Hey.... Lets keep Chickens..!

Spirit_2

Does any one "deep litter" their chickens?

If so, what do you use, how deep do you make it and how do you maintain it? How often to you change it completely?

I am thinking of doing this - using Aubiose as a bed as its is dust free and more compact than straw to dispose of. Have no other thoughts though -so all suggestions welcome.

I have 14 chickens in of whom 11 live in our tack room with access to a large fox proof run when we are out, and free range in the garden when we are home. We are on clay and as it gets poached in winter the chooks tend to stay indoors more - which is why I would like them to be more comfy and cosy over the winter.

skipton

My girls are on woodchip outside but quite a few people on the Omlet forum use Aubiose.
It might be worth reading some of the threads on there or even asking a question.

http://www.omlet.co.uk/club/club.php

TheBees

Thanks everyone for your advice -

The chickens (Dotty and Maggie) have settled in really well and are already following us around the garden with confidence. We've had 4 eggs since Saturday and they put themselves to bed when it gets dark. (Shame they can't shut the door behind themselves!).

We built the run yesterday but haven't built the wire high enough as one of them has managed to fligh over it!:mad: We think they're about a year old. I think we probably need to have a look at their wings and see if they've been clipped. I'm a bit nervous about doing it but we have a book which shows us how to do it.

edmund_blackadder

The other night one of my chickens decided it would rather roost in the kitchen and sleep directly underneath the cat's radiator bed (with the cat in it!) ... we had to pick her up and put her back in her henhouse! :rotfl::rotfl:

steady__eddie

Thanks for that edmund, it's really cheered me up has I prepare to get kitted up to cycle to work on this rather wet and windy morning. I also appear to attract "different" pets. My last dog spied a cat snoozing on the lawn in the sun so using all her stealth she crept up on it and then lay down alongside it to catch the sun. Obviously a conscientious objector.

Frugaldom

My chickens now have a mole coming up all over the garden and they're having great fun watching it and jumping on the molehills to scratch up all the soil - VERY messy, especially as it seems to have been wet here for the past 6 months! (OK, so we get the occasional sunny spell but it feels like we should be building an ark.) This morning, whilst letting everyone out, I noticed there are molehills up inside two of my runs!

I used to deeplitter hens years ago and used the exact same method I did for ponies. The hens had about 6" of shavings that got raked daily, it was easy to 'scoop the poop' as most of it was in a line beneath their roosting perch, which spanned the width of the shed. I used a converted garden shed and would love to do this again but can't because I need to keep the purebreeds separate. I have at least 2 hens that attempt to get into the kitchen as soon as the door gets opened and the ducks have started squashing through the door of the hen house when nobody is looking!

redpete

We've had 2 bluebelles and a black rock for about 18 months. They have established a pecking order with one of the bluebelles at the top and the other at the bottom. The boss often pecks at the other when they're given treats but nothing too serious. This morning I noticed a lot of feathers around the run and in the coop; then I saw that the minor member of the flock has a bald patch around her back end. I watched them for a bit this morning but saw no bad behaviour nor any particular signs of distress or nervousness.

They've got a run approx 5m x 5m which should be large enough for them.

What are the chances of the boss's violent behaviour reducing and is there anything I can do to prevent her causing further damage to the other one?

fluffytrollop

Hi redpete,
I saw your concerns re your hens, and thought I'd let you know how I managed to sort out the initially regular bunfights here at our backyard.
I have 4 ex batts, and it took some time to get them sorted out and not pecking and ragging eachother.

It does sound to me like your hen may be entering a moult. That can look a bit scary but dont worry loads of feathers is normal.
Open wounds need care and observation. It isnt so late that flystrike could occur.
Gentian spray - aka purple spray, seems to help with any existing plucked areas, I know not why but it works. Other hens wont bother it. maybe the taste or colour.
Does your bottom hen look a bit under the weather? Need worming? or a general tonic? Is she always deferential? Little things to think about and take action on if you have even the slightest doubt. They can all help.
The other thing I did with my stroppy little clucker (whichever one it was this time!) was pick her up, tuck her under my arm and cart her about with me for about half an hour. She soon chilled out and went about her business more calmly afterwards. I have a sneaking suspicion she was feeling henpecked herself by this, but obviously there is no unkindness in the way you carry a bossy pants around - that would defeat the object. Talk softly to her and look her in the eye.
Stroppy roosters have had the same treatment from me, as have geese. But I wouldnt choose to do the geese routine again! ( I had bruises lol but a nicer rapport eventually)

You may have two breeds that are just enough different in character to highlight the henpecking behaviour more blatantly. Faverolles are such softies they always end up at the bottom of the heap.

Other things - toys or food dangling, mirrors work! Two feed bowls and the chance to escape eachother in the garden - all these seem to break the day up a bit. Mine changed pecking order about seven times before they got it sorted and there's always the likelihood they'll do it all over again if one gets ill.
Good luck!

fluffytrollop

Skipton - hello, my two toms look in terror at the hens. they had a look that said "These aint birds - we catch them some times...these are dinosaurs!Eek"

you dont have to worry - cats are not likely to be brave enough to try taking on the closest living thing to a T Rex.

Bedding - straw - not hay - too dusty and wheezing hens cost a fortune to put right, not to mention the misery of seeing such delightful creatures in distress.

Mine run on concrete, hosed down regularly, into the compost heap at the end of my yard.

Some things you arent meant to let them eat but mine are fine and they ate more or less everything in the garden this year, except the pyracantha, lol.

angelavdavis

fluffytrollop wrote: »

Skipton - hello, my two toms look in terror at the hens. they had a look that said "These aint birds - we catch them some times...these are dinosaurs!Eek"

you dont have to worry - cats are not likely to be brave enough to try taking on the closest living thing to a T Rex.

My cats don't go out the house if my chooks are roaming the garden!!!