moomin Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 Steve, could you not net off a part of the garden and let them out in this so that your children will not be affected (I presume you mean free-ranging is not an option because of the poo and the kids standing in it!). I think they are pulling feathers & bullying because they are bored and overcrowded, this could be the cause in the reduction in the egg-laying too. if you could let them out even for an hour a day I bet it would help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 How about getting another extension or 2 in the meantime? I have 6 hens with 2 extensions (4m) and I really dont think we could put anymore in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve. Posted October 26, 2008 Author Share Posted October 26, 2008 Thanks for the suggestions. Extension are not possible as we are saving for walk-in-run and this'd then stop this from (ever) happening! Netting off part of the garden could be difficult as it's on a slope / a fox could conceivably jump in from the vantage point of a fence unless I place everything in the middle of the garden / they'll wreck the garden in minutes as it's on clay and doesn't drain too well when wet. I'm wondering if they are off their food as pellets ... they'll eat it as mash which I've given the past few days and already we have 4 eggs - normally a days worth given the decline. I think we will accelerate our walkin run choices - or lose a few chooks. Meanwhile I will order some Ukadex as a stop gap. The chooks were absolutely fine for several weeks after the initial intro grumpyness. One other changing factor is that the run stinks at the moment ... maybe that'd what has made them grumpy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve. Posted October 26, 2008 Author Share Posted October 26, 2008 Oddly we got 6 eggs today and not much feather pulling. I feel sorry for them as they are paddling around in a moderate mudbath ... which can't be good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moomin Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 Perhaps you could move the run to a new bit of lawn Steve? and buy a bale of aubiose or hemcore to put down, that soaks up poo very well, it;s very absorbant and may help the smells too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve. Posted October 26, 2008 Author Share Posted October 26, 2008 Thanks for all the thoughts. Unfortunately we can't move the run to eliminate the problem as the only place we can have it is at the top of the garden and it'd only last a week or so before repeating the issue The core problem as we have learnt is that the water from the patio is rolling off onto the run! And on Clay this is not good Have got some feelers out for the cost of a concrete base with damp-proof-course at the bottom of the garden. DW is not happy! For some reason we got 6 eggs today ... I think they haven't been eating Pellets but love mash. Hmmm. We'll see what tomorrow brings! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted October 27, 2008 Share Posted October 27, 2008 Can you not put Enid back in the run you used for introductions to let her recover a bit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve. Posted October 27, 2008 Author Share Posted October 27, 2008 Can you not put Enid back in the run you used for introductions to let her recover a bit? Good idea - and good memory - but then they eat Jezabel! I think the problem is they can't scratch in the ground as it is so muddy hence are bored? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted October 27, 2008 Share Posted October 27, 2008 Hmmmmmmmmmmmm tricky... Have you hung stuff up? it takes mine ages to eat a good head of broccoli I hang those from the top..... is there stuff for them to jump on branches and stuff? Or maybe Enid and Jez will have to live safely in a pad made for 2! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve. Posted October 27, 2008 Author Share Posted October 27, 2008 Hmmmmmmmmmmmm tricky... Have you hung stuff up? it takes mine ages to eat a good head of broccoli I hang those from the top..... is there stuff for them to jump on branches and stuff? Or maybe Enid and Jez will have to live safely in a pad made for 2! We've got a bloke coming round to give us a quote for a concrete base this afternoon ... this'd keep it dry and hopefully places for them to kick about and explore for food. Ukadex is on it's way in the post .... Question - how do you attach branches and stuff? I don't have much in there - a Mirror, Dust Bath, a upturned rectangular flower pot for them to perch on - that's about it. Do you cook the broccoli beforehand or do they have it raw? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve. Posted October 27, 2008 Author Share Posted October 27, 2008 Got a quote for £500 for a 2 meter x 5 meter concrete base, 15cm high, with DPC, a brick edge and lots of cutting in! Is this a good price? Forgot to say - 6 eggs today. I think they prefer mash .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted October 27, 2008 Share Posted October 27, 2008 hi steve.. my OH is saying find a branch or broom handle whatever you have available, we lobbed a branch off one of our trees and pinched the other one from the forest ( it was on the floor) then cut 2 wedges in each end and poke it through the run bars and then tie them on or drill holes in the ends... if you want a pic let me know and i'll send you one! As for the broccoli I dont cook it, just suspend it from the top on a bath plug chain and put a screw eye one end and a small D clip on the other and then screw it into the stalk!!! Then peck it about like a ball for ages.... if i'm being really kind I put 2 in for less squabbling!!! if you are leaving the run in the same place can you not put paving slabs down or patio slabs? We used cheapy one from wickes!!! Does the job nicely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve. Posted