The Poultry Keeper

woollylegs · Joined: 17 Jan 2007 Posts: 79 Location: North Kent

I have had my 4 girls on grass (well mud) over the last 15 months- I moved their pen up and down twice weekly over the same 3 strips of garden.
After a year or so, I realised, despite raking the floor, it was caked mud/hen poops and became smelly so I have recently put them on slabs.
Now, I have used wood shaving on top- the same stuff (large bale of Edelspan) as I have used in their house. It seems to go everywhere. Is there a courser shavings I can use instead?
Don't want to use shingle- would prefer something compostable that I can just sweep up and replace with new on a ? monthly basis?
They have a 5x4 foot cage- for 4 girls but this will be 5 or 6 soon. Am finding it much more hygienic (smell free) with the shavings and I have put a layer of stalosan underneath.
- Any further tips/advise warmly welcomed.

debcat · Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 8:30 pm Post subject:

I use straw in the winter, just rack it out and put fresh down when it needs it. the old stuff goes on the muck heap
I know other people use woodchips

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1076 Location: Manchester

you can get coarser shavings for horses, maybe check out any tack shops nearby?

sasha.p · Joined: 04 Sep 2005 Posts: 452 Location: gwent

ohh i think i may have a good one for you i sent dh to the farm shop for shavings last week and he came home with two big bales of what i can only describe as splinters of woods chippings they are brilliant i done all the houses out with them they are not dusty like shavings can be and do not blow all over the place either so i would say they would be great for external use too and because they are like mini wood chips they would compost fairly easy too i still have a tiny bit left in one of the sacks hen i go up tommorow i will check the name so you can know what to look out for other than that another alternative is to find a local tree surgeon we have our chippings delivered in bulk for the external run Very Happy

but will get back to you with the name of the shop bought ones

mojo · Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 2:56 pm Post subject:

sasha make sure your woody brings wood chips not wood bark in your bulk loads as the first is super and the second not so good