4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[bennyboy]

Hello,

 

What a first day! The children and I love our chickens, but we're worried about the site...they're on the the front lawn and we're worried that it might get nicked! We don't have a back garden as such becaue our house is built on a steep hill.

 

We have an area of decking out of public view. Could we place the eglu their and then cover the decking with plastic and hemcore?

 

Thanks

 

Ben

Edited April 28, 2008 by Guest

[clucking mad]

what i am doing is building a square raised area with woodchips (or horse bedding) in. then just put the eglu straight onto that, every week or so then you can repplace the wood chips. this way you can put it anywhere

[bennyboy]

Thanks - I was thinking of ordering the Link-o-bord, but won't the damp(ish) hemcore etc rot the decking underneath?

[Stevie]

Thanks - I was thinking of ordering the Link-o-bord, but won't the damp(ish) hemcore etc rot the decking underneath?

 

You could put several layers of polythene down first to prevent moisture going through into the timber,but...

 

You will still get some degree of trapped rain water between timber & polythene and will need to remove it all atleast once a week for it to fully dry out.Decking is treated to prevent rot,but it also needs good ventilation to achieve this.

 

If your garden is such a steep slope-could you not build up a small level section using timber to haunch up the soil?

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Hi Bennyboy, glad you're having fun with your new chickens .

 

Don't know if plastic would work . Those chickens can't half dig and might just shred it . If you covered your run (ie with corrugated plastic sheets) it would actually stay pretty dry and your decking might be ok.

[bennyboy]

hey Steve,

 

The chickens fine out front for now, but we're worried the Eglu might get nicked...hence our idea about moving them round.

 

Ben

[Mutrix Farmers]

Our girls have free range of the garden including the decking. OH seems to be forever cleaning it. Thinks it might feel like their roosting bars so it encourages them to poo

[Christian]

How about paving slabs on the decking then aubiose/bedding on top and log edging around the run to keep it all in? You can easily move the eglu off the slabs, scoop up the dirty bedding with a spade and then hose the whole lot down?

 

Glad you are enjoying your new girls Oooh and welcome to the forum by the way.

[HRC99]

There is a thick plastic membrane that you can buy which is used to prevent weeds growing up on gravelled areas. That might do the trick. Do bear in mind that the chickens will scratch and kick the hemcore all over the place.

[Egluntyne]

I'd be worried about an Eglu placed on decking being susceptible to rats. They often make nests under decking...and If an Eglu was above, the feed would attract them, and if any was spilled you might have a problem.