FLORIDA!!!!!ALWAYS SUNNY SIDE UP!!!

[cmom]

I use pine shavings. Works great for me. Good luck with your new flock and have fun...

 

[Purlsnponies]

I use pine shavings. Works great for me. Good luck with your new flock and have fun...

Great, thank you! I'm using them now with my chicks and they seem just fine. Sure are cheaper!

 

[Slocala]

Hi, fellow Floridians! I'm a new chicken mom, just getting my coop set up. I'm in Hawthorne, not far from Gainesville and Ocala.

Was thinking of trying out hemp bedding in my coop - do any of you know where I might find some nearby? Or pine straw?

Thanks a bunch!!

,Hi neighbor,
Welcome to BYC!
I find pine straw through out the year at the Mom & Pop landscape/plant nurseries. The box stores like Lowes have it off and on, so that will be hit and miss for you.
I'm have pretty good success with shavings on the chicken house floor. The poo gets rolled in the shavings and the girls see it it that it gets scratched around and ends up under the roosts.
I'm finding that grass clippings are a fan favorite in the high security inner chicken yard. The girls are ever so helpful. I just dump it in the middle of the yard and let the hens decorate with it. They love it. The inner yard is now much easier to take care of and no more land mines to speak of. I feel safe doing that because I've never used weed killer or fertilizer on my lawn because of the pets... (Other than murdering fire ants) Every time I go to rake the yard up the hens go right behind me and spread it faster than I can rake.. Ok, they win. It just disintegrates into the soil so far and I just add more clippings as needed. The best part is it's free! The bagger sucks up insects. You'd think I took the chickens to Golden Coral! I wish you the best.
Let me know if you have any luck getting them a medical hemp card!! lol
Wells

 

[cmom]

Just a reminder, our next swap is this coming Saturday Oct., 24th. We will have: chickens, turkeys, goats, call ducks, Quail, rabbits and so much more.

 

[Purlsnponies]

,Hi neighbor,
Welcome to BYC!
I find pine straw through out the year at the Mom & Pop landscape/plant nurseries. The box stores like Lowes have it off and on, so that will be hit and miss for you.
I'm have pretty good success with shavings on the chicken house floor. The poo gets rolled in the shavings and the girls see it it that it gets scratched around and ends up under the roosts.
I'm finding that grass clippings are a fan favorite in the high security inner chicken yard. The girls are ever so helpful. I just dump it in the middle of the yard and let the hens decorate with it. They love it. The inner yard is now much easier to take care of and no more land mines to speak of. I feel safe doing that because I've never used weed killer or fertilizer on my lawn because of the pets... (Other than murdering fire ants) Every time I go to rake the yard up the hens go right behind me and spread it faster than I can rake.. Ok, they win. It just disintegrates into the soil so far and I just add more clippings as needed. The best part is it's free! The bagger sucks up insects. You'd think I took the chickens to Golden Coral! I wish you the best.
Let me know if you have any luck getting them a medical hemp card!! lol
Wells

Howdy, neighbor! Thanks for your reply, and the advice to look for local nurseries instead, for pine straw! Sounds like they may have some at Bob Wines. Newport Hay has hemp bedding.. picked up 40lbs of it. A bit pricey ($25), so I'll be mixing it with other bedding.

How long are the grass clippings you give your girls? Love that idea!

 

[Brooks_]

Winter ventilation in the coop? I had put a one foot strip of hardware cloth around the top of the coop as it is hot in the summer. Should I cover some of it during the coldest parts of winter? They are Speckled Sussex and Barred Rock (both cold hardy according to the webs).

 

[Beachcomber]

Just a reminder, our next swap is this coming Saturday Oct., 24th. We will have: chickens, turkeys, goats, call ducks, Quail, rabbits and so much more.
View attachment 2379603

Hi cmom,
Do you have any more info about the call ducks? Are they babies, gender, colors, cost, etc? Dunnellon is a long drive for us, but it may be worth it for some call ducklings!
Thanks!

 

[Slocala]

Hi,
For the most part the bagger picks up 3-5 inch grass clippings. I like them because they are shorter and not a tangled mess to walk through. It's amazing to watch the girls go nuts over yard salad. They seem to enjoy it when it's fresh cut and still green with moisture in it over dried grass clippings. I tried giving them longer weed eater stuff and they didn't eat that as well as the smaller clippings.
Wells

 

[cmom]

Hi cmom,
Do you have any more info about the call ducks? Are they babies, gender, colors, cost, etc? Dunnellon is a long drive for us, but it may be worth it for some call ducklings!
Thanks!

Probably adults. They aren't mine so not sure. I'll see if I can find out.

 

[Beachcomber]

Probably adults. They aren't mine so not sure. I'll see if I can find out.

Thank you