October 27, 2008 Author Share Posted October 27, 2008 hi steve.. my OH is saying find a branch or broom handle whatever you have available, we lobbed a branch off one of our trees and pinched the other one from the forest ( it was on the floor) then cut 2 wedges in each end and poke it through the run bars and then tie them on or drill holes in the ends... if you want a pic let me know and i'll send you one! As for the broccoli I dont cook it, just suspend it from the top on a bath plug chain and put a screw eye one end and a small D clip on the other and then screw it into the stalk!!! Then peck it about like a ball for ages.... if i'm being really kind I put 2 in for less squabbling!!! if you are leaving the run in the same place can you not put paving slabs down or patio slabs? We used cheapy one from wickes!!! Does the job nicely Sounds good ... photo's please if possible? I think I know what you mean, I think if I just put slabs down then the water will come up between the slabs and the bedding etc will get wet? Have started another thread in the Cube section about a new Run ... viewtopic.php?f=4&t=34135 as this thread one is more about the Chickens and introductions than the stink I am causing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted October 27, 2008 Share Posted October 27, 2008 no probs will get onto it 2moz..... will look about and see if I have anything already! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve. Posted October 27, 2008 Author Share Posted October 27, 2008 no probs will get onto it 2moz..... will look about and see if I have anything already! Thank you ... I really need to keep the chooks entertained your help is much appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve. Posted October 29, 2008 Author Share Posted October 29, 2008 All the chooks are now sprayed with Ukadex ... on a plus I am now expert in holding chickens upside-down by their legs. I can't get the smell of stale fags out of my nose ... Even Head-Chook lost some feathers. My wife will finalise booking in concrete run tomorrow - going to go for 5.5 meters by 2 meters ... and we'll get another extension and arch. Plus we're having a tree out as it'll probably fall on where the chooks are - hopefully it'll be okay for a few months. We put some apples on strings in the run for them yesterday that kept them amused for a few minutes. Not a solution yet - but getting there - sadly work is getting in the way of fixing it all. Moral of the story - expect to spend lots of £ if you are on clay soil! Oh, and my 2m tarp arrived today along with bungee balls + some funky circle things that allows a tarp to be made from any fabric or plastic sheet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Excellent!!! Am sure it'll be better with more room..... good luck with the concrete base! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve. Posted October 30, 2008 Author Share Posted October 30, 2008 Ukadex has done the trick. They are rather subdued - as if I'd taken their toys away. New Extension plus some other bits will be delivered next week. Just waiting for the builder to get back to me with a date for the run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moomin Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 Brilliant, having a walk in run will make everything so much easier It makes chicken keeping a pleasure and should solve all your problems. And the girls will love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggypeggy Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 Is this the longest topic ever or what!.. Anyway, I bought a tarp from tarpaflex.co.uk the other day for 99p plus delivery which covers the eglu stardard run perfectly. They have alot of diff sizes, so I'm sure you could find something to fit the cube run. Might be worth covering the sides too. If you put Bark on the floor it may help with the trench foot! The really chunky stuff. This does compost down eventually. Check out local tree surgeons and see if you can get some free or cheap stuff. One covering now should last the winter and you could do with out in the summer. Clay floor bit of a pain but the bark could help. This will also give them something to do.. bit of scratching around will keep them busy. I always feed our chooks mash, helps with the boredom, It takes them alot longer to eat mash than pellets so keeps them busier. Then maybe hang some cabbages from the top of the run. It is very amusing watching them jump for there treats! I reckon they just need a bit of entertainment. Hope that helps. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggypeggy Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 Oops.. jsut read the rest of the posts.. New exciting run, even better.. Have fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve. Posted October 31, 2008 Author Share Posted October 31, 2008 Tree Man's gonna take the tree out, a shame but it's not very healthy. Today's eggs don't smell quite as much of Ukadex ... the smell on yesterdays eggs has reduced. Tree + Run + extra Extension = £1,000 ... though not sure what choice we have got (and the tree would have come out eventually anyway). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 Blimey! Will you just have to grin and bear it? Like you say you maynot have the choice, but in the long term it's a good thing... best of luck, when can it be done? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve. Posted October 31, 2008 Author Share Posted October 31, 2008 Blimey! Will you just have to grin and bear it? Like you say you maynot have the choice, but in the long term it's a good thing... best of luck, when can it be done? Hopefully all be done in November ... if they still pluck feathers they are each going into solitary confinement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 have you done the 'bumper bit' thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
