Sawdust - what is the alternative or how can I contain it?

[SuzieSparkles]

I have 2 coops and 6 hens, all pekins.

One of the coops is off the ground with a ramp and the other is on the ground. In the sheltered parts of the coop I put a layer of sawdust down but it ends up outside and then blows around my garden and generally looks a mess. If I am in then the chooks have free range of the garden but if I am out they have their coop and their run.

Is there any alternative so that I don't have to use sawdust?
Or is there a magic way of stopping the sawdust spreading everywhere?

I only have one garden and it isn't very big so it looks a mess!

 

[marianne7]

We only use sawdust in the house where they sleep (we use straw where they lay eggs) but we have a covered coop, and we use straw there too on top of dirt, it doesnt get muddy because it is covered, so I suggest a layer of straw, sawdust does make a mess.....

 

[Lewbylew99]

I do the same as you, (SuzieSparkles) And it does get everywhere but that what chickens are all about! MESS,MESS,MESS!

So i just clean it up and put it back in the run... See my run was man made by me, My dad and my brother and they love it... They've got a massive run and enough space to do anything... I Free range my chickens so theres not that much of mess now because there normally
running around in the garden playing with the dog and coming inside sneakly

.
So theres no magic way eccept for free ranging them? and letting them out all day so they get enough exercise and is really healthy... Obvs keep the Chicken coop door open so they can get in and out for food and water, Dont worry about foxes they never come in the daylight in england, Just make sure you put them to bed at night before its dark and get them into a routine which then they will follow it and go in on there own.
This Might Help,

Lewbylew99

 

[Vicky2479]

you could put a small strip of wood along the bottom of the door on the inside, only needs to be a few inches high, the hens can still step over it to get in and out, abit like you would on the front of the nest boxes to stop all the straw falling out. or i even saw a few pics on here of people using 2x4s to build a little square frame just on the inside of the door to hold the shavings in (if anyone knows what i am talking about and can post a link to a pic please do). hope that makes sense

 

[marianne7]

I do the same as you, (SuzieSparkles) And it does get everywhere but that what chickens are all about! MESS,MESS,MESS!

So i just clean it up and put it back in the run... See my run was man made by me, My dad and my brother and they love it... They've got a massive run and enough space to do anything... I Free range my chickens so theres not that much of mess now because there normally
running around in the garden playing with the dog and coming inside sneakly

.
So theres no magic way eccept for free ranging them? and letting them out all day so they get enough exercise and is really healthy... Obvs keep the Chicken coop door open so they can get in and out for food and water, Dont worry about foxes they never come in the daylight in england, Just make sure you put them to bed at night before its dark and get them into a routine which then they will follow it and go in on there own.
This Might Help,

Lewbylew99

'Dont worry about foxes in daytime' - sorry but this is a myth, I can tell you lots of experiences from friends of mine who believed this too and lost chickens and ducks, one of them being my sister who losts her ducks in broad daylight to a fox....sorry but this is untrue, when foxes have young, and they are hungry they hunt daytime too....

 

[Haunted55]

'Dont worry about foxes in daytime' - sorry but this is a myth, I can tell you lots of experiences from friends of mine who believed this too and lost chickens and ducks, one of them being my sister who losts her ducks in broad daylight to a fox....sorry but this is untrue, when foxes have young, and they are hungry they hunt daytime too....

Oh yeah! Yesterday at 2:30pm. Broad daylight! This is the first time I have had one come this close to my house. About 150 yards, walking on the stone wall at the property boundary. So will martins/fishers, coyotes and even racoons [usually in the spring when they first wake up]. The only safe time is when you are with them and even then if you're not prepared it could get ugly. I lost 2 full grown turkeys to a wolf years ago and 5 of us were right there! Sad thing is, it's usually over before you can do a thing.

 

[Lewbylew99]

'Dont worry about foxes in daytime' - sorry but this is a myth, I can tell you lots of experiences from friends of mine who believed this too and lost chickens and ducks, one of them being my sister who losts her ducks in broad daylight to a fox....sorry but this is untrue, when foxes have young, and they are hungry they hunt daytime too....

Well maybe its because i live in a area where foxes and unseen in broad daylight, Exsept for in the morning early about 6am so yeah?

 

[Haunted55]

You are very lucky, as I thought I was too until yesterday afternoon. It really shocked me! It must have something to do with the heat we are having. All the animals seem to be acting a bit odd.

 

[yo burrill]

Foxes will hunt any time they are hungry babies or not!!! I have lost more chickens to foxes during the day than at night cause they are roosting at night and the foxes cant get to them. They have even come in when I have been standing there not 10 yards away from them. If they have cover to sneak in they will.

 

[dogsuckchickensrule]

this is what i did i used a compact miter saw and ripped up some old decking board that was 1x6 and screwed it on where the floor begins (actualy where the frame is so its strong) right now i have straw. bad choice they kick it around and it goes on the wire floor (wire floor is also a bad idea) and i have to pick the coop up with a tractor to get it out. i recomend get cedar shavings not too much its supposed to be bad for their lungs or something but just enough so it works like cat liter. it absorbs smell and moisture. they went on egg strike the past month aand the moment i switched back to sawdust got some good eggs