Poo help please!

[Stedic]

First of all, hello everyone - this is my first post! Its a long one - I do apologise!

 

I've recently moved into a house with a decent sized garden (ish!) and have been thinking about getting some chickens. I've spent a lot of time reading these and other forums to get information and to look at the problems others have had, hoping to avoid at least a few of them! So looking at all these things, I've come up with a plan - and I wanted to share it with you all so you can point out if I've missed anything, or it can be improved in any way.

 

The background to this is that I work 12 hour shifts and live alone, so on occasions I wouldn't be able to open the coup up or allow any free ranging for up to 4 days. I live in the suburbs and have a 30ft by 60ft garden. I've got 6 ft + fences around the majority of the garden. I've seen urban foxes on the street outside, but not in the garden itself.

 

So, my thoughts are:

 

1. Get an Eglu Classic with 2 hens - it minimises the time I need to spend cleaning, and means (with a fox-proofed run) that I can open the pop hole before I go to work and allow the chickens to get out of bed when the feel like it. Or, leave it open overnight when I'm a little braver!

 

2. To reduce the risk of rats (not neighbour friendly!) I plan to place the Eglu and run on slabs, then use woodchips (or perhaps Cozy Coop? - it'll be uncovered) to cover the run floor itself and allow the chickens to scratch around. I'll also try not to overfeed, bring leftover food in when I can at night etc. I'm also shifting my compost heap onto slabs, to keep that rat resistant too.

 

3. At the moment, the bottom 4 metres of the garden is soil, a big of grass, a barren veg patch and some weeds. I thought I'd build my slabbed area down there, then let the chickens free range in that area - they can clear the grass and fertilise the veg patch for me this year!

 

4. Improve my omlette cooking skills!

 

 

Does this all seem sensible? Would you suggest anything else?

 

The last thing I want to do is get some chickens, only to discover a week, a fortnight or a year later that I can't give them the care and treatment which they deserve! I also don't want to be run out of town by my neighbours!

 

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

 

Steve

[Egluntyne]

Welcome to the forum.

 

Your plan seems sound to me. I would definitely put the Eglu and run on slabs, for the reason you state, and the fact that when you do a big clean out, it is so easy to hose everything down when you have shifted the bulk of the spent bedding.

 

Good luck.

[Plum]

Hi Steve,

 

Sounds an excellent plan, only thing I would add is to consider getting the converter as well now because you will probably want to give them a bit more room though the standard is fine for two of them.

 

Are you getting the chickens from Omlet? Mine have been great.

[Christian]

Hello Steve and welcome to the forum

 

Good plan so far, I too, recommend slabs under the eglu run.

 

1 point though, get 3 chickens. It makes things easier when one goes, as you won't be left with a single, depressed hen. I would recommend the standard run plus converter for 3. The standard run slopes outwards, so the converter 'squares' it up allowing you to put the door panel at the end again. Much more space for them! Plus, 2 is never enough

 

Good luck and any other questions, just ask!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

You sound like you've covered all the bases . I would recommend you do cover the run though - firstly to keep your girls dry if (when!) it rains and to keep the bedding from getting soggy (soggy bedding plus poo can equal smell ).

 

Corrugated plastic sheets (or just shower curtains if your garden isn't too windy) are great for the eglu run. They let the light in but keep the rain out.

 

Have you read about the other types of bedding? Horse bedding is brilliant stuff and composts down well - Hemcore, Easibed, Aubiose to name a few.

[Olly]

sounds as if you've researched it fully! Chickens are really easy to look after - I started with two in an Eglu and run, and that was fine - I am often out, sometimes work away from home, and I soon got used to just leaving the door open so they could get into the run. They take about five minutes to look after every day - top up food and water, collect eggs - and an hour at weekends to clean the Eglu out. Needless to say, you will want to spend a lot more time with them than that, but you don't need to worry about the days when you're on a long shift.

 

I only let mine out to free-range when I can supervise them - 6' fences won't keep a fox out, and if there are foxes around then they will certainly be visiting your garden, especially once you get chickens. However the Omlet run is safe, especially if you put it on slabs as you suggest.

 

Go for it, you won't regret it! I strongly recommend Aubiose/hemcore, as mentioned above, to put inside the run for them to scratch in.

[jill the potter]

Sounds like a sound plan!

 

I would agree with Christian and I would get three. I have found that with only two depending on the breed and on how they lay, particularly in the winter months, there is sometimes a shortage of eggs. Our maximum over the last 18 months has been 10 a week, and minimum 3 which is not enough. As I refuse to now buy ANY eggs from the supermarket we are sometimes 'waiting and willing' one of them to lay !!!!

 

PS what's happened to the forum layout!?!?!?!?!?!?

[ISCA]

Hi and welcome,

 

I am in a similar situation to you, new house, first decent sized garden and getting my first hens next week.

 

I am fortunate in that I work close to home and although I do work shifts they are not as long as yours and the OH works 9-5. Even better, next year I will be 9-5 as well!

 

I agree with the others re: having the coop and run area slabbed. I have had this done (see my other posts for photo). From what I have read it makes day-to-day management much easier. It also aids as a vermin/ fox deterrant.

 

I do have issues with the run sizes of eglus, even with the extension added. I am getting a wooden coop and run. I think the eglu runs are far too small for hens that will not be frequently free ranging. Others will disagree, and it boils down to personal opinion and what is best for your circumstances. As my hens will be in a run for a significant part of the day on most working days, I felt that for a little extra money I could get a decent sized wooden run and coop that was well built by going for the wooden option. Overall I think the wooden runs look nicer and are better value for money, but again, it's all personal opinion Most people on here have cubes/ eglus so I am out-numbered but do consider other options. Another possibility for you is an eglu kept in a wooden run but prices then escalate.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide to go for. Let us know what you choose and I look forward to seeing some pics of your new hens on here in the near future.

[ISCA]

Forgot to mention, with wooden coops you can also have automated pop hole openers fitted that can open and close automatically using either a light sensor or a programmable timer. They are are very useful if you are away from home or don't want to get up early at 4am in summer months to let the hens out! I don't think they can be used with Omlet eglus/ cubes.

[emchook]

I agree with Olly .. I leave my eglu door open and the chooks happily wander in and out of the run when it suits them !

[Cooks]

one thing I would add is that you mentioned the run being 'Fox proof' unfortunately it isn't, it is 'Fox resistant' although you can take extra measures to make it more safe, if you are placing it on slabs that is great, they wont be able to dig under, but make sure the skirt on the run lays completely flat, then weigh it down with something heavy along the skirt area for extra security

[Stedic]

Thanks for all of your help and tips!

 

I think I'll construct a slabbed area around 2m x 5m, should give me a bit of space to walk around the Eglu and run without destroying the rest of the area around it!

 

With covering the run, is there a risk that it gets too hot in the summer? Or i guess you switch to the opaque shades when the rain subsides (for that whole week!!).

 

I'm now just starting to wonder again about some ex-batts, but not quite sure if it'll be too much to start with. Have contacted my local ex-batt rescue co-ordinator, so will have a chat with them.

 

 

Thanks again,

 

Steve