The Poultry Keeper

Lisa

Despite a thick layer of straw covering their run to cover up the mud my chickens feel its main purpose is to be something to have a good scratch in to get to the mud and goodies below Rolling Eyes

While they appear to enjoy this pastime immensely, they take their muddy feet off to the nest box when its egg laying time and I'd rather they didn't leave muddy footprints all over their eggs Evil or Very Mad

I seem to remember reading something once, somewhere, about a putting a (strong) wire covered box thing (6 inches high?) in front of the pop hole? The idea being they have to walk over it to get in. The wire works like a door mat knocking some of the mud off their feet, and as its wire the mud falls through the holes into the gap below.

Do you think that would work? Has anyone tried anything like this? Or any other suggestions for stopping getting muddy eggs?

Thanks,
Lis

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

Hello Lisa, I've not heard of the pophole doormat, but wondered if it were possible for you to have woodchips in the run rather than straw. When my girls had churned their run up I put quite a deep layer of woodchips in the run on top of the mud (3 to 4 inches) ~ result no more mud, and the girls thoroughly enjoyed turning the chips over as well.

jooles · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 9:41 am Post subject:

Where did you get your woodchips from Summayah? I'm putting chopped straw in my run at the moment and we've covered the whole roof with plastic so it doesn't get so wet now, but I feel that woodchips would be better.

Lisa · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 10:12 am Post subject:

My run is quite big so it would take a lot of woodchips. And I prefer the straw as it goes to my allotment after and rots down a lot quicker than wood chips. I know, I know Embarassed

I want the best of everything Laughing

I only started using it in the summer, so this my first winter with straw. My run was really muddy last year, but I don't think the chickens scratched about as much. Actually I think they stayed in the shed more. I bet the straw encourages lots of lovely little worms etc underneath to tempt them out to do some digging Laughing

Jooles - have you tried looking on www.bigbarn.co.uk ? When I put in my postcode, there were some tree surgeons etc in the results that mentioned wood chips...

jooles · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 10:18 am Post subject:

Thanks Lisa, I'll have a look at that now.

jooles · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 10:26 am Post subject:

There's a couple very closeby. Is there any particular type of wood that I should have or not have. Some say softwood/hardwood mixed, etc.

Lisa · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 10:34 am Post subject:

That's a good question - I have no idea...

If you contact them, I'd be interested to hear how much they cost.

Lazy of Milton Keynes Rolling Eyes

jooles · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 10:53 am Post subject:

I'll probably pop in to Dycol in Westoning later today after I've seen to the horses as they're just behind the farm. I'll let you know.

NannyP · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:26 am Post subject:

Lisa · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:57 am Post subject:

Yes - they seem happy little muddy so-and-so's Laughing

jooles · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 5:24 pm Post subject:

Been to Dycol and bought five bags of woodchips for £10. I have no idea whether this is expensive/cheap or what. I suspect it is expensive because they would have delivered a lorry load, also for a tenner, and you'd get about three times as much. Unfortunately I didn't need that much! I'll have to chat up the neighbours next time and see if we can share a load!

I put some in the run and the silly chooks wouldn't walk on it at first. They soon changed their mind when I scattered some corn about and they're out there scratching about like mad now Very Happy

Issy · Joined: 22 Nov 2005 Posts: 371 Location: somerset

Hi Jooles,
5 bags for £10 is really cheap!! I had to pay £5 for a large bag last week (that is the going rate for bags of horse shavings round here) Crying or Very sad

And the eggs aren't any cleaner! I think I have some very very messy chickens right now. when I first filled the houses with shavings all the chickens thought I had introduced something from Mars and refused to move off the perches - they soon came round and decided to empty it all out to see what was underneath Rolling Eyes

I am now hoping that modifying the nest boxes with roll-away trays will help, and am going back to straw. Like Lisa said it composts easier and somehow seems snugger - sad I know.

Lisa · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 6:46 pm Post subject:

I pay around £5-£6 for woodshavings too - but wood chips are bigger and lumpy.

Straw costs me around £2.50-£3.00 a bale. One bale is not enough for the whole of my run. Two is a bit too much.

I'd have to spend much more to cover it with woodchips - but they would last a lot longer in the outside, exposed to all the elements so it might be worth it after all. Hmmm.... thanks Jooles, I might have a rethink when I next change the straw.

How big an area did your bags of woodchips cover?

mojo · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 7:57 pm Post subject:

use wood chips not shavings or sawdust...........if you have really s.....y eggs run hot tap and then using a plastic pot scoureer wash the s...t off very quik dry on a old towel........why?.......the very hot water stops the germs entering the pores of the egg ....so my vet says but its got to be HOT....hope this helps....p.s. when the chips go on the compost a bucket of gentlemans liquid is a good breakier of celloulouse sorry about spelling ..ruth where are you...............mojo Laughing

NannyP · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 9:04 pm Post subject:

[quote="mojo] a bucket of gentlemans liquid[/quote]

And, if you can't find a gentleman, will any male do?

Do you meen pee Mojo?
Laughing