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

[Topdollar]

This morning, before I let the Ladies out, I was refreshing their grub and glug and found approx 30 slugs in the grub feeding on the pellets and some where just big enough to fit in the container.

Is this normal or just because of the very damp weather we are having at the moment?

The chucks did enjoy the slug fest when i let them out but some where even too big for my gready hens.

[Egluntyne]

I have found them before now. I think the damp weather does have something to do with it.

 

Best way to avoid it is to take the grubs in at night.

[frenchlayer]

Pellet and slug breakfast lovely.

 

I am sure you took great pleasure in watching them tuck in.

 

Eglantine I am a bit surprised you gave details of how to avoid it, that made me smile, I would have thought you would have said, well slugs eat the pellets, chicken eat the slugs, = chicken eat the pellets = don't worry.

 

But i can imagine they do make a sticky mess. If they are attracted to the pellets tho, I suppose you could put pots around the garden and collect the slugs, depending on what you have growing in your garden you want to protect.

 

BIt too early in the morning to think of slugs even for me.

[Topdollar]

hehe - i never thought of that. Simple but effective

 

thanks

[MedusA]

I went to scrub out one of the grubs for the new girls yesterday and found a big fat slug had installed itself in the aperture at the back where the moulding for the hooks is.

 

I hadn't ever seen a slug in the grubs before then.

[Gallina]

If you are a slugophobe, just bring the pellets in at night, and this will never happen. It keeps them nice and dry overnight too.

[dogs and chickens]

Oh Yuk Never imagined this would ever happen. My chooks love the pellets and the slugs so would let the two get on with it, if it happened to my chooks (I think)! But don't like the thought at all!

[Egluntyne]

Eglantine I am a bit surprised you gave details of how to avoid it, that made me smile, I would have thought you would have said, well slugs eat the pellets, chicken eat the slugs, = chicken eat the pellets = don't worry.

It is one way of looking at it. I must admit I have never personally worry about it too much, as I don't bring the grubs in at night.

[Mrs Kettle]

Don't you attract rats if you don't bring them in overnight? (Though they can be bold enough to go for it in the day too...).

[Egluntyne]

I have had rats in the past, but maintain a strict regime re baiting boxes and keeping the place generally tidy etc.

 

I have had no evidence of rats for a long time.....touchwood.

[Gallina]

If you don't have your Eglu and run-skirt on slabs, it could well attract rats if you leave your food out at night, because they will know it is really worth the effort of digging a tunnel.

 

I can't see the problem with bringing it in. It gives you a chance to sort it out so that the hens always eat the oldest food first, and keeps it nice and dry and fresh.

[crazygal]

We had a rat dig a tunnel underneath the eglu itself to get at the grub, and one small one got in through the mesh during the day

 

That was several months ago, and now we bring the grub in at night there don't seem to be anymore unwelcome visitors (also touchwood!!). Once you've had rats you don't get complacent!!

 

Haven't seen slugs in the grub yet but yuk all the same!