Solitary chicken - need advice

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Andrew (atsw) and I have been helping Tony with his design for a grub/glug feeding station. We've had a few issues along the way and now seem to be working towards 2 types. I suggested to Tony I could start a thread to get some feedback from potential run owners and help him develop a stand that works well.

 

This is the one I got to give you an idea of what it looks like. (It was too angled and a bit unstable despite looking really good!)

 

 

So, would you prefer a free-standing version something like this

 

 

or a simpler version like this (I removed the legs and have since removed the middle bar to give greater flexibility in positioning the grub/glug.

 

 

I don't have much room so I like the one attached to the run panel. A freestanding one would be flexible (but the chickens would perch on it and poo in their water , mine did ).

 

Yours views would be welcome .

[abwsco]

Fixed for me

[Cooks]

fixed ANH

[alih]

defnitely fixed

[Seagazer]

I defintely think fixed ANH as I just thought the other one would take up too much room and from the look of it, it is too angled. I haven't ordered anything as I wasn't too sure about it. I think OH might just put some wire up between the panels for now.

 

I can't quite make out what it is in the fixed one is it just like a small panel that you've put bungey thingies to keep it on with? (I know, I know I'm a technical whizz )

 

Sorry - I've looked at it again and can see what it is. I've got a really fuzzy head this morning so brain isn't working properly

[Falkor]

I do like to very neat look of the A4U feeder but agree that is takes up space and may be unstable is chooks decide to have a perch!

 

FIL made my feeding stations on Tuesday from some offcuts of 4"x1" and the skirts that I chopped off the run sections from under the cube ( Redwing told me to do it! ) TBH none of the run panels are being used under the cube anyways.

 

 

 

 

I still need to paint them.

 

I like them as I can still butt them right up to the edge of the run and they are very sturdy. The grub can sit on the top rung of the mesh panel full of pellets and it still doesn`t topple forward.

 

FIL is working on a longer one (length of skirt) so I can hand two grubs and also a taller one so I can hang the superglug. Will add pics when I have them

[hillfamily]

I definitely like the fixed to the run panels version ANH :D

 

My lot would all perch on the freestanding version and it will take up valuable floor space. I'm initially using bits of cube run fixed to the run panels until Tony finalises a design

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I defintely think fixed ANH as I just thought the other one would take up too much room and from the look of it, it is too angled.

 

Do bear in mind that Tony is changing the design so it won't be angled any more . It will sit upright with 2 horizontal supports that sit flat on the ground. No photos exist as it's not been made yet .

 

Here's a photo showing my holder with the middle bar taken out - it gives more options for hanging the feeders where you want.

 

[hillfamily]

Do bear in mind that Tony is changing the design so it won't be angled any more .

 

even though it won't be angled I would still prefer one that is attached to the side of the run so that it takes up less space

[Seagazer]

I think it defintely looks better being fixed and I prefer it without the middle bar. Is Tony going to come up with ideas for fixing it to the panel or do you think the bungey thing is the way to go?

[Ygerna]

My first response was for fixed, but, then I thought that for people with lots of chickens and several grubs and glugs the freestanding one could have both sides to hang them on. utilising both sides but only taking up the same amount of space.

 

So, in view of this, I think my answer is....

 

BOTH

[Cooks]

LOLOLOLOLOL you cant have both it's plain cheating.

[atsw]

Hello everyone - sorry, I'm a bit late to this thread, been away from the computer for the last couple of days. Below is the picture of my A4U free-standing unit, which my girls love.

 

 

I've a big run (15ft x 6ft), so space is not at so much of a premium, and I like the flexibility to move the unit around (those who have followed my build pictures - see link in my signature - will have noticed it's already been in quite a few different locations!).

 

Mine is the MK I edition, and you'll note that it's at a steeper angle than ANH's version, and not quite as long. The angle worked really well for me and for my Glug and Grub, once I settled on their relative positions on the holder (Grub at top Glug at bottom in my case).

 

The problem I had is that one of my Orps is very inquisitive, and really liked trying to get round behind the feeder, with the result that she kept knocking the whole unit forward, tipping water and food all over the floor. My OH came up with a simple solution, tie the top of unit to the mesh of the run with a couple of garden wire ties. You can see the result below (and my inquisitive Orp!):-

 

 

This has worked perfectly for us, and we've had no accidental spillages since. The angle is such that the water Glug is perfectly flat, so water is held as expected. You'll note that the food Grub at the top is of the older style, with slightly different hooks on the back made of metal.

