SillyClucker Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 It has rained here every day for ages now. Our hens love to get of the run and free range. Unfortunately our garden is a bog, if you stand still long enough you'll start to sink. I'm going to make some duckboards up, or should they be called chookboards so that we can get around their range without fear of drowning. When its raining i tend to keep them in the run so that i know they will be dry but what to do to keep them amused? i have hung sweetcorn up and thrown corn into the hemcore but is there anything else i cold amuse them with? What about throwing in live meal worms into the run - live prey Anyone got a good quick cheap design for chookboards? Bogged off, Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elaine C Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 Not my sort of weather either. but has to be said we need the rain in this area to recharge the groundwater to hopefully avoid probs next year (won't' go into Thames water and leakage stats though Yes, our garden too is a bog, not very good while we are trying to construct a fab chookie run! OH and my mums husband doing this and mentioned that they keep sinking into the mud today. Chookboards sound like a really good idea but can't help with a cheap Don't know really what to suggest as seems you have done the main things. I'm thinking of hanging redundant CDs in the run. May keep them amused for a short time. Mine certainly seem to go for anything shiney. Live meal worms I feel wouldn't last too long, the dried ones I through in last for just seconds!! All the best E Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted December 3, 2006 Share Posted December 3, 2006 Infuriating...our ground had dried out nicely over the last couple of days. Rained solidly all night and now it is like the Somme again. Poor chickens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elaine C Posted December 3, 2006 Share Posted December 3, 2006 Same here. Garden completely sodden again after last night and run building for today has been abandoned! At the moment the sun is shining though! Need to move the eglu - where to though, they'll be paddling wherever its moved to E Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 I agree that the weather isn't good for chickens. My Bluebelle Muddles is moulting at the minute-but she's covered in bald patches as her feathers have literally been blown out-poor thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 Mine are quite happy to get all soggy, but I'm not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SillyClucker Posted December 5, 2006 Author Share Posted December 5, 2006 its getting beyond a joke here now. the weather forcast says its going to be dry and yet it still pours down. Strange to think we're still on a hose pipe ban and have been for nearly 2 years! I just feel sorry for the hens although they are always v. eager to get out of the run which is covered and dry. Don't like to think of them going to bed in wet clothes and catching a chill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 We have had quite good weather in Oxford: it was like summer on Saturday, and there has been no rain during the day for a week or so. I suppose this is why we still have a hosepipe ban. I am finding keeping chickens much more fun this winter than last, simply because of the good weather. The grass is still growing and so I can let them out to graze. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 and there has been no rain during the day for a week or so. We've had pouring rain most days here in Banbury, and we're only 26 miles north. Just goes to prove the local lore that Banbury has its own weather system Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 I think you get the rain during the day, and it reaches us during the night. There has been some very heavy night rain here, but I don't mind that. It's only a couple of weeks to the shortest day now, and then it will soon be spring, when an Omleteer's fancy turns to some more chickens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 its getting beyond a joke here now. the weather forcast says its going to be dry and yet it still pours down. Strange to think we're still on a hose pipe ban and have been for nearly 2 years! I just feel sorry for the hens although they are always v. eager to get out of the run which is covered and dry. Don't like to think of them going to bed in wet clothes and catching a chill I agree ! Im totally fed up with this wet its about time it got cold and dry now! mine dont like the wet either, I let them out and all they do is run under the caravan! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One Man Banned Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 .....The grass is still growing and so I can let them out to graze. GRASS!! What's that then! I'll try and get a pic on here of the current mess in the garden! A xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 My grass definitely isn't growing I have some bare patches where the rablu with chicks was standing, but they're not too bad. The only real damage is where I am walking up and down it to get to the Eglu. I have never known our grass to be so damp, it is normall very well drained. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One Man Banned Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 Ok here goes First pic of the garden the day we got the laydess....... Current winter area for the laydees with one determined chook on the wrong side of the fence again. The patio area sums up the destruction of Geri! .....note slightly listing fence to the right! With both chooks where they're supposed to be! Isn't it sweet....just as I take the photo, Molly looks back and pokes her tongue out at me!! The muddy patches on what's left of the grass show more of Geri's destruction! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SillyClucker Posted December 7, 2006 Author Share Posted December 7, 2006 yeeeeee gods - omlet don't tell you that your garden will start to resemble a farm yard do they ( no offence intended ) I'll try and get a photo of ours so that you can see the devastation [edit] just seen your dogs expression and its saying "Where's my bl**dy garden gone" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted December 9, 2006 Share Posted December 9, 2006 When its raining i tend to keep them in the run so that i know they will be dry but what to do to keep them amused? i have hung sweetcorn up and thrown corn into the hemcore but is there anything else i cold amuse them with? What about throwing in live meal worms into the run - live prey Hi Chris, we're keeping ours in most of the time with this wet weather and the dark afternoons too. I put a whole load of leaves in the run during the week (there is a thread on this), and they do definately seem to be enjoying them. They can search for hours (think they must have eaten all the beasties by now, but it doesnt stop them looking!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
