Easibed in the run?

[shirlthegirl43]

Long story short - hen run is like a swamp after the weather here. I have a bale of Easibed that I got from freecycle. Don't think it is soft enough for their coop so will it be okay to chuck in the run to soak up some of the scunge?

[Suechooks]

Why not! In this weather it's any port in a storm as it were! Some pallets might help if you can get hold of any. (It is ok for the coop - have been using it in mine when I couldn't get Hemcore.)
Off to the lottie to further batten down the hatches having just seen the forecast! I think it's coming up from you!

[HayleyB]

I've been using easibed over summer in Chookenham as it's cheaper than woodchip, have gone over to woodchip on the stable floor now as it's warmer but easibed is fine to use inside

[shirlthegirl43]

Thanks folks. I am getting fed up slipping when I go in to feed them so some Easibed might help hold the slosh together a bit! Need to work out how to get a cover on some of the run to help a bit.

The weather here has been hideous, still pretty grim. Hold on tight anyone who is still to get it

[Bramble-Poultry]

easibed should be ok, just remember when the weather calms down to turn it with a fork to help it dry out otherwise it may go a bit stagnant and mouldy and bring trouble!

[Flummery]

I had the good fortune to be present when a tree 4 doors up had to be lopped due to the upper branches interfering with the telephone lines. The contractor who was feeding the big branches into an industrial chipper was quite happy to dump a load for village use so we filled one of those big sacks that gravel is delivered in, we took some up to an elderly neighbour who wanted it as a mulch in her garden, then this morning we cleared out the run, mulched the front garden with the run clearings and put the new stuff in the run. We only used half! Result. If you are lucky enough to find someone doing the job they never seem to mind letting you have the chippns. The chickens think it's their birthday. There seem to be caterpillars and grubs galore in there. This was really timely as we were about to go for easibed next week. The run is on flagstones so we'd have needed quite a few sacks I reckon.

[moola]

I've had the same Flummery and been lucky 3 times
It really is worth asking - I have found that the tree surgeons are very happy to get rid of the chippings nr to site as it saves them a trip to wherever they usually deposit.
If you don't ask you don't get!
I got some a few weeks ago - which was a godsend.

I have also found that putting horsey rubber matting down in places has helped enormously.

[dexterdoglancashire]

The first run/house has a roof on it and the run to the side, Ive put a couple of large sheets of that wavy plastic roof sheeting. Drew has also put the gazebo over the whole lot - it is now securely fastened down (honest gov!). It holds off some of the rain!
Ive also put a lot of straw in the two runs. Going to get a couple of bags of small chippings to put them down then will put fresh straw on top.
Luckily the girls also have the greenhouse to go in if the weather gets really bad.

Hope you get sorted Shirl. Let us know how you get on.

[Hilary B]

All good plans, but if you have really sloshy mud, the best you will get by adding vegetable matter is mud with a texture (straw is definitely a loser there) which will gradually compost down into.... yep, MUD. Good drainage is worth several inches depth of chippings or similar (and yes I reckon tree chippings are as good as it gets for that job, not least because they are slow to get composted)

[lettucegrow!]

Have the same problem,they need wellies really but I couldn't find any they liked on Ebay, so I've bought big bale thing of dust extracted horse bedding to soak up/cover some the mud.

[Bramble-Poultry]

lettuce - keep forking the shavings over regulariliy, otherwise they will compact down and start to go mouldy in the rainy weather. apart from that, anything to soak it up at the moment is good news

[lettucegrow!]

Don't bother with wellies then?