alleycat Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 HiCan anyone tell me where I can get hold of LARGE bags of compressed wood shavings for bedding in my hen house - the sort you would use for bedding down horses instead of straw? The small packs you can buy for rabbits pets etc in the supermarkets and pet stores obviously not practical as the hen house is quite large. I have had straw in there but I'm uneasy as feral cats and other various critters have been living in the barn where the straw is kept and the hens have just gone down with coccidiosis for no apparent reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 Are compressed wood shavings a bit like sawdust (forgive my ignorance [:$] ) perhaps you could try your local sawmill/scierie? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alleycat Posted April 8, 2008 Author Share Posted April 8, 2008 Hi Cat - actually I did think of that but in fact sawdust isn't good for animals to inhale as it's too fine and literally a dust - but I am going to venture in that direction and see if they have shavings (like grated wood curls) as a bi-product. Compressed only in the sense that they force them into plactic bags shaped like square bales - hence you get double what you see. I'm hoping the hens will soon learn to roost on their perches instead of scrambling around on the bottom of the hen house - if they recover in time that is! Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceni Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 [quote user="alleycat"]HiCan anyone tell me where I can get hold of LARGE bags of compressed wood shavings for bedding in my hen house - the sort you would use for bedding down horses instead of straw? The small packs you can buy for rabbits pets etc in the supermarkets and pet stores obviously not practical as the hen house is quite large. I have had straw in there but I'm uneasy as feral cats and other various critters have been living in the barn where the straw is kept and the hens have just gone down with coccidiosis for no apparent reason. [/quote]Coccidiosis in chickens is caused by seven different species of coccidia (genus Eimeria), which are single celled parasites that live in the gut wall of their host. These coccidia are host specific: turkeys and other species are not infected by fowl coccidia and vice-versa. The different species of coccidia live in different parts of the gut and can be divided into those causing intestinal coccidiosis (the majority) or caecal coccidiosis (one species).Does this mean that cats etc should not be blamed ?I am sure that you have thoroughly sterilised the hen house before restocking.John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alleycat Posted April 8, 2008 Author Share Posted April 8, 2008 The hen house is newly built from new wood and this is the first batch of hens. The breeder tells me the hens were innoculated but my vet seems to think the symptoms demonstrate coccidiosis - could be bad luck but considering everything else, apart from the straw, is brand spanking new and clean I just felt it might be that. I don't know. The 7 hens cost quite a lot and have only been with us a week - they were all full of beans till yesterday! Now I'm having to keep them in and dosing them with anitbiotics but I hate not knowing the cause - the straw was just a process of elimination and shavings have always proved practical in the past. Gamme vert sells them I gather but the nearest branch to us in Rodez is 65 km ! Bit of a trek for some shavings ! I don't 'blame' the cats - been feeding the poor devils all through the winter, but they are a sad looking bunch and not particularly healthy. Can't get near them to get hold of them to neuter and examine - trapping looks like the only answer which I dare say we will have to resort to. The local vet, Mairie etc etc do not afford any advice or assistance other than to poison or shoot!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pads Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 I have always used sand on the floor of my henhouse , much easier to clean out and compost , and cheap enough to usePlus they use it as a bath to keep cool in the summer and no dust... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceni Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 [quote user="alleycat"]The local vet, Mairie etc etc do not afford any advice or assistance other than to poison or shoot!![/quote]Sounds good to me.John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alleycat Posted April 9, 2008 Author Share Posted April 9, 2008 Pads - IceniThanks for the in-put - after chasing round this morning for various alternatives to straw - finally ended up scrubbing out henhouse (just in case) and then throwing in some dry peat for now and yes some rather nice sand we have for our building projects.....hmmmm. THEEEN........ I noticed that the sick hen in question ( all the others seem perky enough today ) had rather a large puffy crop when I picked her up to check for mites! So, what we have in fact is an impacted crop me dears... nothing to do with mites or coccidiosis!! Never had it happen before with any previous hens in the past so am now trying to help her through it with all the tips I found on the net about impacted crop. Bet you think I'm a complete waste of space now don't you! I'm really not a numpty but I feel a bit daft for not noticing sooner [:$] ho hum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alleycat Posted April 9, 2008 Author Share Posted April 9, 2008 Disregard last comment - seems I am a numpty cos I can't work the funny faces either!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 Disregard last comment, I waved my mod-gic wand [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alleycat Posted April 9, 2008 Author Share Posted April 9, 2008 Aw thanks![:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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