paynerj Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Hi. My name is Russell. I have just ordered a new Eglu with 2 chickens. As I have never kept chickens before, I would be grateful for any advise for a complete novice. I have been reading through the topics on the forum with interest. There is some great advise on there. One thing I have not decided on yet is if I should have my Eglu on the grass and move it every few days so the grass does not get wrecked or if I should set aside part of the garden and peg the run down to make it more fox resistant. What is best for the chooks? Is just having the run on the grass and keeping the run door locked while I am at work enough to keep them safe? I live an a southern London borough and we do get foxes ( I read somewhere that urban foxes are not such a problem as there is plentiful food about but I would not like to lay money on it being true). Any way, any advise or suggestions will be gratefully received. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chillicat Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Hi. Grass is great, but in this weather, it will quickly disappear! I have mine on woodchip and the run is covered, however the girls free range all day and my grass has now GONE! I also have a rat problem at the minute and I will be putting slabs under the run at the weekend, then I'll put aubiose on top. Didn't want to but needs must. I'm sure lots of advice will come aflooding What chooks have you ordered? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madbird Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Hi Russell, welcome to the forum and to chicken keeping if it were me, unless I had a HUGE garden to move the eglu around on, I would make a permenant area for the eglu to stand on...and let the girls free range when you have the change to (supervised of course) Chickens are very forgiving and will allow you to learn as you go on... and there are always people on this forum to offer advice and guidance when you need it. Enjoy your new hobby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Hello and welcome. I reckon you would be safer with the Eglu on paving slabs with the run weighed down with heavy boulders. That is what I do. The fox may attempt to tunnel into the run if it is on grass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paynerj Posted January 27, 2009 Author Share Posted January 27, 2009 Thanks. When you say put slabs underneath, do you mean the Eglu and run are housed on a slabbed area with woodchips/bark on top or as other post seem to suggest putting slabs around the edge for the skirt to stand on. Maybe I am being a bit thick but wouldn't it being raised up at the edges make it easier for mr fox to get in. Any Photo's of your set up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollystar Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 grass does not get wrecked Welcome to the world of chicken keeping & say good bye to your grass I have a full field & they are making light work of it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paynerj Posted January 27, 2009 Author Share Posted January 27, 2009 By the way, I have ordered 1 Miss Pepperpot and 1 Gingernut. Being delivered on Valentines day. And the wife tells me I am not romantic????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollystar Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Aww thats lovely, my boyfriend did'nt give me any cuddles on Sunday & I told him I felt neglected , he built me a chicken house in the afternoon without me asking & told me that was my hug for the day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamebird Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Welcome to the forum, paynerj. I'm lucky in that I have a very large area of paddock grass and keep my 6 chickens inside a 50m rectangle of electric fencing. Even in this large area the grass has all but gone and I have had to move them to a new patch. If the slabs extend beyond the Eglu and run edges then not only would the fox not be able to dig underneath but it would also stop any running rain water getting into the run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madbird Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 "Say it with chickens"... yes, it could catch on?! Russell, I think the idea is that you have the eglu and run on a paved/slabbed area and then use either wood chip or aubiose/hemcore (hemp horse bedding) to cover the slabs to absorb the chicken poop and give them something to scratch around in. Safer from Mr Fox, easier for you to clean and kinder to your garden! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoice Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Safer from Mr Fox, easier for you to clean and kinder to your garden! And a better deterrent against tunneling rats. Oh and the mud from all this rain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Welcome to the forum, Russell (you old romantic you ). I have my eglu on soil with slabs down one side as a path and broken slab bits down the other side which the run skirt sits on. The eglu itself is on slabs too. I use Hemcore or Easibed in the run and have corrugated plastic on top of the run (essential if you're going to keep the bedding dry!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 I have my Eglu and run in a dedicated area of my garden. The run has woodchip inside and I have bark around the edges to walk on. I have the slabs ready to go underneath the run but after a bit of a spring clean, poo pick and raking over yesterday the woodchip looks new again. My run is pegged down with about 20 tent pegs! I also copied ANH idea and added a "roof" of corrugate plastice to the eglu run yesterday. I can hostestly say it was the best £10 i have spent on the chickens so far! Lets light in but keeps them and the run floor dry. My lovely daddy (I am 27, but when he buys me stuff he is DADDY) gave me a present at the weekend and guess what it was........Stalosan F!!!! I was dead chuffed! Gave the run floor a good dusting yesterday before returning the woodchip! Here is a pic of my dedicated eglu area when I first set it up and I will take some pics of the new and improved area tomorrow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tombull10 Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 I am looking at getting an eglu with 3 ex batts. I'll be keeping it on the lawn and moving it every few days. How many days do you thik i can leave the eglu in one place before they completely destroy that section of lawn?? Also, once they've had a good go at a secion and i move them on, will that section recover ok or need re-seeding? Any advice to help at least partly save my lawn would be much appreciated!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
