Egluntyne Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 Has any one put their Eglu on gravel instead of bark? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleHen Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 at the moment mine has a few inches on one side on gravel (just moved house) - it is not good - although they seem unperturbed and scratch it all over the place, the one thing they have found easier is to try and dig an escape also - it can't e good for their feet! I want to get mine moved asap - but there is only a strip down one side with a few inches showing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 Our run has an earthy gravel base at the moment - they don't seem to mind it - my father-in-law pointed out, when I fretted about their feet on the gravel, that chickens have survived for many years, living in the gravelly farm yards, scratching about for what they could find - no lovely bark lined runs for them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleHen Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 my father-in-law pointed out, when I fretted about their feet on the gravel, that chickens have survived for many years, living in the gravelly farm yards, scratching about for what they could find - no lovely bark lined runs for them! how true - but I do need to do something about ours as they can dig out (nearly) so I'm sure a fox could dig in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 Our eglu & run are on a gravelly terrace, however I don't have (much) gravel in the run itself. Theres a base of concrete under the gravel, and I swept this aside to put the eglu down. I've a ring of bricks around the skirt of the run to keep the gravel out and the bark/hemcore in. This works quite well. The chooks come out everyday and have a dig in the gravel as well as in the rest of the garden. It doesnt seem to hurt their feet, and they have even tried dustbathing in it! Matilda has such a powerful kick that some of the gravel ends up in the run too (unfortunately, because this means that eventually it ends up in the compost heap & flower beds). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 6, 2006 Author Share Posted August 6, 2006 Thanks everyone. I think I have decided against it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 The chooks come out everyday and have a dig in the gravel as well as in the rest of the garden. It doesnt seem to hurt their feet, and they have even tried dustbathing in it! Matilda has such a powerful kick that some of the gravel ends up in the run too (unfortunately, because this means that eventually it ends up in the compost heap & flower beds). I chicken-sat for a fellow eglu-owner last weekend, and I can attest to the kicking-power of a Pepperpot - big (1-inch) chunks of gravel went flying up to a metre away when she got going! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 I chicken-sat for a fellow eglu-owner last weekend, and I can attest to the kicking-power of a Pepperpot - big (1-inch) chunks of gravel went flying up to a metre away when she got going! Sounds like you were under attack here Redfox - trust you have no lasting injuries & found the whole thing quite amusing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 I chicken-sat for a fellow eglu-owner last weekend, and I can attest to the kicking-power of a Pepperpot - big (1-inch) chunks of gravel went flying up to a metre away when she got going! Yup - that sounds like Matilda! The kicking-power of a chicken is certainly something I'd consider when getting the next one - with Matilda I've had to put mini-fences round the edge of all our flower beds to try and protect the lawn from becoming a soil-mound! If only she'd stand on the edge of the lawn and kick it all back again after!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
