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xScrunchee

Naughty girls!!!

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To those of you who have walk in runs-how on earth do you stop your girls barging their way out when you pop in or out of the run? :?

 

Getting into the run is slightly easier as I can sort of block them from legging it out into the garden with my feet but when I'm in the run and try to come out-Grrrr, they somehow manage to push their way out into the garden and I then need chuck corn in the run to get them back in. :roll::lol:

 

It really is not a massive problem but the only thing that worries me is that I have to keep my Staffie away from the girls when they are out of the run so it's now a pain having to put her on the stairs just so that I can top up their food or collect eggs as I know that at least one of them is gonna charge out every time! :roll:

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It helps if you NEVER let the chickens out of the run area or they think it is their right. We have given 3 chickens a whole lawn penned in, and never had an escape attempt. They escaped quite a few times after OH left the pen door wide open recently :roll:

I've not found a good way once they start escaping. An extra door can help e.g. go in one door, shut it open the next, then they are at least trapped by the outside door if they make it through the second. Maybe not for a small run though. We had this while we were growing grass back in a section of the lawn, but they still worked out how to get into the area that was out of bounds. :roll:

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How about if you got a bit of expanding trellis or a large square of rigid plastic/perspex which you could either block them with or leave in place to step over?

 

That sounds like an eggcellent idea :)

 

I have a 3' x 2' mesh panel from the garden centre which has a multitude of uses. Currently it's wedged in the narrow passage at the bottom of the garden, to discourage the girls from wandering next door, but it was very handy for separating the run during introductions. Something like that would be ideal - couple of cup hooks on the opposite side of the door frame to the way it opens, couple of bricks to wedge it in place - and you're sorted!

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My run door opens inwards so its a bit easier to just open it enough for me to squeeze through but the handful of corn flung to the furthest reaches of the run sounds an excellent plan :lol:

 

I was dithering about this morning replacing the girls frozen glug with a fresh one and they were getting under my feet - why I didnt do it BEFORE I opened the eglu door I just dont know :roll:

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Stupidly I made my door to open outwards under the misaprehension of leaving more space in the run! :oops:

 

It is a battle of wits between me and the girls every time I open the door. It's like they are constantly planning their escape route. Treats are the only distraction as they are then oblivious to anything else. :lol:

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Thank you all for the ideas and suggestions :D

 

Think I might go for the trellis idea or maybe some netting :think: Just high enough to stop them hopping straight out :D

 

We do use the sweetcorn/mixed corn flung down the other end of the run so getting in is not too much of a problem but if you forget to take extra in to distract them while you get out-that's when they make a mad dash! :roll: lol

 

This has only really began since I netted off this whole end of the garden for them so that they can spend a few hours a day outside while I sit on a stool by the (open) back door without loosing site of them as they can no longer hide behind anything or get to the far end of the garden where the foxes regularly walk past :shock:

 

See-give them an inch :roll:

 

:lol:

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