CannyCat Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 We received our chickens and eglu yesterday - a green eglu and what I think is a speckeldy and bluebelle (?) photos below. The chickens are lovely, real characters - the black one (they are yet to be named ) rules the roost despite being younger, and always gets to the treats first! The white one is more gentle natured, and follows the black one around the run like a puppy The Omlet van pulled up outside the house, and Tom and I helped The Omlet Man (I didn't catch his name very nice guy though!) carry the bits into the house. He put the run together, and then showed us how to hold the chickens - they were so soft! We can't get the chickens out of the run til Sunday - what a tease - but already I have some questions... 1) They poop for England, and with the warm weather we're getting swarms of bluebottles, which we're concerned will bother the neighbours (not to mention us). Does anyone else experience this problem, and what do you do to combat it? We're trying to scoop the poop out a couple of times a day, but it's really difficult to get in the run to do it (especially as the black one has now decided she's brave enough to come really close to me and peck at me, and try to get out into the garden! Plus when I'm back at work next week I wont be around to do it. (I think Omlet should add an extra door into the side of the run, so we can get in to clean it out more easily...) They're on grass at the moment, but Tom's going to make a tray to put the eglu in with wood chippings (or is auboise better?) 2) They're spilling their food everywhere - I say spilling, but to be honest the black one chucks it out of the bowl quite deliberately! Has anyone devised a way to minimise spillage? We have a whole sack of pellets and dont want to waste it by changing to mash... Thanks everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemcg Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 Hi there, I'm no expert but I think your white one is a Sussex, not a bluebelle - theres a post about new Omlet breeds a couple before this and it shows pics. I couldn't believe how much mine poo'd but they are on a deck of Hemcore and it gets absorbed really well and theres no smell so I'd definitely reccomend it. Hope you have as much fun as we're having! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 glad you got your eglu canny cat....my green one didnt come yesterday...the courier sent it to the wrong place your chickens look lovely.....they sound like they're right at home. im definetly going to get HEMCORE to put down in the run.. apparently it dries out nicely when wet, absorbs some of the smells too..which should keep away the flies... i think a lot of the flies are also to do with this sunnier warmer spell we are having...a few frosts and there will be no sign of the blighters.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CannyCat Posted September 8, 2006 Author Share Posted September 8, 2006 glad you got your eglu canny cat....my green one didnt come yesterday...the courier sent it to the wrong place your chickens look lovely.....they sound like they're right at home. im definetly going to get HEMCORE to put down in the run.. apparently it dries out nicely when wet, absorbs some of the smells too..which should keep away the flies... i think a lot of the flies are also to do with this sunnier warmer spell we are having...a few frosts and there will be no sign of the blighters.. Oh no! Do you know when you're getting it now? Is Hemcore better than auboise for absorbing smell? (what is it, a kind of woodchips, or?) Can I get hemcore from B&Q type places, or do I need to go to a pet store? I've drawn up plans for a tray for the eglu to sit in with chips/hemcore (complete with draining holes and little legs to keep it dry), so as soon as we finish painting the bedroom (this afternoon) I'll get my Man-Who-Can on the job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CannyCat Posted September 8, 2006 Author Share Posted September 8, 2006 Hi there, I'm no expert but I think your white one is a Sussex, not a bluebelle - theres a post about new Omlet breeds a couple before this and it shows pics. I couldn't believe how much mine poo'd but they are on a deck of Hemcore and it gets absorbed really well and theres no smell so I'd definitely reccomend it. Hope you have as much fun as we're having! Thanks Fee, I'll go look at that thread now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemcg Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 Sounds like you're going to build something similar to ours - have a look at my post 'Got Them' and you'll see pics of our deck thingy and the Hemcore. I got the Hemcore from a local animal feed supplier - it was cheaper if you bought 5 bags or more so got 5 which will last for ages! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 my eglu came at 10.30 this morning - very happy! apparently hemcore is something to do with the hemp plant...(i read on a website)...it has citronella in it (which helps with the smell) you wont be able to buy at b & q something like a horsey store/animal feeds/farm supplies its used very often in stables etc bark chips get mulchier and dont dry out as well, also some of the bark chips are treated with something - so be wary that its not harmful to your girlies... your eglu looks fab! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
