Chiccoletta

So until recently I had 6 hybrids and 2 modern game bantams. Sadly one of my big girls died 2 weeks ago (she has always been sickly and I think a respiratory infection got the better of her). I've kept a close eye on the rest and they seem absolutely fine. For the last 4 nights my cream legbar has decided to sleep up on the pergola above their run and not go in the Eglu. A friend suggested mites could be eating her but I have a weekly wash out/poultry shield/mite powder routine, I've been out with a torch on a mite hunt and can't see a single sign. Is she sleeping up there because the others are bullying her cos she's lost her friend? What should I do? I've popped her back in the Eglu a couple of times but I struggle to reach her if hubbie's not around (and it's dark and slippery by the time I get home from work). The pergola is within the electric fence and about 6 feet high so she should be safe enough albeit freezing. Help!

YIPPPEE! The automatic chicken opener works a treat and is controlled via my phone - brilliant work from Mr Chiccoletta.

Oh and clever hubbie has made an automatic opener for the Cube which I can activate from my iPhone either at a time to suit me or I can set it automatically to open and close at particular times. The prototype was fitted tonight, I'll let you know if it works tomorrow morning. "Alexa let the chickens out" is no longer a pipe dream.....!

So instead of selling my Go (yeah yeah that's what I told my hubbie I was doing...) I bought some more girls! So now I have 6 hybrids in the Cube and 2 modern game bantams in the Go. The bantams have up until now had a separate run within the WIR so they are self contained. For the last week they've all been free ranging together within the electric fence area. So far so good except for the last 2 nights one of the bantams has decided to cuddle up in the Cube with the big girls whilst two of my big hens have got into the Go with the other bantam. Any idea what I should do? Thus far I have moved them all back in the right place manually. If they can all just live together can I just have them in the Cube and lose the Go? Thanks in advance. [/url]

Thanks for the replies, I bought 4 of the girls in May as POL and then another four recently, two POL and two 12 week old bantams. I was told they were wormed (no reason to doubt this as I bought them from a reputable poultry farm). No more wormy poos since then so I'm hoping it's done the trick. I use the stalozan in the run every 1-2 weeks. Thanks again

Hello all, cleaning out the poop tray this morning I noticed two 'spaghetti' poos, thin white strings which I guess are worms? I bought some Flubenvet which I've added to their layers pellets and I've completely cleaned the run and put some Stalozan Z powder down. My cleaning routine is to empty the poo trays every day, poo pick the run twice a week, and hose out the house plus poultry shield and sprinkle of mite powder weekly. Is there anything else I need to do? Thanks very much.

+8 =119

So I have just bought a cube to replace my Go as I fancy adding some purebred girls and/or bantams. I currently have 4 hybrid hens, a Lohmann Brown, Speckldey, Bluebell & White Leghorn. I really fancy a Modern Game and maybe a couple of Pekin bantams. My question is can they all live together in the same house (obviously after a long intro period)? If not can they free range together but sleep separately? Thank you

It must be the day for it, we got a Cube on eBay and collected it today too! Upgrading from a Go (which we modified to go up via a wooden stand). I'm so flipping excited to buy some more girls - CHICKEN ADDICT!

Well we've let our new chickens out (Cookie & Flopsy mark II) over the weekend with strict supervision (hubbie fussing if they roam more than 2 metres away -lol)! We're going to invest in some electric poultry netting, I wondered if anyone has any experience of using this, is it OK for kids (mine are 4 & 5) in the event they accidentally touch it? How easy is it to move about etc? New chooks are very different in personality from the two we lost although they are their doppelgänger to look at, funny isn't it, I never thought chooks had such distinctive personalities?! Thanks all, Chiccoletta XX

Thank you for your replays, I appreciate it.

Ha ha I love the optimistic '1 hour assembly'. Your photos are great. XX

I am devestated, fox came in broad daylight when they were free ranging and has taken Flopsy and Cookie. Can't bear to tell the kids so I've gone out and replaced them immediately, cried all the way there and back - feel like an idiot. Can I ask, after you've lost chickens this way do you still let them free range or do you lock them in the run? Feels wrong. What a rubbish day

We bought the run on eBay for around £120. I added a weldmesh layer around the bottom 1 metre and I'm so please with it, it's sturdy and super easy to clean. It's on oaving slabs with Aubiose which seems to remain very clean, I just pop round with the skip bucket every morning, brush the poo from the house straight in the bucket and pic up any visible poos in the run. I guess come Winter when they free range less there will be more cleaning to do but I'm chuffed with how it works. I have 3 chickens and have only had them just over a month. Saving up for a Cube and a few more for next year! Good luck

Not sure I can post a photo but someone might help... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v365/gipwol/IMG_2957.jpg