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

[GeorgieB]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm new to the forum but have had 3 ex bats since April. I was wondering if anyone else who has ex-bats have noticed that they prefer to lie down to sleep rather than perch? We have an eglu and assumed they would perch on the wooden bars but they never did, they just lay down on them. As that isn't very comfortable we decided to put a good layer of straw on them and have done so ever since. I'm sure they appreciate it even more in this freezing cold weather too. I think because they are ex-bats they don't understand that they have to perch as they've been used to lying on the metal wires of their cage.

 

Happy New Year,

Georgie

 

 

 

- Matron

- Bonnie

- Scampy

[Egluntyne]

Welcome to the forum GeorgieB.

 

My three ex-batts sleep in a standing position on the roosting bars, with their heads under their wings.....and they snore!

[Tiggy]

mine seem to sleep in a heap ontop of eachother

[Guest]

ours scooch down in a big feathery heap (on top of each other) on the plastic roosting bars. They'd all pile into the nest box if we let them but we have to section it off at night for our disabled girl plus her 2 bantam chums

[Janty]

Mine have never used the roosting bars...they squash in together in the nesting box. Unfortunately, we are now down to two ex-batts so the hybrids have chosen to move in with them. The ex-batts have taught the hybrids bad habits and they too sleep in the nesting box. I have given up trying to stop them. If they are happy then that's ok.

[Happy chickens!]

Mine definitely prefer the nesting box - did you know 5 girls can squeeze in at once!! I have also put in a cat litter tray with straw in the roosting bit so they can have two areas of straw to snuggle down in in this cold snap and not argue over the nesting box. Morning pooh-pick in sub zero temps is very over-rated though!

[sandyhas3chucks]

I made some changes for same reason.but they do roost sometimes too but one never! hence both.

photo's are on this thread.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=35714&p=553803&hilit=+sleeping#p553803

[GeorgieB]

The litter tray is a good idea. As mine lie down to sleep I may as well get one of those instead of putting straw on the bars.

It's a shame that Omlet don't supply covers for the runs in a flexible fabric and with the hooks (like the ones they offer) but clear so the hens could still get the sun on them and which covered the top and both sides. With theirs, when the wind blows the rain in the other side they can still get wet. This would be especially ideal for people who keep their hens in the run most of the time and they can't shelter properly.

We went to Homebase in September and got a big clear polythene sheet to put over it and put big metal pins through it into the ground. It does the job well and we just leave it on all the time in this weather as our hens are roaming the garden in the day anyway. When it rains they have the option then to be nicely sheltered.

Does anyone leave the handle of the elgu up so their hens can let themselves out in the morning? I think it's great that they can do this. They can get up as soon as it's light and we don't have to worry about them wanting to get out and not being able to. Perfect at the weekends when you want a bit of a lie in. Although with this freezing weather I've been getting up early anyway to make sure they can have a drink.

I really feel for them in this weather. It's a shame they can't be house trained so we can snuggle up with them on the sofa

 

Georgie

[sandyhas3chucks]

some people have used clear corrugated plastic sheets from Wicks abot £6 each.

Search for "Shower curtain", it should show the thread complete with photos.