church chooks Posted December 23, 2006 Share Posted December 23, 2006 After my girls finished the bag of pellets supplied by omlet i moved them on to layers mash - and they love it The only problem is the awful mess Anyway, i buy my mash from a farm with lots and lots of free range chickens and they pointed out that the problem is the 'grub' for the eglu is usually too low to hold mash. You don't need a new feeder, just position the grub higher up the wall. I now have my 'grub' at about head height (chicken head that is), the girls don't need to reach but they also can't look in and pick out the really yummy bits - it has virtually stopped the mess problem and they are still happy and laying eggs It seems such a simple solution - but boy does it work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellekatz Posted December 23, 2006 Share Posted December 23, 2006 What a simple solution I will try that when I clean the girls out later. Just off to Lymm to pick up Nicola H's red eglu that I bought for the bunny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted December 23, 2006 Share Posted December 23, 2006 See you soon........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted December 23, 2006 Share Posted December 23, 2006 Oooooo a lovely for the bunny Great idea for the grub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SillyClucker Posted December 23, 2006 Share Posted December 23, 2006 from books i've read he ideal height is 1" above their backs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted December 23, 2006 Share Posted December 23, 2006 Good idea, but it might depend on the hen's personality. A couple of mine will just shovel it out for fun, even if it's high & they can't see it, it's just scoop & spray method! Good luck, maybe some are more well behaved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted December 24, 2006 Share Posted December 24, 2006 Mine too Sheila! Crockett throws it everywhere and then the other two scrabble round eating it off the floor. I think its so she can get them out of the way so she can have prime pickings! Girl after my own heart! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted December 25, 2006 Share Posted December 25, 2006 I put it as high as possible, as if its any lower they just knock it off! I think Matilda brings her head up sharply, and as the taller chook lifts the hook off the wire of the run. But even when its really high they still manage to shovel loads of it out on the floor! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleHen Posted December 26, 2006 Share Posted December 26, 2006 I'm going to give this a try - the mushy mess now on the run floor since using mash is horrible Despite putting a seed tray underneath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Marmoy Posted January 2, 2007 Share Posted January 2, 2007 Thank goodness my pair are not the only messy eaters!! And & Dec seem to find it highly amusing to shovel as much food out of the grub as possible. The problem is that it gets into the wood chip and goes mouldy. I have now put a deep tray under the grub where the pellets end up and the girls are quite happy to eat it from there! Problem solved! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diana1 Posted January 2, 2007 Share Posted January 2, 2007 I've just moved my eglu and the mud and pellet mess were compacted and very yucky I tried to dig it over and had to shovel the smelly caked area to one side - it doesn't seem to rot. I'm going to put more bark down - a deeper layer that should stay above the mud. I have just put a seed tray under the glub. I put a big stone in it today as Angel managed to upturn the whole lot and mess all over again. Its great digging around with the chickens and enabling them to get tasty morsels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Marmoy Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 I used some spring clips through the run wire mesh to hold the tray under the Grub as Ant and Dec can also tip the tray over. Every 2 weeks we do a megga clean and jet wash everything, that's when I rake the wood bark over and level it again. I'll raise the Grub to the suggested 1" higher than the chicks back to see if the combination of height and tray = happy chickens! Got another 2 speckled eggs today, made them into 2 runny fried egg sandwiches for lunch - heaven! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diana1 Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 what are spring clips? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Marmoy Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 Hi Di, I'm not sure if it's the correct name but the clips I used are like a capital R made of sprung stainless steel but any type of clip would work like an old fashioned Bull dog clip. PS Does anyone else feel a bit guilty about eating our girls eggs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 I did at first - don't worry, you soon get over it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
church chooks Posted January 3, 2007 Author Share Posted January 3, 2007 the clips sound like cumberland clips - they are used by artists to hold the paper securely on a board. They are ever so cheap from an art supply shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diana1 Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 I know what you mean now that you describe it as an R shape clip. I'll see if we've got somthing like that. Could be more suitable than the large stone. I've got two glubs now so the trays may take up a bit too much space. Guilty about eating eggs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 PS Does anyone else feel a bit guilty about eating our girls eggs? Just a little sometimes! It was strange taking and eating the very first egg! Just thinking that it only recently plopped out of one of our own chicken's bottoms! Now sometimes I feel guilty about the fact that they've been bred to produce at such a terrific rate just so we can have lots of lovely eggs - not in their best interests is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diana1 Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 I'm not sure about this theory - that they are bred to lay lots of eggs. They lay eggs (like we do if you know what I mean) on the off-chance that they get fertilised. They lay lots of eggs so that when they do get fertillised there's more chance of some chicks surviving against predators. So what I am saying is that they lots of eggs and it probably is in their interest. I'd like to add that in this rich and plentiful land we feed them and they feed us and the world goes round. So don't feel guilty about eating their eggs. We provide them with food, shelter, love etc afterall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 I did feel guilty when Susannah got broody ad gave me dirty looks from that point onwards if I collected eggs I'm just happy if I get eggs now as I get some non-egg days. Also if I place Katy's egg on the floor whilst collecting Katy will come over and peck it I figure she can't be that attached Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 Also if I place Katy's egg on the floor whilst collecting Katy will come over and peck it I figure she can't be that attached No! Ours don't seem attached to their eggs either! But I don't think they'd naturally be laying nearly the number of eggs they do. I do think that's been bred into them. I'm sure I've read that somewhere... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
