I'm a newbie as well

[Granny Magic]

Hi Everyone, I've just enjoyed my first week as a chicken owner and so far things seem to be going okay. I've got 3 chickens and they've settled in well.
Cleaning them out on Saturday was a bit of a bind though !!! The book I bought said to put newspaper in the pull out tray which I did and then put shavings on top of that but when I came to pull out the tray for cleaning the paper all puckered up and I couldn't get the tray out at first and all the shavings spilled out the other end and went under the coop!!!! All very messy :? Any hints for trouble free cleaning out?

Also the chickens keep clearing out the hay from the nest box and spreading it around the coop - they haven't started to lay yet so it's not a problem at the moment.

I'll be grateful for any hints

Thanks a lot

 

[foxy]

A warm welcome to the forum Granny Magic! 99

I don't use pull out trays, but maybe just use the shavings and ditch the newspaper?

My personal preference is not to use hay..I use good quality chopped straw. Hay is for fodder and straw is bedding

There are lots of different methods and options, it can take awhile to find a system to suit you, you certainly not be short of advice on here!

 

[chrismahon]

Welcome to your new life as a Poultry Keeper Granny Magic.

Untidy little devils chickens. Put their muddy feet everywhere as well. We have a coop with a pull-out tray. It is too shallow so when pulled out everything drops onto the floor underneath. We just put a light sprinkling of Aubiose on it so that poo doesn't stick. then slide the draw out and scrape it off. Problem is as they get to laying their poos are so big you can't get the tray out without poo everywhere! We use hay in the nest boxes- just need to be sure it's not dusty or damp.

 

[Granny Magic]

Thanks for your comments. I've been reading on the forum about "newspaper v shavings" and may try just newspaper when I clean out on Saturday. Also think the Smartbedz seems quite good so I may try that at sometime.
Will keep you posted.

 

[Marigold]

Hi Granny Magic (what a lovely name, i'm a granny too, not sure about the magic though.) Congratulations on your new girls - what sort are they? Have they started laying yet?
It sounds as if you might have an Eglu or an Omlet cube, is that right? I had an Eglu Classic to start with, and I sometimes look after my friend's hens in their Cube. We both line the tray with newspaper and then slide it out, parcel up the top layer with the poo on, for the compost heap, and change any very wet layers. No mess, and free if you've already bought and read the newspaper. I use woodshavings in the nestboxes, which are comfortable for the hens - if you can train the chickens not to sleep in them, they seem to stay pretty clean and so do the eggs. If it does get pooey in the nestbox, it's easier to remove a handful of shavings then a chunk of hay.

 

[kegs]

Hi Granny Magic. I've got a wooden coop with a pull out tray and a door on the front. I lay sheets of newspaper on the tray while it's in place and put the perches back, then each morning instead of pulling out the tray I just remove the perches and fold up the newspaper. So really it depends on the design of your coop. For the nest boxes I again use a couple of sheets of newspaper with some bedding on top, then I put another layer of paper and bedding. That way if they do sleep in there and I'm in a rush I can just remove the top layer knowing the second one is underneath all ready.

 

[Granny Magic]

Hi Everyone, I'm not sure how to reply to you individually so this is for everyone who has taken the time to answer my post. I've got a wooden coop and not an eglu - it has a door that opens so I can reach into the coop but I'm not very tall so it's a bit of a struggle !!! I'm definitely going to try the newspaper method as it seems a lot less hassle.

Thanks again will keep you updated

 

[Granny Magic]

Hi everyone, things going well with my girls. I decided to try just newspaper in the coop and so far it's making life much easier as I just slide out the top layer and put some fresh paper in....simple

 

[get yolked]

Pine shavings work great, but not for the first two weeks. I have lost several nice chicks to choking on pine shavings. I recommend using shredded newspaper the first two weeks, then using pine shavings once the chicks have developed enough to know not to swallow the shavings or can dislodge the shavings from their mouths.