Chickens all want to stay in the doorway!

[The Dogmother]

Brown to match Mel's 'grass'

 

Sorry Mel, couldn't resist it!

[freerange]

Richard and Jo Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 8:39 pm

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

we have 2 kids and not enough garden for another eglu - unfortunately

 

 

My cunning plan for this is to sells the children.

 

This way you free up more of the garden and can fund your new eglu

 

No, no, no! You need to persuade the children that the 2nd eglu is their playhouse

[The Dogmother]

We had some parents at the Thame show asking of you could keep children in it - great idea if you ask me.

[Chicken on a mission]

It's funny you should say that.

 

When I took the top off the eglu to jet wash it all this weekend, Esme decided to go and crouch in it with Smokey (my cat) whilst I washed the base and litter try.

 

When I asked her to move so I could do the lid, she waited fairly patiently till I had finished and then went straight back inside again!

 

So I can safely say that an eglu would be ideal to house 1 3 year old and a cat

[The Dogmother]

I think they were thinking along the lines of shutting the children in the run

 

Now I've got the run extension, the only way I can rake it out is to get in the run That's if Rosie isn't around.

[Chicken on a mission]

I think they were thinking along the lines of shutting the children in the run

 

That won't work. The run is far too big for children

[Merryn]

 

Now I've got the run extension, the only way I can rake it out is to get in the run.

 

Claret, I've just read this and need some advice. We are thinking of getting a converter and extension straight away with our new eglu as we don't intend to let the chickens out and want the largest run we can fit in the space for them. Will it be difficult to rake out the bark chippings and do you suggest we don't peg down the run (so one can lift up the side - or is this impossible?)

PS I don't have any small children to crawl inside the run!

Edited April 21, 2006 by Guest

[Lesley]

Hi Merryn

 

The run plus ext. and converter is very long -we're using the whole set up for ducks at the moment. Ours is on grass but if you are planning a bark base for it then it wouldn't need clearing too often and if you used the Omlet pegs, I think they are removeable?

 

You could just unpeg one side, in the middle, and rake it all out through there.

[Merryn]

Thanks Lesley, that's very helpful and very prompt!

[AnnieP]

The pegs are great. Giant screw like things with a hand held widget for screwing them in/out. I can thoroughly recommend them if you have slightly uneven ground.

[Gallina]

I'm afraid they are no use at all if you have light sandy soil, however.... They come straight out however hard you screw them in.

[Louise]

Light sandy soil in Oxford

 

I seem to remember it being more like solid clay when I lived there Gallina

[motherhen]

I'm afraid they are no use at all if you have light sandy soil, however.... They come straight out however hard you screw them in.

 

How irritating

Sounds like you need something heavy to hold down the skirt on bumpy bits - rather than paving slabs (too heavy) or bricks (not heavy enough) you might find old cast iron butchers weights or the heavier flat irons more convenient. I've picked up a selection very cheaply from junk shops and find them very useful for all sorts of things - most of our door stops are old flat irons

[Gallina]

It's clay down the hill, but light Shotover sand up in Headington where I live. It's wonderfully easy to dig, but holds no moisture and is not very nutritious for plants. The hens love it, as they can dig dust-baths a foot deep without expending much effort.

[The Dogmother]

mine have excavated a crater about 2 feet across in one of my flower beds. I am going to fence off a 'chicken area' this weekend so that I have some garden which is poo and crater free. The plants will thank me in their silent way....

[Louise]

Crikey Gallina I was in New Marston which is at the bottom of the hill from you amazing what a difference in the soil there is

[Gallina]

My chickens are gradually taking over all the grass at the bottom of the garden, but they haven't got much of my vegetable patch yet. Here they are yesterday:

 

The massive Cochin is at the back, the Wyandotte with her long legs and clipped wing on the right, and the standard Omlet issue in the middle. Needless to say, they have the sunny side of the garden.

 

One good thing about covering the Eglu run: the hens hate perching on it now, so there is little danger of them jumping over the fence.

[Martin B]

Beautiful picture, I like your tree!

[Louise]

Wow grass

 

Lovely garden Gallina

[rachel19]

Yeah, how do you have both chickens and grass in the same place?

[The Dogmother]

Your garden looks lovely Gallina. I am going to fence off part of mine this weekend as I would like some of the garden to have less poo and more plants

[Chicken on a mission]

What a lovely garden

 

The chooks aren't so bad either

[Lesley-Jean]

Lovely Photo Gallina

[Homer & Marge]

Hi all

 

eeeeeuw, a poo brown Eglu

 

'Don't like it', as Andy Pipkin would say

[The Dogmother]

Oh, it's not poo brown Homer, it's Cadbury's chocolate brown The purple opne looks like their wrapper.