Sanicare users?

[britinpa]

I don't add extra in the winter. Chickens are hardy creatures. I don't even have a coop door, to be honest. They perch on roosts to sleep so adding more bedding in the coop for the winter would be rather worthless.

They do not dust bathe in it. They made their own dust bath right under the coop in the shade.

I have heard sand is great... if you don't have a humid summer. If you do, I heard the stench becomes incredible.

Thanks for reply! It can get pretty humid here at times during the summer. I'm giving the Sani-care a try - 45 min drive to collect, but cheaper than ordering online.

 

[britinpa]

So I added the Sani-care yesterday and they don't seem to like to walk on it! Is it because it is something completely new to them? I assume they will get used to it. When I added it yesterday, they wouldn't come into the coop, but they did come in at dusk. When I went to let them out this morning, they were all jumping off the roost directly to the door, it took one a little longer to brave getting down. I find the smell a bit overpowering too in their small coop - hopefully that won't take too long to wear off.

 

[aart]

So I added the Sani-care yesterday and they don't seem to like to walk on it! Is it because it is something completely new to them? I assume they will get used to it. When I added it yesterday, they wouldn't come into the coop, but they did come in at dusk. When I went to let them out this morning, they were all jumping off the roost directly to the door, it took one a little longer to brave getting down. I find the smell a bit overpowering too in their small coop - hopefully that won't take too long to wear off.

Yep!! HOT COALS!!!
I've taken to saving some of the old bedding to sprinkle over the new so it doesn't look so 'weird'....works a charm.
Hopefully you have good ventilation and the odor will dissipate quickly,
and they'll get use to the new bedding pretty quick....tossing some treats on it might help.

 

[5.3acredream]

Yep!! HOT COALS!!!
I've taken to saving some of the old bedding to sprinkle over the new so it doesn't look so 'weird'....works a charm.
Hopefully you have good ventilation and the odor will dissipate quickly,
and they'll get use to the new bedding pretty quick....tossing some treats on it might help.

Oh lord! Just wait until it snows! My girls see it MAYBE 3x a year (where has all the snow gone!!?l) and just REFUSE to move once it hits the ground. If they are in the coop, they won't leave. If they are under it, they are stuck there until the sun melts a path. Silly chickens.

 

[aart]

Oh lord! Just wait until it snows! My girls see it MAYBE 3x a year (where has all the snow gone!!?l) and just REFUSE to move once it hits the ground. If they are in the coop, they won't leave. If they are under it, they are stuck there until the sun melts a path. Silly chickens.

I toss some straw or shavings down on the snow at first.

 

[britinpa]

Yep!! HOT COALS!!!
I've taken to saving some of the old bedding to sprinkle over the new so it doesn't look so 'weird'....works a charm.
Hopefully you have good ventilation and the odor will dissipate quickly,
and they'll get use to the new bedding pretty quick....tossing some treats on it might help.

Same today! All waiting on the roost this morning - none of them had got down to feed or drink. Opened their door and they couldn't get out quick enough. I really didn't anticipate this. They tell you not to mix other bedding with the Sanicare, but I think I may have to put some shavings down, as you suggest - I can just sift it out with the poop when I clean.

 

[aart]

Same today! All waiting on the roost this morning - none of them had got down to feed or drink. Opened their door and they couldn't get out quick enough. I really didn't anticipate this. They tell you not to mix other bedding with the Sanicare, but I think I may have to put some shavings down, as you suggest - I can just sift it out with the poop when I clean.

Not sure new shavings will work...try tossing down some BOSS?

 

[britinpa]

Update: I am loving the Sanicare. Such easy work cleaning my small coop. We bought 3 bags, and have only used 2 - will probably top up in the winter. Today we opened up our nest boxes and I put some pine shavings in them. I anticipated what was going to happen, and it's a mess! While investigating their new spaces, they've kicked a load out into the Sanicare - tomorrow I shall be sifting it all out and emptying the nest boxes until I decide what to use in them instead. I'm thinking, next step getting my husband to put a lip (board) along the base of the nesting boxes, and maybe trying some nest box liners instead (I have no idea which ones are good).

 

[aart]

While investigating their new spaces, they've kicked a load out into the Sanicare - tomorrow I shall be sifting it all out and emptying the nest boxes until I decide what to use in them instead. I'm thinking, next step getting my husband to put a lip (board) along the base of the nesting boxes, and maybe trying some nest box liners instead (I have no idea which ones are good).

Really no need to sift out the shavings out of the sanicare.
But before adding any bedding to nests add a 4-6" high front lip to the nests.

 

[britinpa]

Really no need to sift out the shavings out of the sanicare.
But before adding any bedding to nests add a 4-6" high front lip to the nests.

Next job for my husband. I wish they would put the lips in when they build the coops