 

Keep the suggestions coming everyone!

 

Andrew

[Ain't Nobody Here]

It's a really subtle difference between yours and mine, Andrew . Strange how it makes the glug tip back so much on mine!

 

Yours really does look good and I agree, if space is not an issue, the freestanding one does work really well .

 

My only worry would be this :

 

 

which resulted in some rather tasty drinking water .

[atsw]

It's a really subtle difference between yours and mine, Andrew . Strange how it makes the glug tip back so much on mine!

I think that has more to do with the bar that used to be on yours. Because mine never had a bar, the Glug could hook on a little higher up, which allowed the lower-back of the Glug to rest against the mesh and bottom to sit fully on the wood bar.

 

This picture sort of shows what I'm trying to say. If the Glug was any lower the bottom would get pushed out, causing the whole thing to tip back, spilling water out the rear.

 

 

It could go higher (hence the cut out mesh in the picture), but the Glug is really heavy when full of water, and seems more sturdy when resting on the lower wood bar.

 

Your picture is hillarious, I almost spat tea all over my monitor as the page re-refreshed . My girls can't do that on my unit, the top bar is too close the mesh wall of the run. Also, with two of mine being great big Orps, while they may be very pretty, they are not that agile . Luckily Fifi is to old to bother about learning new tricks .

 

Andrew

[Vanessa]

Just a question for atsw - I am just wondering if your orp is a fully grown hen or she is still growing? I am just asking as you have her in a eglu and I always thought the orps are to big for the eglu as such.

[atsw]

Hi Vanessa - My two Orps were hatched 22nd April 2008, so are almost 1 year old. They were from the same brood, but Di is quite a bit bigger than Anna. They seem to have stopped growing now.

 

They do 'duck' when going into the Eglu door, but are certainly are not too big for the coop - far from it, there's actually room to spare for one more bird. They love to huddle-up together on the bars with Fifi (my old red hen) roosting on the edge of the nest box.

 

Fifi is now very old, and I don't honestly expect her to make it through to next Winter . As and when we get to that point, I'm planning on getting two Light Sussex hens, like this:-

 

 

which are also quite big birds, but there will be plenty of room for all the girls inside the Eglu.

 

Andrew

[Redwing]

Your girls are terribly photogenic ANH

 

I prefer your final model, it could easily be screwed to the uprights on the run panel if you wanted it completely fixed

[bronze]

I just green clipped some eglu run to the walk in run mesh and hung stuff on there. Took seconds and cost nowt

[Olly]

I think I prefer the fixed, BUT - the above pics are all of Glugs and Grubs. What about the Superglug? Not only is it bigger (and very heavy when full of water!) but it needs to be much higher up, because the chickens drink from the 'taps' at the bottom. I was advised to hang it at a level where they would have to stretch up to it.

 

I don't think this stand would work for that? Bron's idea is good, I'll have some spare panels.

[WitchHazel]

we used some of the Eglu run stuff and clipped it to our welmesh. I can move it around and adjust the height as necessary.

[Seagazer]

I might use part of the cube run, makes sense really as it will already be there. I've ordered another grub and a glug. My girls have a superglug but do prefer drinking out of a dish.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

What about the Superglug? Not only is it bigger (and very heavy when full of water!) but it needs to be much higher up, because the chickens drink from the 'taps' at the bottom. I was advised to hang it at a level where they would have to stretch up to it.

 

I did mention the superglug to Tony but couldn't really advise him as I haven't seen one in real life!

 

I suppose a double height holder would solve that problem but I wonder if the mesh would take the weight .

[atsw]

What about the Superglug?

I did mention the superglug to Tony but couldn't really advise him as I haven't seen one in real life!

 

I suppose a double height holder would solve that problem but I wonder if the mesh would take the weight .

I'd say almost certainly not. However, upgrading to the type of mesh used on an Eglu/Cube run would be fine I'd have though.

 

Andrew

[Redwing]

I have just bought some kitchen rails from Ikea (the ones that you can hang stuff on like mini spice racks and utensil holders) which I will use to hang the grub and glug on so am hoping that I have cracked this