us a few bob on roof stuff and clears some space in their garage!  

Off to the feed shop now to get kitted up - hoping to pick them up today but taking your advice about the fumes Munty - Dad is painting now so might end up collecting em tomorrow.    Making em plenty of tea to keep em going (Daisy helping out too, two year old wielding a paintbrush might be hindering progress slightly... )

This site is really fab. Just spent last hour going through Munty's advice bit and all the photos, there's lots of lovely birds on here! Will try and post some pics of ours once we have them installed. (And presuming we manage to stop them running off down the street or over the fields  :shock: ) Have printed off pic of run you have for broody hens too to inspire Si, Munty....he rolled his eyes and gave me a very tired look   Think he'll be glad when's it's all done  

Luce

[muntjac]

cider vinegar HELPS  fight off infections and stop worms ,,,



didnt say it stops them  its helps   // " werks for me "

[lucyeff]

cider vinegar HELPS fight off infections and stop worms ,,,

Gotcha mister. Thanks, hope it werks for me an'all  

[Aunt Sally]

Just so - I would still advise flubenvet every 6 months max !

[muntjac]

me every 3 mths . if you have a lot birds like wot i did