My eco solution to rat problems

[Egluntyne]

Watch **here**.

 

Great tip about the cooking oil....I had forgotten that one!

[Gallina]

That Eglu before cleaning looked like mine after cleaning!

 

He must live somewhere warm - he was wearing a teeshirt outdoors on 29 December and lingering over the cleaning!

 

I wish someone would come up with some evidence that chickens as well as children need exposing to a bit of dirt and germs to build up immunity, and then I would stop feeling guilty about the grubby state of my Eglu and Cube.

[redfrock]

its interesting that he doesn't line the base with anything - and the poos looked like bulletts. I wish mine did them like that! Hmmm maybe if I only had 2 hens and not 10 .... that would mean that in 5 days I would get as much poo as I do in one day now not that I would be without any of them!

 

Has anybody tried the cooking oil method? Don't the chooks get sticky feet?

[feemcg]

Wow - is that how dirty my eglu would get if I only had 2 chickens? That would be really low maintenance

 

I had to go and look up zeroscaping - not being a gardening type, I didn't know what it was

[Nicola O]

Has anybody tried the cooking oil method? Don't the chooks get sticky feet?

 

When Dad made me a spare set of roosting bars I covered them in boiled linseed oil - the stuff I use on my wooden worktops in the kitchen - and left them for a few days until the oil had soaked in and the bars were completely dry. There is no stickyness or oily residue.

 

I can honestly say that it does work. The poos don't stick as much and the bars are much easier to scrub clean.

 

Nicola.

[chelsea]

what a video

 

Ideal for someone whose still thinking about buying an eglu and seeing how easy it is to clean.

 

Loved his little black hen aswell.

[Olly]

bah - can't watch it here at work, will have to wait till I get home.

 

Nicola, that's an interesting tip - I use Tung oil on my worktops, I might give this a try on my roosting bars.

[pbfhpunk]

what a video

 

Ideal for someone whose still thinking about buying an eglu and seeing how easy it is to clean.

 

Loved his little black hen aswell.

 

lol, I was watching that thinking wow they are really easy to clean am more keen than ever to get a cube now or is a cube more difficult to clean?

 

Actually, I don't know does the top come off like the eglu?

 

H

[Hen Watch]

I can't view this video properly at home. Did I understand this right, it's worth trying cooking oil rubbed onto the wooden roosting bars to stop poos sticking...??? What, normal veg oil? Does it work?

[Snowy]

what a video

 

Ideal for someone whose still thinking about buying an eglu and seeing how easy it is to clean.

 

Loved his little black hen aswell.

 

lol, I was watching that thinking wow they are really easy to clean am more keen than ever to get a cube now or is a cube more difficult to clean?

 

Actually, I don't know does the top come off like the eglu?

 

H

 

The cube is very easy to clean as there is no bending over! The top doesn't come off, it slides forward over the top of the run and the back panel comes off. Pull out the poo trays and hose down. There are drainage holes in the bottom!

[Chicken Licken]

My eglu doesn't look that clean ever - do you think it's because I don't use a hose? I just use a scrubbing brush and bucket of water with ecover and tea tree oil. It is always cleaner but that one looked spotless. In fact considerably cleaner than my house!!

[redfrock]

I actually wondered just how new his eglu was, because even the bars were pretty immaculate, and I do use a hose on mine and still it doesn't look like that!

[The Dogmother]

I loved his little black pekin My lot are like that - helping out with everything.

 

I suspect that he lives somewhere hot and dry, judging by the state of the poos.

[chelsea]

My eglu doesn't look that clean ever - do you think it's because I don't use a hose?

 

my eglu's always look that clean (im obsessed with keeping them clean ) and yes I do use a hose! - every week our eglus are dismantled and cleaned. Im so chuffed they look good as new.

[Olly]

Mine don't look that clean - I'm going to get the steam cleaner out before I sell them! I really think hens don't mind a bit of grubbiness though, mine seem very happy.

 

The cooking oil is not only on the roosting bars, Hen Watch, he also sprays it on the poo tray - he'd got one of those 'light' spray cans. I couldn't watch it till I got home, and I assumed he just rubbed it in, but I guess any sort of oil would work (something non-toxic for chickens, of course!)

 

I noticed a fatal flaw. He took the Golden Pin out, but I didn't see where he put it. Experience has taught me to always, always put the Pin in a safe place, preferably a zipped pocket. Searching for it in the long grass as dusk is falling is not my favourite way to spend time in the garden!

[Egluntyne]

He took the Golden Pin out, but I didn't see where he put it. Experience has taught me to always, always put the Pin in a safe place, preferably a zipped pocket. Searching for it in the long grass as dusk is falling is not my favourite way to spend time in the garden!

 

It is a mistake you make only the once in my experience!

[Lesley]

Ours look that clean from the outside - but I wouldn't dare show the insides at the moment

 

Next really hot day I think I'll oil the bars.......

[The Dogmother]

I found his delivery very soporific - it almost lulled me to sleep!

[Strepsy]

That's great. I notice he mentioned an Eglu forum. Do the USA have their own forum? Or could he be reading this right now?!

[The Dogmother]

They have their own forum Strepsy, but some of the members also post over here.