Patridge bantam chicken poorly foot?

[Amme25]

Please can someone help?

 

We have 3 hens, 1 eglu/run and a good sized garden. Orginally when the hens were younger they had the full use of the garden. However as they got older (and wiser) we have sectioned off a large area at the back of the garden to keep them out of harms way (that is the cat and the children). The problem we have is that since they have started laying they will just not stay in the eglu/run. The fence around the eglu is about 1.5metres high and about 1metre away from the eglu. We have seen them jumping onto the run and flying over the fence.

 

All three birds have had their wings clipped but still we find them late at night sleeping at the back of the shed, under the decking or in the old rabbit hutch. They have laid eggs everywhere you can imagine - its like easter every day in our house! We had been advised to keep them in the eglu for a day or two to climatise them but it has not worked.

 

Any suggestions?

[Egluntyne]

I would check very carefully for signs of red mite. Unlikely, but not impossible, in an Eglu.

 

Reluctance to return to a hen house can be a sign of red mite.

 

One you have estaablished tha this is not the case, I'd confine them for a least 5 days, to fix the idea of laying in the nesting box and sleeping in the Eglu in their minds.

[Hen Watch]

When mine first arrived they were shut in the eglu run for 5 days and not let out. Maybe time for a bit of "tough love" with your girls and confine them for 5 days, so at least eggs will only be laid in the run and hopefully once they realise the nestbox is a darker, more comfy spot, they will start using it again.

 

As for escapes. If I put my eglu too close to the Omlet fencing, then my lot will use it as a launch pad to get out of the enclosure. It may be best to move the eglu further away from the fence then if they launch, they just end up on the ground nearby. Mind you some breeds are more flighty than others.

[Chicken Licken]

My speckledy regulalry launches herself from the roof of the eglu or run and then clucks around forlornly scared to go too far on her wanderings from her captive and less adventurous peers. They always all pootle off at bed time though and will only lay int he nesting box even if it means waiting to be recaptured!!