Aubiose - do you follow the instructions?

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Icemaiden

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I've just bought my first bale of Aubiose for my ex-batts (3 days to go :-)08 ) and being a woman, I read the instructions.
They say to dampen the aubiose to activate the sponge-like character. This sounds a bit counter-intuitive. Do other aubiose users out there dampen it in the coop before use?
 
I think that's intended for horses, which is what most people use it for. Just put it down on the floor or in the coop straight out of the bag, don't damp it, and it will be nice and cosy for them to walk on and dig around in.
 
Thanks Marigold.
Will a couple of inches deep be about right?
 
I put more in than that, mainly because I had ordered more than I needed and hadn't much room to store it, about 4 ins I think. They've really liked digging deep into it and although I pick up every day it seems to last a nice long time. Mind you, mine is in a run with a roof to keep it dry, but the corner that does get wet when rain blows in sideways seems to drain OK and hasn't gone moildy in the past 3-4 months I've had it down, as wood chippings would probably have done by now. Great stuff.
BTW, I meant have it deep in the run - inside the coop 2 ins will be fine.
 
i use a bedding like it, for the horses and chickens, it doesnt require you to wet it, however, but i would keep it dry, i assume its already dust extracted, like most horse bedding, which is why i use the same :)
 
We use it and just put a light covering down, like half an inch or so. It's really just to stop poo sticking to the floor. We poo pick every day. The stuff composts very quickly compared to wood shavings.
 
I use a version of this stuff, i give em a good deep covering as when it gets damp it goes down a bit. If you rake it over daily it dries up faster. I also use it in my nest boxes, saves messing .
 
Bickerton -
So you poo pick & then stir it up a bit? (I'm guessing that you don't literally rake it?)

Haven't forgotten to work out the cost of the door- just haven't had the nerve yet to look at what I've spent so far :-)07
 
I poo pick and rake/rustle it about by hand every day, in the house its usually just under where they've decided to perch for the night and in the run there's minimal at the mo due to the short days and it seems to break down alot due to their scratching about. I find it goes alot further in the house vs the wood pellets/white horse bedding that you mix with water, get less waste and alot less faffing about.
 
Silly question:
Do most people poo pick in the run, or just in the coop?
 
Po pick in the coop Icemaiden. By hand, which is most economical with the bedding. Easiest when below zero. We used to poo pick in the run half an hour after we let them out. At that time we were creating compost heaps to feed the veggy patch. Now we leave the runs. We clear them with the leaves we have added for interest. That goes on a compost heap but we won't be here to use it.
 
I do the coop as is alot from overnight, I just grab any big bits in the run but isn't much at the mo.
 
We used a dustpan and brush in the run, into a bucket. Amazing how much you collect. We left tons of good quality mature poo behind unfortunately. Got to start all over again here.
 
I poo pick every day to keep my girls as clean as possible - don't like them to be dirty!!
 
Ive been using Aubiose for 4 months now and I find it beds down after a while so the base becomes more compacted unless raked up, without affecting drainage. I've been steadily removing dirty bits every day but only today did I actually top up with a fresh half a bale, it seems very economical and doesn't seem to go mouldy even on the parts which get rained on. The hens feet stay beautifully clean. Only downside is that it travels indoors on the treads of my shoes! I just chuck the contents of the muck bucket straight on the garden to rot down as a weed preventative and fertilising mulch, it won't be too hot with the poos mixed in with the Aubiose bits.
 
I find aubiose particularly good in the winter. As it is so absorbent it can manage to sort out any minor condensation problems or slight damp. I don't however, use in the summer as in dry hot weather I find it is just too dusty.
With my ducks it is especially good, I use it as a base then a thick layer of straw on top which simply gets removed to the compost heap and replaced after raking though the aubiose layer.
 
foxy said:
I find aubiose particularly good in the winter. As it is so absorbent it can manage to sort out any minor condensation problems or slight damp. I don't however, use in the summer as in dry hot weather I find it is just too dusty.
With my ducks it is especially good, I use it as a base then a thick layer of straw on top which simply gets removed to the compost heap and replaced after raking though the aubiose layer.
Click to expand...

With my house being bone dry maybe the fresh bedding is the cause of morning sneezes in a couple of my girls if as you say it can get dusty in summer.
 
We use Aubiose in Winter only, as Foxy. It is very dry and good at resolving any minor condensation issues. In summer it is dusty, at which time we use ordinary wood shavings which have a degree of moisture.
 
Wish I could get Aubiose at a decent price - can't find anyone around here who stocks it. Countrywide had a or deal on Easibed - 2 bales for £12 so I'm using that at the moment and poo picking everyday.
 
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