Mrs

[K-F-C]

Hiya...

 

Now that I have my run extension in place I thought about getting some perches put inside so that the chickens can hop up and down and sit at different levels etc...

 

I've see that some people have rigged things up with broom sticks or shoe racks but I was thinking of buying a set of the replacement plastic roosting bars that go with the Eglu (they are only £15 quid or so) and somehow raising each of them off of the floor, on four posts!

 

Does this sound like a good idea? Or should I just get a broomstick?

[teri]

my six year old son helped me build aperch for my girls. it took about an hour and i got the idea from someone elses post

as you can see they love it!

i have also added a great tree branch which i spotted while driving my daughter to gymnastics yesterday. someone had obviously pruned their tree and dumped the waste so i turned the car round and picked it up! it was a bit of a squeaze as i had four kids in the car at the time and my son ended up playing host to a huge spider, sorry david!, but i have now chopped off the bits i didn't like and have "planted" it in the run. it looks great, it was free and the chickens are already using the lower branches!

i'll post a picture in a while.

[Tweety]

I made a perch in the eglu run using the wooden roosting bars, by turning them upside down and slotting them onto 2 canes which I had pushed through the bars of the run. It was a great success and the girls used it a lot, so I think your idea would work very well. Logs are also popular with my hens.

[K-F-C]

I was a little concerned that wooden perches may be harder to clean and that logs may provide a habitat for red mites and alike.

 

Could suspending them from the roof be an idea... or do they not like swings?

 

Maybe I could get them a slide too and a roundabout and a rollercoaster? Or maybe I should try and stop having 'bright' ideas?!

[Falkor]

Sounds like a great plan KFC......one I may copy as I was thinking on adding an upper level to my WIR using decking sqaures but wasn`t keen on adding more wood because if the dreaded red-mite and plastic is so much easier to keep clean:D

 

How are you planning on attaching it to the run?

 

 

Ooooh you were posting the same thing at the same time!

 

Edit to add.....I think it is Quickclucks gilrs who have a swing and a climbing frame (is it?? ) but I reckon it is for her really

 

How about installing Sky TV for them too!? I know I would do it if I though it would make them happier

[Cinnamon]

Just a thought,but I am not sure about broom handles - aren't perches better off squared?

[teri]

How about installing Sky TV for them too!? I know I would do it if I though it would make them happier

 

mine have a swinging branch suspended from their perch and a wind up radio. they seem to like both!!

[K-F-C]

How about installing Sky TV for them too!? I know I would do it if I though it would make them happier

 

mine have a swinging branch suspended from their perch and a wind up radio. they seem to like both!!

 

How do they manage to wind it up?

[K-F-C]

Sounds like a great plan KFC......one I may copy as I was thinking on adding an upper level to my WIR using decking sqaures but wasn`t keen on adding more wood because if the dreaded red-mite and plastic is so much easier to keep clean:D

 

How are you planning on attaching it to the run?

 

Just ordered some!

 

I'll work that out when I get them?!

 

I'm thinking maybe fix the smaller set to four legs... like a little roosting table... maybe 30cm or so off of the ground...

 

And see about making the longer set into a swing by suspending it with light weight chain and clips from the roof?!

 

I'll post pics when I get it set up.

[Janty]

I have branches in my WIR. I rearrange them every so often to change things round a bit. They also have a tyre but that ends up with me filling it up with aubiouse and they throw it out again...a game they love! Now that you can buy bales of straw again, I have bought some to add a bit more variety to the run....the pekins are particularly impressed.

[Kit]

I have a few branches in my eglu run but if you are worried about attracting red mites have you considered using toddlers plastic steps ...the ones that they stand onto to reach the sink?

 

Mine free range everyday all day at the moment but I know in winter and when I am not around they will have to stay in their run so I am planning on buying a few plastic chairs and stools for them.

 

Kit

[Chook n Boo Mum]

This is my girls run, when I'd just put the big logs in..........

 

 

Snowdrop's favourite trick is to stand on the very top of the left hand log and launch herself at unsuspecting people letting them out....I don't get the treatment as I always look for them all, DH got a surprise, so has my dad DS and my Dad made the "climbing frame" form building s"Ooops, word censored!" & I put the spare wooden roosting bars over part of the frame....everything "climbable" is a great hit in our run, they also like clambering under them & making dustbaths !!

 

I hadn't considered the dreaded RM in the run..I may just have to go & buy a new bucket of DE & give everything a good dosing!!

 

Sha x

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I've got lots of wooden stuff in my run but I think red mite like the dark so I'm hoping that won't be a problem . My girls certainly like their branches and spend loads of time perching above the bench (and pooing onto it ).

 

[Tweety]

I think ANH is right - red mite are like vampires and need to live in the dark, so wood perches and logs should be ok. Finges crossed here, although I have not had a problem so far!

[Redwing]

I sussed this when I had my Eglu run:

 

Get two of those green plastic coated plant poles (like bamboo canes) stick those through the run so they go in one side and out the other a few holes apart and paralell , place roosting bars on top and cable tie them on

 

The resultant item looks like a stretcher which is what you need after crawling through to secure them

 

They don't take up any floor space which is great, I secured mine high so the chickens could walk under them but you could put them low so they can hop over if necessary

[Falkor]

Tasha has the answer again! (seems kind of obvious really )

 

[Mrs Slats]

We've used the old roosting bars and a couple of bits of pole to make a mezanine floor. This girlds love it - they can see into the kitchen from up there and it's hilarious to look up the garden to find a chicken peering back down at you!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

If you cable tie 2 Ikea shoe racks together so they are slightly wider than the eglu run, the end bits fit perfectly through the run holes . (I didn't have any spare roosting bars or would have used Tasha's cunning plan .)

[K-F-C]

Got my Eglu bars today...

 

I tempted CiCi up first by hanging half a corn on the cob.

 

KiKi soon joined her!

 

MiMi hopped up too! I fixed the smaller bars on top of some green garden 'cane' using some pluming fixings... the top will just pull off to clean.

 

FiFi went up later! I fixed the longer bars using some chain and little screw fixings at the bottom and cable ties at the top (so it stays level)... the chain has a clips in the link so it will be easy to remove to clean.

 

They seem to love both perches! The three biggest girls were all on together earlier too! Plus they take up no room in the run!

[Falkor]

Looks

 

And very smartly fixed too! .....puts my heath robinson stylee perches to shame!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Wow . Those look great . I agree, very smart fixings .

[Chook n Boo Mum]

*calls gently* "DH...DH (not his name obviously!!)...another idea to add to the WIR!"........ ...hee heee!!!

 

Sha x

[Plum]

That's a good idea.

 

I used one side of a shelving unit from Ikea and made it into a perch. Cheap and I think it looks good. Been a great success.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I used one side of a shelving unit from Ikea and made it into a perch. Cheap and I think it looks good.

 

I think we definitely need a photo . (I am planning a high-rise perch now .)