noyan Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 any body got the problem I have with my girls digging under the run. The run may be fox proof from the outside but nothing says the chickens can't dig there way out. they dig deep holes near the edges then fill them in to hide them. we did have that black weed supressing stuff down but they have shredded that. is the only answer concrete? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 I know what you mean!! I put slabs around the edge of the run to prevent them from getting out! I had no idea that they could dig until I saw it myself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfrock Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 us too! Huge craters! Initially I thought we had rats until I had a good look and found they went nowhere. Just the girls drilling for gold! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 Ours do it in the flowerbeds and use it for a dust bath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 Mine do this in the strip in the middle of our run that goes between the concrete base and the paving slabs. They really dig down deep. We have taken some of the original cube run with a skirt bit and tied it to the inside of the run and hung the grub and glub on it. They love digging under it but I don't think they could squeeze under and get out I shall have to take a photo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 I have weldmesh under my Eglu run, stops critters getting in and the chickens getting out! I have a few inches of woodchip on top for them to dig in The wire sort of sinks in to the soil surface after a short while so I don't worry about hurt feet etc.. and have never had any problems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adams Egg Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 I noticed this the other day, not only have they droped the level of the run, they have dug under the skirt and pecked away to within a couple of inches of the skirt edge. Have now wedged roof tiles under the skirt to halt progress! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 Normal behaviour. They love dustbathing. Paving slabs and a shallow tubtrug of earth in the run is the answer......although they will scatter it about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfrock Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 mine have a 2sq metre permanent dustbath in their WIR - their holes are simply for the sheer hell of it! LOL. We also put a large wire skirt around the outisde of our run, which is also slabbed over, so at least I know "Ooops, word censored!"ody is getting in or out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mags Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 i have notice the girls have been s"Ooops, word censored!"ing out the earth between slabs ! Mags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 Yes I put the weldmesh off the wir into the soil and put a double layer of bricks all along the edge and even though a plank of wood they have neatly excavated under the bricks...every evening i sweep the soil back into the holes for them to start all over again..I think slabs would be the solution right monkeys indie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 But they are having such fun. Mine have a choice of dust baths, must have 3 or 4 craters in the garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noyan Posted May 13, 2009 Author Share Posted May 13, 2009 just bought some Bliss (hemcore type stuff) going to put that down so they can dig even deeper The wood chips have just disapeared. Even though I have attatched eight inch boards around the run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
