Single hen

[Crooked Chicken]

I LOVE my chooks very, VERY, much .......... BUT, the garden is one hell of a mess. I just don't know what to do. They have the Eglu and run, within a much larger run, which was once a nice wood chip area, but is now a soggy, slippery mud bath. So, I let the girls free range in the rest of the garden, all day, every day. I love to see them wandering around the garden and they are obviously in heaven. My aim is to clear up the garden every week, but more than often this turns into 2 weeks. I have to scoop up, sweep up and wash down and with two small children (under 4) time is a problem. In fact the garden is SO messy with poo, that I don't let the children out there. However, spring and summer will soon be approaching and we need to reclaim our garden. (We want to buy the children a big climbing frame, swing, slide etc this year). I know I'm going to have to confine the girls to their large run which (because they've free ranged for so long), will upset me and them. I just wish I could be content with them staying in their large run, but now feel it would be a cruel thing to do. Oh decisions, decisions. Does anyone else have these dilemas? Maybe most chicken owners manage to clear up on a more regular basis, or perhaps most keep their chickens confined. Would love to hear.

[ali-s]

Hi Sue

 

Couldn't you put a roof on the large run or part roof if the run is very big. This would keep all or part of it dry.

My girls have a homemade run which has a roof of clear corrugated plastic.

I bought the plastic sheets from Wickes DIY centre and they cost about £5 each. The sheets measure 6' long by 2' wide (I think).

 

Some omleteers have also made run roofs using clear plastic shower curtains. Kate has hers on a homemade run and a few others over the Eglu run.

 

My girls do not have access to the garden and seem perfectly happy in their homemade run.

[The Dogmother]

Good call Ali.

[Crooked Chicken]

Thanks Ali.

 

Yes I do have the Eglu run covered, so that bit it always dry, but the larger run (that the Eglu sits in) was built around a conifer tree at one end and an apple tree at the other, so no chance of putting a roof on it, and unfortunatley the trees don't keep the run dry either.

 

However, you say that your girls are perfectly content being confined to their run and I guess my girls (and me) will just have to get use to the idea. I couldn't bear inviting my children's friends over in the summer, and them getting poo all over themselves, they'd never want to come again. Kids flying down the slide and landing in poo. Not good. The girls won't be happy with my plans, but I won't tell them until late spring

[Cate in NZ]

My garden's been destroyed too this winter- it coped really well with free ranging chickens all summer, but the increase in flock size and the lack of grass growth has seen it seriously damaged. Poo can be a problem, generally I intend to get out most days and collect up the poo, but have found it harder over the winter, colder weather, darker evenings etc, make it less easy. I'll need to do some patch repairs on the lawn when the weather improves and relocate the eglus to a different part of the garden, just while the grass regrows.

[Lesley-Jean]

I am only letting my two free range for about 1-2 hour per day at present and the rest of the time they are in their covered omlet run. They seem quite happy and are keen to go back into their run when I appear with some treats (which they only get in their run. By doing this through the winter I have kept the garden in good condition even the grass. I will let them free range a bit more when all of the plants are in full growth and can withstand the chooks a bit better.

[Crooked Chicken]

Well, I had a big clean up operation this morning and confined the girls to their run most of the day. I 'guess' they didn't seem to mind too much. It's just that their large run seems so uninteresting (mud, woodchip, an old apple tree to climb and a chicken bench) in comparison to having lush grass and bushes to scratch around in. I did find it difficult today every time I looked out there and saw them(confined), but I did let them out later in the afternoon, for snacks and to have a quick romp. We'll get use to it. We have to get use to it, as I just don't think I'm going to cope in the summer with cleaning up all the poo. (To be honest I sometimes can't believe how much poo they make - I collected a whole bucket load!! - astonishing. Anyway, putting the poo issue aside, I do love my girls dearly. More than any pet I've ever had. To be able to stroke a chicken is wonderful.

 

Ahhh, I feel better now. Time for another glass of wine.