Bedding query

[Sue]

I have collected my 6 girls today (first ones ever!) and had purchased a bale of Aubiose to use in the house and nest boxes, but was told by the person I purchased the hens from that this is not good to use as the hens will eat it and it gets stuck in their crops and that I should use wood shavings instead (he very kindly gave me a bale to bring home). My query is that I though Aubiose was ok and I actually purchased my bale from a poultry supplier and I know there are several other poultry specialists who have this for sale on their websites. I would be very grateful for opinions on this and whether anyone else uses it.

 

[VALBURNHAM]

Hi Sue

I use aubiose all the time love it. In fact I use it in the house and in my 12ft by 6ft covered run in winter. Never had any problems. Have tried shavings in the house and although had no problem with it the aubiose composts down much quicker. I have pekins and large fowl and no problems with either.

 

[Anonymous]

I use hemcore which is very similar to Ambiose. Lots of poultry keepers use these types of products and I've never heard of any one having a problem - never heard about it getting stuck in their throats either!

 

[elmwood]

had purchased a bale of Aubiose to use in the house and nest boxes, but was told by the person I purchased the hens from that this is not good to use as the hens will eat it and it gets stuck in their crops and that I should use wood shavings instead

My alarm bells are ringing...... We recently bought Bliss bedding, which I believe is very similar to Easibed, and Aubiose. YES my girls were eating it, bathing in it and foraging. But they didn't seem to like to sit on it to lay.

It does have many small sharpish bits in it- and my poor pekin Lavender died this morning having had sour crop..... I am now thinking this has something to do with whats happened. I am relieved I bought a shavings bale on Friday to replace the Bliss, along with their food. I am going to clean their houses out right now , and completely replace with woodshavings.

 

[Tim]

I have never used it so can't really comment - I use wood shavings or when I can get it for a reasonable price, chopped cardboard (as it composts quicker).

Sorry, not much use to you really...

 

[Anonymous]

I use aubiose in my slabbed run. It's brilliant at soaking up poo and smells 17 I don't use it in the nest boxes, though. They don't seem to find it comfortable for laying on. My hens have never eaten the aubiose, they just enjoy flinging it everywhere :roll:

 

[Anonymous]

I used Hemcore in the coop for a while – very similar to Aubiose. After my five Black Rocks suffered a severe respiratory disorder, I changed to wood shavings simply because I could see the Hemcore became very dusty when it dried out (you are supposed to 'water' Hemcore when you lay it afresh). They liked to dust bathe in Hemcore in the overnight coop (!) but I didn't spot any of them them eating it. Neither did they seem to mind it in the nest boxes.
Just now I'm trying a combination of shavings and shredded paper (because I have so much paperwork that can't simply be hoofed into the recycling bin). Shredded paper is dusty too, so I give it a good stir about before I put it down. However, as I have two girls who are spending a disproportionate amount of time eating 'shreddy', I think it's going to be a non-runner. Shame as it composts well and red wiggler worms like wet paper. Ah well, back to wood shavings.

 

[victorias poultry]

I just use these days wood shavings, although I have tried Hemcore (smells lovely), and agree with carrie foreword, was too dusty and they did tend to eat some of it.

 

[ncotb]

I use dust extracted shavings too 17

 

[Lucylou]

Wood shavings for me too!

 

[Sue]

Thanks everyone for your reply, I think it's off to buy some shavings! Anyone in the Exeter area who wants a free bag of Aubiose (unopened) let me know.

 

[Anonymous]

We wouldn't recommend any of the hemp based beddings for Poultry. Apart from the problems already mentioned they seem to attract rats like a magnet.

We tend to use Bedmax for the big houses, Littlemax for the nest boxes and Ecobed for the small houses.

As we sell all three we have the luxury of choice!

If you can buy locally you will get a better price, but if you're stuck or a long way from the shops, we do deliver. Advert on the main site, near the bottom of the keeping chickens page.

 

[Anonymous]

We wouldn't recommend any of the hemp based beddings for Poultry. Apart from the problems already mentioned they seem to attract rats like a magnet.

Really? I've been using auboise for about a year now, and I've never had any vermin problems. I also know a lot of people who you auboise, or other hemp based products for their stables, and have done for five or six years, and haven't heard anything of increases in rats or mice.

I do find that some brands of aubiose are more dusty than others, but even dust extracted shavings get dusty when the hens tramp around on them

I use auboise in my nest boxes too, but put a little straw on top, as auboise by itself doesn't make good nests

 

[Shitzu]

I use the deep litter method, I just use hay/straw, it works great, I never have any issues with smell. I was out there the other day, the bottom was a little wet (it had just rained really hard for 3 days) and I haven't emptied it for 3-4 months. Now that it is nice out, I will be composting the bedding, doing a good cleaning and starting again.

I like the christmas tree idea, but if you grab a bunch of trees after xmas, they will dry out in a month or so won't they? Then they wouldn't be good for bedding?

Here is a resource I stumbled upon: https://barncoop.com/best-bedding-for-chicken-coop/

 

[valeriebutterley]

I have been using Aubiose for years, for nests and flooring.
My girls have never complained, I think they are very happy hens, so much so I'm getting egg bound!

 

[LadyA]

I just came across this thread, while looking to post a query on bedding.

Does anyone use coffee chaff? (not coffee grounds. The chaff that's rubbed off the beans during the roasting process). I'm fortunate to have a coffee roasting facility fairly locally, and they give away big sacks of the stuff, as it's a waste product. I've heard of it being used for chicken coops, so thought I'd try it.

It's lovely light, soft, fluffy stuff. This is both an advantage and a disadvantage! The hens love the soft bed in the nest boxes. They also love rootling around in it. However, with any wind, it does tend to fly around everywhere, so I need care opening the coop door on windy days!
The chaff sort of binds around any poop, a bit like cat litter. It's very absorbent, so poo is easily removed.
The henhouse smells wonderful! Also, it seems to deter a lot of bugs.
And best of all, it composts very quickly, and it adds nitrogen to the soil, so it's one of the recycling wonders! Use it for bedding, then use to make compost, then use in the garden! No waste at all.
It's free! The coffee roasters have to dispose of it, as to them, it's just waste. Win, win!

 

[Icemaiden]

Sounds nice... Does it smell of coffee?