cruisa Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Hello everyone This question has probably been asked many times before, but I'm new here so I thought I'd ask it anyway. As its so cold at the moment. I wondered if anyone had a way of keeping their Chickens that little bit warmer in these -5°C Temps. Or are they hardy little things that can cope easily with that? I've put some straw in the nest area, but only there. Should I be putting more in the general area of the wooden bars? I even thought of putting a hot water bottle under the wooden bars at night. This probably sounds daft, & probably is It is so cold at night at the moment though, & I've only had my two Chickens since Saturday. ~cruisa~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedusA Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Hi there cruisa. As I was told......no such thing as a daft question on this forum. If you have an eglu, they are really well insulated. Also, chickens have a higher body temperature and keep warmer, with their in-built feather duvets, especially if they snuggle together, which they usually do. Several people do put hotties in their hen houses, just make sure it is wrapped so they can't burn themselves. Hope that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Some Omleteers use a **Snugglesafe** which you heat in the microwave and it stays warm for hours. Trouble is, by the time you have ordered on, we will be in the middle of a heatwave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisa Posted February 18, 2008 Author Share Posted February 18, 2008 WOW! Thanks. They were very quick replies. Yes, I have just got a Purple Eglu. The forecast is for it to warm up a bit, so you're right, by the time I ordered that thing, I probably wouldn't need it. My two Chickens do seem to love the Eglu. They are spending more time in there at the moment than in their run. maybe they are still a bit timid with their new surroundings. So, am I write in just putting straw in the little nest bit, or should I throw some at the back of the Eglu on the wooden bars as well? ~cruisa~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 I'm not a huge fan of straw myself. I find it gets all manky and gunky, and there is a possibility that some hens may eat the long strands which can cause them to have an impacted crop. Many of us on the forum swear by **Aubiose** or **Hemcore**, which are both super absorbant, easily compostable horse bedding, but are ideal for hen houses/runs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 My two Chickens do seem to love the Eglu. They are spending more time in there at the moment than in their run. maybe they are still a bit timid with their new surroundings. It's partly that, and partly because it's a lot warmer in there than outdoors! Mine have been coming out for breakfast then retreating inside until the sun has had a chance to warm the garden a bit. Also, they often spend a lot of time hanging around the nestbox and generally behaving a bit strange when they are about to start laying for the first time - chicken PMS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisa Posted February 18, 2008 Author Share Posted February 18, 2008 Thanks again I'll check out those two things & see if my local 'Carrs Billington' or 'WCF Country Centre' stock them. The Hemp one looks interesting. I wonder if my Chickens would get High on it (lol) Right, time to go check & see if their water has frozen over again ~cruisa~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treekeeper Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 I use easibed same sort of stuff as hemcore/auboise, I wouldn't put it on the roosting bars though the pooh won't slip through so easily Nice avatar by the way now I'll have to change mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 i was given a shredder for Christmas and have just found a brilliant way to use it! I've shredded some old study notes/exam papers (nothing with brightly coloured ink, just in case they nibble it) and then ripped the long shreds into smaller bits (good stress reliever ) in case it gets caught round their legs and then lined the coop with the paper. Makes good insulation and it can be composted later. I just put it on top of the aubiose that's already in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisa Posted February 18, 2008 Author Share Posted February 18, 2008 I use easibed same sort of stuff as hemcore/auboise, I wouldn't put it on the roosting bars though the pooh won't slip through so easily Nice avatar by the way now I'll have to change mine No, you're OK. You had your Avatar before me. So I've changed mine ~cruisa~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treekeeper Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 You're obviously much more skilled in IT chicanery! It would have taken me ages to find another and size it! Wherabouts in Cumbria are you? I'm jus down the road in lancaster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HasSumAmi Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 All this talk of straw and newspaper has got me thinking - mine aren't laying yet as they only arrived on Friday so the question is - 'do I have to put anything in their nesting area of the eglu?' At the moment I haven't put anything it, although they have poo'd loads into it yesterday. Also if I use shredded paper does it need to be doubel shreaded? I can't imagine how I would do that with our shreader... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Also if I use shredded paper does it need to be doubel shreaded? I can't imagine how I would do that with our shreader... mine isn't double shredded, I just tear it up a bit more by hand so there's no really long strands that might get tangled round feet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisa Posted February 18, 2008 Author Share Posted February 18, 2008 You're obviously much more skilled in IT chicanery! It would have taken me ages to find another and size it! Wherabouts in Cumbria are you? I'm jus down the road in lancaster I'm in Cockermouth. I was in Lancaster the other week actually having an operation on my knee. I was at the Nuffield hospital. ~cruisa~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 We've been putting hot water bottles in the poo trays during this cold snap. We have hot water bottle covers and also place them to carrier bags (to protect from poo) and pop them in the tray. The chooks love them and fight to sit on the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HasSumAmi Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 mine isn't double shredded, I just tear it up a bit more by hand so there's no really long strands that might get tangled round feet. OK - I get the idea. I was just imagining double shredding all that paper and tiny bits of it flying around. Shall I put some in the nesting part of the eglu now or wait a while? The girls pooing in there is awful to clean out. Do you thnk one of them is sleeping in it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KateP Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 It was -5 here this morning! I forgot to take the glug in last night so it was frozen solid. I checked in the eglu after I had let them out and the poo was actually frozen on the bars! I've never seen that before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Be careful heating your chicken houses, eglu or otherwise. I went to a talk at Thornes in November with Lisa33 where the speaker said that you can accidentally force them into a moult if you make them too warm. Plus if you put anything over the top of the house to keep it warmer, make sure you don't block any necessary ventilation holes. Chickens' natural body temperature is higher than ours and they are wearing a duvet so they're easily ok in temps down to minus 10 he reckoned. It's the summer when you need to worry!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Be careful heating your chicken houses, eglu or otherwise. I went to a talk at Thornes in November with Lisa33 where the speaker said that you can accidentally force them into a moult if you make them too warm. Plus if you put anything over the top of the house to keep it warmer, make sure you don't block any necessary ventilation holes. Chickens' natural body temperature is higher than ours and they are wearing a duvet so they're easily ok in temps down to minus 10 he reckoned. It's the summer when you need to worry!! Good advice there superjules. I am hard hearted and haven't even been closing the Eglu doors this weather, because whatever time I go out, two or three always come out to greet me. They have been absolutely fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 I've only done the water bottles during this cold snap as it gives me peace of mind . And a water bottle doesnt stay warm for that long anyway, just to take the chill off. I dont block any holes. Hubby said his free range and organic houses when he goes in them are 20 degrees or hotter so I think my girls will be ok with a little hot water bottle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Shall I put some in the nesting part of the eglu now or wait a while? The girls pooing in there is awful to clean out. Do you thnk one of them is sleeping in it? sorry, not sure why you'd want to wait, can you clarify? If there's poo in the nest box in the morning then yes, one of them has been sleeping in it. I don't have an eglu, I have a wooden house with 3 nest boxes and 3 of my girls sleep in the nest boxes but there's hardly ever any poo in them, weird! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 If you put some shredded paper in the nest box now, it will be easier to remove the poo! I don't shut the cube door at night either, I have done when the weather is freezing, but like Egluntine says, they all come flapping down the ladder when I go outside Daft things! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 My eglu nestbox stays a lot cleaner if I keep it filled with shredded paper and replace it once a week. I suspect that chickens don't normally roost (and poo) in their nest in the "wild", but an empty plastic nestbox doesn't seem much like a nest, except when it's the only comfy place to lay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedusA Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Shall I put some in the nesting part of the eglu now or wait a while? The girls pooing in there is awful to clean out. Do you thnk one of them is sleeping in it? I put hemcore in the bottom of the nest area, with a "nest" of straw on top. Scully, my top chook, has always slept in the nest (sees it as her right). She poos there so I have to clean the nest every day. I just shake out the pooey straw into the droppings tray and put it back in the nest. Only takes a few seconds, so I don't mind. It's better than getting pooey eggs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 I have a special poo picking glove. Nothing special...just an odd marigold. I pick the poo out every day and chuck it onto the compost heap. Takes 2 seconds and the Aubiose in the nest box only needs changing a couple of times a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...