Chicken bald back

[phil turner]

Hi Guys, had the two chicks now for about six months, Curry and Chips, All's been quite well so far.

I've have them in an eglu with extended run on part of my garden which also leads to another covered run for day time use to give them a bit more room to roam.

I was covering the run with plastic sheeting but the soil got a bit compacted and smelly, so I took the plastic sheeting off the other day which Ive now left off for the time being and put some more top soil in.

Its now turned into a bit of a mud bath. I use fine shedded paper for bedding which seems to work quite well and will rot down in the composter, only disadvantage I can see is that it does tend to get dragged out into the run which can look a bit untidy. I saw an entry from plum recommending playground bark chips from B & Q for the run and am thinking of trying some hoping that it will help to dry things up a bit and allow better drainage.

One final point is food, They have good access to the layers pellets, we also sprinkle some corn for them each day and also give them the veg s"Ooops, word censored!"s, they seem happy enough and we usually get two eggs a day. Any more advise on how I can improve things would be welcomed

 

[scrambledhead]

Hello and welcome!

 

I have a similar set up to you.

My grass is now a mud bath!

 

I have just put wood (not bark) chips in the Eglu run, it took about 7 bags which I got from B&Q.

Seems to be working nicely and the girls seem happy digging around in it.

[Plum]

Sorry if I recommended something it would be playground wood chip not bark chips I believe they go smelly.

 

Just a thought if your run is muddy why not put things in for them to get out of the mud on like logs and flowerpots or even pallets. It would make it more interesting anyway. I think that a big area for them is great but it's only like a small area but more of it. So I try and break their areas up with obstacles. Reckon they have short memories and think they are somewhere completely different if they have to climb over an obstacle

 

Mine are probably cursing me all day long

[phil turner]

Hello and welcome!

 

I have a similar set up to you.

My grass is now a mud bath!

 

I have just put wood (not bark) chips in the Eglu run, it took about 7 bags which I got from B&Q.

Seems to be working nicely and the girls seem happy digging around in it.

 

Thanks for your help Ill try that

[Redwing]

Woodchips are good, I bought a cheap pack of skirting board type wood and leant lengths up against the run and held them in place with tent pegs to make a skirting board then filled the run with woodchips, the boards stop the chips being scattered so much

[phil turner]

Hello and welcome!

 

I have a similar set up to you.

My grass is now a mud bath!

 

I have just put wood (not bark) chips in the Eglu run, it took about 7 bags which I got from B&Q.

Seems to be working nicely and the girls seem happy digging around in it.

 

Thanks for your help Ill try that

 

Hi Plum, may have been me misunderstanding will get some playground wood chips tomorrow from B & Q do these tend to rot down well in the composter, like the idea of pallets ect especially just before they go back into the eglu, it may help to keep it a bit cleaner in there, as i have a couple in my garden.

 

Many thanks guys for all your helpfull comments

 

Topsy

 

[Plum]

Sorry I don't know how long they would take, I didn't put mine in there because it was already full so on that occasion they went to recycling centre.

[Redwing]

Sadly woodchips take quite a while to rot down

 

if you cover the run though they do tend to last for a whle, the ones in my big run went down in March!

[clucky chicken]

Hi Topsy - sounds like they're very happy chickies!

 

I feed mine with porridge first thing in the morning in the very cold weather - just to warm their tummies, made from layers mash and a spoonful of porridge oats, with a sprinkling of corn and meal worms - I love to hear the sweet little squeeky sounds coming from them whilst their eating it, so they must be enjoying it!!

[phil turner]

Sadly woodchips take quite a while to rot down

 

if you cover the run though they do tend to last for a whle, the ones in my big run went down in March!

Hi Plum,

 

In the end I had to get playground bark chips anyway, as B&Q hadnt got any wood chips and i couldnt find any in a hurry any where else locally. What is the issue with using bark chips, I got 2 x 100ltr bags of playground quality for £10.00 from a garden centre and at least there not paddling around in a swamp now. If its only that it get's a bit smelly after a while at least they can be raked out faily easily when the weather improves In a few months time and put in the composter. I have also put a small paving slab just out side the eglu in the hope that it will help to prevent the bark chips being dragged into the eglu. may even try to train them to wipe there feet before they go in

 

I have also put the plastic cover back onthe top of the run close to the eglu to try to give them a little more shelter from the weather

 

I'll try the porrage mix at the weekend Cheers

[Plum]

Sorted then

 

There's a few threads running at the moment saying they have got very smelly but as you say if you rake them and change them if there is a problem I'm sure they'll really help.

 

You're right they are going to need a bit of shelter at the moment. Brrrrr

[phil turner]

Sorted then

 

There's a few threads running at the moment saying they have got very smelly but as you say if you rake them and change them if there is a problem I'm sure they'll really help.

 

You're right they are going to need a bit of shelter at the moment. Brrrrr

 

Hi Guys, went down to the chicks at about 7.30 in the evening and put an old blanket over the eglu followed by a breathable water proof motorcycle cover which i extended along the run and anchored down with a few bricks. although my wife thought i was mad im glad I did as that was the night it snowed. They seemed quite happy in the morning even though the eglu door was left open, they must have thought they were in the Hilton. The paving slab at their entrance has proved a success at preventing the general mud ect from being dragged into the eglu.

This morning I made the up some warm mash made up from veg cuttings, porrage oats, and a sprinking of meal worms on the top, they really seem to like it especially as it was quite warm when i gave it to them. Ive now managed to source some hard wood chips so i'll leave the bark down untill the weather improves and then change it out,. Thanks guys for all your advice and have a great Christmas from me and a very happy Curry and Chips