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

[CarolineN]

We have two new hens, Harriet and Mathilda. They are absolutely lovely, and we're eagerly awaiting Mathilda's first lay, Harriet has already begun laying one very small egg per day.

 

Anyway, Harriet is top of the pecking order, and we've noticed she tends to be desperate to get out of the eglu in the morning, and when she bursts forth, she goes immediately to the grub bowl, and she pecks with some ferocity at the layers pellets we've put in there. She manages to throw most of them out of the grub container, and they end up lying in the grass in a great heap.

 

Any ideas why she does this, and how to get her to stop? We move the run and eglu about every two days, and there are now little piles of layers pellets all over our garden, and we're worried about attracting rats.

 

Help!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Welcome to the forum, CarolineN .

 

I know this is your first post but I'm just going to pop it into "Chickens" as you should get more answers there .

[Egluntyne]

You could try raising the grub up a few notches and/or putting a litter tray under it to catch the scatterings.

 

Welcome to the forum .

[daj198]

You could try raising the grub up a few notches and/or putting a litter tray under it to catch the scatterings.

 

Welcome to the forum .

 

I've had this problem too. Will try the notches thing, sounds like a plan

[CarolineN]

Thanks for your help. I will raise them up a bit. She seems to throw them quite a distance from the grub food holder, interestingly, and for the first few days we were blaming the cats for sneaking into the run during the day when the hens were out and about. But no, it's definitely Harriet, as I've now seen her do it.

 

Any idea why? She really attacks the food in the process, and I can't figure out why, as Mathilda doesn't seem to feel any such compulsion.

[chick wiggle]

My girls all seem to burst out of the cube as if they have catapulted and all make a bee line for the food as if they have never been fed at all! Maybe its just the morning hunger and it will settle down?

[CarolineN]

That sounds familiar! Thanks for your help. I'll try raising the food thing up a bit, and see how we go.

 

I have to say that I've wanted to own chickens for a long time, but I'm enjoying them much more than I ever thought I would. They're really lovely. I adore being out in the garden with them, and having them chat to me as they help me look after the plants.