ajm200 Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Hi, It's been one of those days today. I think my toddler and the chickens have decided to trade homes. The chickens have been into the sitting room several times as I opened the french doors to get some air. I've tried to block the gap with a spare stairgate but it wasn't a good fit and fell out when my son pushed it. Any suggestions on how I can keep the door open and keep them out? Also, any ideas on how to get one of those 'korma' poos out of carpet? Vanish carpet cleaner didn't do it I've now closed the door but it's far too hot in here My other problem is that I had to take the end off the cube run several times to rescue my son has taken a liking to crawling in under the cube and then refusing to come out. Cute I know but the run wasn't clean and he got slimed. I've managed to break two clips already and haven't got any spares. I don't want to use cable ties as they can't be reused. Have any of you found a good reusable alternative to the run clips? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 I've seen some people use one of those "extending garden trellis" things and im going to get one soon for the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraJ Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Thats a good idea chelsea! will use that for my back door! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koo2cat Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 I have found my (nearly 2 year old) daughter in our cube run several times! Once in, it is very hard to get them out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 I found this on homebase website £14.99. looks perfect for my kitchen french doors in the summer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajm200 Posted April 4, 2008 Author Share Posted April 4, 2008 That looks great. I might have to get one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 I think i want to see it in person though before I buy it, I dont think chickens could get underneath it - but there's a gap by the looks of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajm200 Posted April 4, 2008 Author Share Posted April 4, 2008 Mine can get through the fixed trellis that we have near our veggie patch so I backed the square trellis with the expanding version so the holes aren't much bigger then the omlet netting and they still get through. If the trellis you've found expands it would probably be ok for me as I only need to block one side of a french door. It's not much bigger than an internal doorway so I wouldn't have to open it out too far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 yes it was expanding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 What do you use to keep chickens out of the house My foot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bantam of the Opera Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 my foot , i second that one. cleo is a nightmare, whenever i go outside and leave the door open i come back in and shes always inside. she eats my dogs food but my dog is scared of her and just hides, pathetic thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarabelle Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 I've seen some people use one of those "extending garden trellis" things and im going to get one soon for the summer. I've wondered about this problem too. Our girls race to the back door as soon as we appear and keep trying to get into our living room. Expanding trellis sounds like a really good idea, but how on earth could you fix it to upvc without drilling holes? Cellotape I suppose? The wooden trellis on legs from Homebase looks pretty good, but I agree with you, I'd want to see it before parting with £15. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 I use an old metal fire surround that was left at my house by previous owner. Bit like this one. But chooks can get over it if they really, really try. But good because it stands up on its own and fits back door, just. http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?storeId=10001&catalogId=1500001001&langId=-1&searchTerms=8681634 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajm200 Posted April 6, 2008 Author Share Posted April 6, 2008 My husband has solved the problem by putting a fence across the garden and banishing the hens to the end furthest from the house. I'm missing seeing them on the patio and roosting on the doormat already. It seems really strange to go out into the garden or to the bin without getting mobbed by the girls looking for treats. The decision was taken out of my hands after my husband spent an afternoon in the garden with my son who got in the run every few minutes and then decided to share a dustbath in the compost heap with the chickens. My son was covered from head to toe in compost but very happy. I don't think my reaction helped as i laughed and asked my husband if he'd got a photo at which point he lost it and suggested the keeping chickens had turned me soft in the head. thanks for all the suggestions thougy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 The decision was taken out of my hands after my husband spent an afternoon in the garden with my son who got in the run every few minutes and then decided to share a dustbath in the compost heap with the chickens. My son was covered from head to toe in compost but very happy. I don't think my reaction helped as i laughed and asked my husband if he'd got a photo at which point he lost it and suggested the keeping chickens had turned me soft in the head. LOL that really made me laugh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Made me laugh as well - tell him you are a perfectly normal chicken keeper! I can't keep my boys out of the chicken run, they are oblivious to the poo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HasSumAmi Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 I'm missing seeing them on the patio and roosting on the doormat already. So it's not only my hens which lie across the back door mat!! They lie there sun-bathing themselves. I wouldn't mind the inconvenience of getting in and out of the back door if they wouldn't pooh on the back door mat! DH spent ages searching for suitable mats so we can all wipe our feet before coming into the house. Now of course we can't really wipe our feet coz you'd be wiping them on chicken pooh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajm200 Posted April 7, 2008 Author Share Posted April 7, 2008 Our doormat is a plastic one for s"Ooops, word censored!"ping wellies. I think it came from the local garden centre. It looks like a mini diamond trellis and is great because the chicken poo falls through it. I just pick it up a couple of times a day and hose it and the patio down. It amazes me that the chickens find it comfortable at all. We have a conventional doormat inside to clean any remaining debris from our shoes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 We have to have a doormat either side of the back door too cos the chooks pooped on the outside one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajm200 Posted April 7, 2008 Author Share Posted April 7, 2008 Snowy, They are very cute Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Pearsons Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 I use a soft brush to sweep them out of the house. They just have to see me get the brush and they run for cover........ the hens that is not the children or the hen poo.... hen poo running for cover - what a picture that suggests! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
