Angels4 Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 I've an old large pine bookcase I could lay in it's back and fashion into a chicken pen with some braces and chicken wire I would fill it with shavings (it has a wood back-which would be the floor if I layed it down on it's back) and bring the girls inside. Picture an extremly large brooder. I wouldn't have to use a heat lamp as the house it heated and they are full grown layers. I am at my wits end with the waterers freezing and the snow blowing into the ventilation holes of the Cube. the girls refuse to come out of the cube because the drifting snow has filled the attached run area. Has anybody ever had six full grown chickens living in the house? Do you think this might work? I'm so worried about the girls and the bitter, icy wind. I don't think they are getting enough food and water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 yep, sure have... got any cat carriers they could sleep in or cardboard boxes will do. Have you a down stairs bathroom that could becomew their tempory run? just put lots of news paper down, and remember they will love to sit on the furniture but they just poo where ever they are when they feel the urge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
art12345 Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 I have had up to three living in the downstaires toilet with losts of paper. The inlaws got a shock when they came for dinner and i forgot to tell them With this cold weather it looks like my two babies a sultan and a silkie might be there for a while longer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barkisland Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 I have been watching the winter storms in the USA on TV today, and if I were living there, I would certainly bring my girls inside until things improve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 I'd bring them in too..... Tricia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevP Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 My girls constantly 'moan' about this snow, its the same moan they do when i forget their daily corn, but its a bit more heart felt now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pikey Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 I'd bring them in......even if just for the night. No snow here but very very cold. 4 big girls ok in the eglu but the 3 bantams have a wooden coop so I have brought them in. They are now sound asleep in a cat carrier in the porch.....saying that Cole sleeps there all the time so the neighbours don't complain about his early morning crowing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angels4 Posted December 20, 2009 Author Share Posted December 20, 2009 So far I've got the 3 original girls in.....now just to get the 3 newbies. Thanks for all the advice everyone. I wasn't prepared for this winter storm and it took me by suprise. I'll work at getting everything else in order outside then slowly bring them back out. I've had to remove my Christmas tree and move some furniture about but I'm happy to do it if it means my girls are safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 That looks great! Lucky chickens! Tricia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angels4 Posted December 20, 2009 Author Share Posted December 20, 2009 That looks great! Lucky chickens! Tricia I wonder if my landlord would agree. The new three will have to stay in the Cube tonight until I can fashion a seperation between the two parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pikey Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 Looks good! We've now got snow and guess who for got to put the cover back over the run last night Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 That's a really clever idea . I hope the worst of the storms pass you by soon , but in the meantime, your girls are warm and have running water now . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoura Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 I've decided to bring mine in on Christmas day/ Boxing Day so I can stay overnight at my sister's! I will let them have the run of the kitchen I think, with newspaper on the floor and some cardboard boxes to nest in. Even if they trash the kitchen I'll feel better than worrying about their water being frozen! Any apecific do's and don'ts when keeping chooks indoors? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angels4 Posted December 21, 2009 Author Share Posted December 21, 2009 Do put down loads more paper than you think you will need. Not sure how long the girls are going to be inside but they do poop ALOT (as I am sure you know). I've thrown down some scratch inside my make-shift pen and the girls are happily pecking away at it creating quite the racket. I've not much information to give you except to say maybe if you have a large dog crate you could keep them confined to a smaller area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Kate Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 My OH has just brought one of ours in. the others are fine (very sturdy) but Peeper is a bit droopy and doesn't eat much. my parents have a granny flat in our house so we've installed peeper in their bathroom - DON;T TELL THEM!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angels4 Posted December 21, 2009 Author Share Posted December 21, 2009 The girls are getting restless being cooped up inside. Ethel keeps trying to jump up and out of the pen which is making a right mess, feathers and shavings flying all around I wonder if she is trying to get to the nest box to lay, as she is making quite the racket. I've placed a crate inside the pen as a makeshift nestbox but I don't think it is "private" enough. I have to get the cube run sorted quickly, not sure how much longer I can keep the girls inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom123 Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 Have you not got a garage or shed the girls could live in? You could even set up the cube in the garage?? Hope everything is alright Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 she probably is wantnig to get to "her" nest . I have 2 that really HAVE to lay in a nest box in the bathroom, what a racket till they get out. perhaps a cardboard box with a hole in a straw would provide a nest suitable for a madam shoura good idea. you might like to put some puppy training pads or incontinent bed sheets under the paper as it will absorb the wet making lifting the paper off the floor easier when you get back., also don't kmow what your kitchen is like but if you have chairs or table , make sure they cannot hop onto anything to "party on the work tops I have used seed trays weighted with brick (without holes in ) or an old wooden drawer to put mash and corn in and they will enjoy scrathinh about in it, one even dustbathed in it buit they will be happy as larry in the kitchen, long as there is somewher cosy to sleep and lay their eggs. Have a good stress free weekend. (ultra safe from Mr fox too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenNutter Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 Looks good! We've now got snow and guess who for got to put the cover back over the run last night Pikey I did even worse yesterday, so don't feel bad. A friend who hasn't seen the girls yet dropped by and I was showing her the features of the eglu, and opened and closed the door a couple of times. Unfortunately I wasn't paying attention and left it closed by mistake. At least an hour after dark, and in the throes of our first real serious snow storm I went to check they were all in the eglu to discover two of them soaking wet huddled on a strut of the pergola and our frizzle roosting in a bush boking sadly to herself in the sleet. How awful a Chicken mummy did I feel? I spent the evening beating myself with birch twigs as a penance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 Looks good! We've now got snow and guess who for got to put the cover back over the run last night Pikey I did even worse yesterday, so don't feel bad. A friend who hasn't seen the girls yet dropped by and I was showing her the features of the eglu, and opened and closed the door a couple of times. Unfortunately I wasn't paying attention and left it closed by mistake. At least an hour after dark, and in the throes of our first real serious snow storm I went to check they were all in the eglu to discover two of them soaking wet huddled on a strut of the pergola and our frizzle roosting in a bush boking sadly to herself in the sleet. How awful a Chicken mummy did I feel? I spent the evening beating myself with birch twigs as a penance. Bless you, stop the beating....they'll do enough of that to make you feel worse !!!! I'm sure you dried them off & snuggled them back into the eglu so they got a good night's sleep ready for today......... Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
