Eglu Cube Coop and Accessories

[Chicktastic]

Sorry for bothering you again guys with what may seem a bit trivial. My new chooks are coming tomorrow, nearly 3 weeks early!! can't wait!! Still not told the children, I'm bursting!!!

 

Ok, so I am sort of in the middle of preparing the garden so not entirely ready, and with the rain, its a bit of a mud bath!!! Was thinking to buy some metal edging that you just tap in to the ground and lay something down to fill the area so the ground is not too muddy and squelchy. Do you think that the natural hardwood chippings from B & Q will be ok for the time being??? I have a couple of old shower curtains to keep the main rain off till the more sheltered are is ready, not ideal I know but was the best I could do at short notice!

 

I didn't have this problem in the old house with my chickens because the area was already prepared and quite well sheltered.

 

Was hoping to go after lunch, sorry for the last minute ask!!!! xx

[sadietoo]

There's nothing wrong with shower curtains and bungees on the run...that's what I have on mine and it works fine. Of course once the run area has been protected by the shower curtains it will hopefully start to dry out a bit underfoot. Sorry to ask a stupid question..is it an omlet run with a fox skirt ?- if not then you will need some sort of anti dig device too.

I can't quite envisage where the metal edging is going to go? Again if its an omlet run you can keep the wood chips inside by tying something along the bottom edges of the sides of the run (if you can picture that). I've bought one of those corrugated plastic roof panels from B and q and cut it into strips (about six inches or so high - sorry only do old money!) and cable tied it to bottom edge of the sides of the run, this serves a dual purpose of keeping the (in my case) aubiose in, and giving the girls some protection from the weather.

 

Hope this helps, and I'm sure someone more knowledgeable than me will be along in a minute in any case.

 

I would love to be a fly on the wall when your children see those chooks tomorrow..they are going to be soooo excited

[Chicktastic]

Hi sadietoo, I'm getting an Eglu go with a run. I was going to use the metal edging around the run like people use the log roll so it makes a rectangle round the run because it would be a quick fix until i could get sorted properly.

 

Metal edging

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=10278271&fh_view_size=10&fh_start_index=10&fh_eds=%3f&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB%2fcategories%3c%7b9372012%7d%2fcategories%3c%7b9372019%7d%2fcategories%3c%7b9372069%7d%2fcategories%3c%7b9572019%7d&fh_refview=lister&ts=1267179026353&isSearch=false

[Woodcat]

hey

 

Sounds perfect really. the only thing i would suggest is get more woodchip than you think you need so that you can put down a thick layer and hopefully keep it mud free for awhile

 

Beth

[sadietoo]

Hi sadietoo, I'm getting an Eglu go with a run. I was going to use the metal edging around the run like people use the log roll so it makes a rectangle round the run because it would be a quick fix until i could get sorted properly.

 

 

Ok I see what you mean now..sorry I was being very dense...that looks ideal..

[Redwing]

B&Q wood chip is ace, good stuff

 

One consideration is to put the Eglu run down first then the woodchip, the skirt will sit more snugly to the ground if you do this, if putting the Eglu ON the woodchip once down if you ahve put a deep layer down its easier for something to burrow in though tent pegs can be used to keep the skirt down as snugly as possible in this case

[Willow]

One consideration is to put the Eglu run down first then the woodchip, the skirt will sit more snugly to the ground if you do this

 

And of course you don't need to spread the wood chip out that well within the run. If you have more of a heap the door end say the chickens will happily spread it for you

[Chicktastic]

Thankyou so much guys!!! Just got back from my local B & Q. Now armed with 30m of green edging, bungee straps for my shower curtain, 200l of wood chips, tie wraps, gardening gloves and 2 spare shower curtains. Also found these

 

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=10278291&fh_view_size=10&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB&fh_search=plant+supports&fh_eds=%c3%9f&fh_refview=search&ts=1267186933512&isSearch=true

Thought they would be good for anchoring run down because I didn't have time to go for tent pegs!!!

 

Thanks Redwing for the tip about putting run down first, was thinking that was a better idea myself, at least I know thats the right way to do it!!

 

Well regardless of the weather I am going to go out and sort as much as I can for their arrival tomorrow!!!

 

Ooooh and the nice lady at the checkout gave me 10 % off

[meezers]

How exciting, even a trip to B&Q is fun if it's chicken related ( I find myself wandering around DIY stores looking at unidentifiable objects and thinking ' hmm, how could I use that for the chook run?' ) be sure to have the camera charged and ready for tomorrow.

[beulah59]

Fantastic stuff ... get the camera ready ... we want pics!

[whoopsie]

yes please - pics! This setup sounds really good and I might have to copy it!