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

[Penguin]

With the weather being so inclement does anyone have any suggestions about how to get rid of the slugs that seem to like spending time inside the pen, and especially the girls' food bowl? I don't want to put down pellets in case the girls eat them but the experience of deslugging the bowl every morning turns my stomach!

[JM]

I don't know about anyone else's, but all my chooks think that slugs are a great treat (the bigger the better) - they normally chase round after whoever finds one first (who always seems to shout about finding it!).

 

However, I think that slugs can transmit worms to chickens, so you should make sure your worming regime is up to date.

 

Jill

[C&T]

Mine love slugs too, and chase each other around!

 

Only one has worked out how to eat the big ones, by cutting them in half first, but it doesn't stop the other one trying!!

 

They are regularly wormed though with Flubenvet (sp?), as they do seem to eat a lot of them at the moment....

[Penguin]

I have just discovered that slugs (and snails) apparently like beer and if you put a container with beer in it in the garden they will go into it and drown. Scotts of Stow have a nice frog shaped beer container specially for slugs so I might think about giving that one a go .... our girls don't seem to think that the slugs are worth eating - at least not while we're watching!

[K-F-C]

I scoop them out and salt them!

 

Mine hens are not interested in the slugs at all, which is a shame! I even planted two Hostas near the run in the hope that they would attract slugs for the chickens to eat!

[Ness3103]

i take the food in at night so i haven't had that problem thank goodness i have a phobia where slugs are concerned they make me just thinking about them

[WarrensWorld]

Ours love slugs, in fact Violet and Fern eat any kind of creepy crawly, they come across. Heather and Alice, are partial to a bit of livestock too..... Must be the Dinosaur in them.

[K-F-C]

KiKi just ate a bee!

[simone]

penguin i use empty yogurt pots, put beer in and check next day full of slugs

[Penguin]

Thanks for all the advice! That's a great idea to take the food in at night - I think I will try that one first and then go for the beer option if they are still lurking around the pen. Saves me having to get the rubber gloves on in the morning ...

[rabbitfluff]

A flame thrower but if not a spade under cover of darkness seems to be quite effective. Beer traps are very good too, and there's a perverse satisfaction to be had from giving them a "helping hand" in when you see them hovering on the edge.

[Falkor]

I scoop them out and salt them!

 

Mine hens are not interested in the slugs at all, which is a shame! I even planted two Hostas near the run in the hope that they would attract slugs for the chickens to eat!

 

they might not like the slugs but i bet they are loving the hostas!

[teri]

my girls love slugs and snails the bigger the better! my neighbours are avid gardeners and regulaly chuck a load over for them! they have even stopped using slug pellets in case it harms my girls. they also chuck any spare bits from the veggie patch and fruit trees in exchange they get fresh eggs!

[-sarahjayne]

My girls also loves snails and slugs and if one of them finds a slug/snail they will parade around the garden.

[4Clucks-minusOne]

I have to check inside the eglu when I go to shut the door, There are always one or two on the ceiling but because it's dark the girls don't see them.

 

Once I've prised them off I usually launch them into space over next doors fence and into their wood.

 

A few weeks ago Roxy had one glued to her chest.

[Tink]

penguin i use empty yogurt pots, put beer in and check next day full of slugs

 

My OH wont let me use his beer for the slugs.... and my girls wont touch them either... Sugar water also works well if you dont have any beer... I have a jam jar submerged in the soil filled with sugar water and they fall right in