Our introduction to keeping chickens, the high's, the lows and pics of our journey.

[scottcaddy]

Quote:




Good Luck Ben!!

 

[Bens-Hens]

Thanks guys n gals. Still no chicken fruit. Noticed the two boy's are getting a little more insistent about chasing the girls.

The boy's were screaming that they were fighting, Alicia was laughing while trying to calm the kids down lol. Smudge very nearly got his own way hahahaha

Have not made any drawing for the rack yet, I nearly bought some timber today but had not idea just what I needed, so I saved the trip until I had a scrappy pic to work from.

Also, had a bit of rain lately, and the run is starting to get pretty muddy. Is it normal to trow a bit of straw down for them to scratch around on as a temporary measure?

 

[NovaAman]

Straw...yuck. If its in the budget, put in a layer of sand... Straw is good as a temp measure, but wet straw .. Heck, pooped on wet straw stinks. I don't like it, but when e flooded, it was the only thing to use, so as a temp measure I would. But if you can get sand as a permanent fix, I'd do that.

 

[Bens-Hens]

It normally is firmly packed sand, but all this rain has turned it into some sloshy mud. Worms seem to love it, but that's about it.

Hmm, need to think about that some more then, I don't want to run to smell any worse than what chicken runs already smell!

 

[NovaAman]

Believe it or not, my run only smells when it gets muddy. Usually it's just hard pack earth that I rake every other day. I prefer that to anything, but am "hoping" to be able to add several inches of earth in future to bring the level up higher than the land surrounding the run... I do not want a repeat of April. Yuck. Straw at that time was the only recourse I had. Kept the birds out of the mud. I guess I could have put 60 odd birds in the garage... LOL. Yeah, NO.

 

[Farmer Viola]

It normally is firmly packed sand, but all this rain has turned it into some sloshy mud. Worms seem to love it, but that's about it.

Hmm, need to think about that some more then, I don't want to run to smell any worse than what chicken runs already smell!

Hiya Ben, I have been lurking your thread for a long time

I live in the pacific NW part of the US and we get a lot of rain here. What I do for the mud, is lay down a layer of cocoa fibre. It comes in a block and you have to wet it to expand it. It's very absorbent in the rain. After a month or so, it's all mixed into the dirt and I have to reapply. Here is what it looks like: http://www.understoryenterprises.com/images/supplies/coco_fibre.gif

 

[CB and CG]

Hi Ben, You should bring in new clean sand into your chicken run every 6 months to a year in order to prevent the smell and to keep disease risk low.

 

[ozexpat]

Hiya Ben, I have been lurking your thread for a long time

I live in the pacific NW part of the US and we get a lot of rain here. What I do for the mud, is lay down a layer of cocoa fibre. It comes in a block and you have to wet it to expand it. It's very absorbent in the rain. After a month or so, it's all mixed into the dirt and I have to reapply. Here is what it looks like: http://www.understoryenterprises.com/images/supplies/coco_fibre.gif

When you come to visit me Ben - you can fill your golf bag with coco fibres.

My runs are sand - heck my hole property is sand.

Sometimes I miss mud - not in the chicken coop - but the stuff it comes from is easier to grow veggies in that sand.

 

[Bens-Hens]

Believe it or not, my run only smells when it gets muddy. Usually it's just hard pack earth that I rake every other day. I prefer that to anything, but am "hoping" to be able to add several inches of earth in future to bring the level up higher than the land surrounding the run... I do not want a repeat of April. Yuck. Straw at that time was the only recourse I had. Kept the birds out of the mud. I guess I could have put 60 odd birds in the garage... LOL. Yeah, NO.

Yeah, that was pretty deep for you. Thanks for the tip as I nearly bought some straw yesterday.

Hiya Ben, I have been lurking your thread for a long time

I live in the pacific NW part of the US and we get a lot of rain here. What I do for the mud, is lay down a layer of cocoa fibre. It comes in a block and you have to wet it to expand it. It's very absorbent in the rain. After a month or so, it's all mixed into the dirt and I have to reapply. Here is what it looks like: http://www.understoryenterprises.com/images/supplies/coco_fibre.gif

Thanks, our local hardware sells that stuff. I use it in the base of my worm farm. I would need to have a look over the price vs area of our run. I can't remember what these guys sell it for or if we can get it in bulk.

Also, welcome! I am not normally a whinger about eggs lol, I promise, just seems to be a bought of it at the moment!

Hi Ben, You should bring in new clean sand into your chicken run every 6 months to a year in order to prevent the smell and to keep disease risk low.

Cheers CB, might just be time to bring in a load if the coco husk does not work out. I have been reluctant to bring more soil in as I don't know where it's been or what it will bring. I suppose if I got it from Soils ain't Soils or All Earth it should be fine. Any particular sort I should price up or sort I should NOT get?

When you come to visit me Ben - you can fill your golf bag with coco fibres.

My runs are sand - heck my hole property is sand.

Sometimes I miss mud - not in the chicken coop - but the stuff it comes from is easier to grow veggies in that sand.

I even already have the golf bag We are mostly sand here too in WA, unless you want to dig hahahaha, then it seems to be rock!

Thanks for the adivce team, appreciate it.

 

[NovaAman]

Got a pic of my broody duo... I know I probably shouldn't post it here... It's temptation, I know. BUT I am an enabler. They should have a chicken enablers anonymous.

Yes, that is full size hen on serema hen... Ekta the serema likes it that way. LOL Three babies for them, and Hawkarella has no problem with Ekta under her too. She'll even shove her around till she's comfy. LOL