Eglu Cube Coop For Sale

[squidsin]

Morning everyone! I have a few questions. Firstly, my bantams are still in their coop, although we opened the door at 6.30 - are they shy? Or just lazy?! Is it normal for chooks to be a bit shy until they've adjusted to their new environment? (My cat was a stray feral kitten we found, and she hid in the DVD cabinet for SIX WEEKS until she finally got used to me and my husband, so I have lots of patience with scared animals!)

 

Talking of cats, as you may have seen from my pix, Missy is obsessed with the chickens! I am sure the novelty will wear off, but will it be safe to free range bantams with interested cats about (although I will only do it when I am in the garden)? What with them being smaller than 'normal' chickens?

 

Do you put straw in the eglu? I've put some in the laying tray, and in the dirt tray to make it easier to clean. Also, how often do you clean the inside of your coops? Do you remove droppings every day?

 

Thanks for any bantam-based advice you may have!

[l_ouise]

Since when i first got my chickens there were quick to come out in the morning for breakfast, but i can understand if they are a bit shy. Maybe sprinkle some food around.

 

I can't really comment on the cat and bantams but i'd be careful it is still has a feral streak. I picked up a small sick feral kitten once and it was vicious and much stronger than i had experienced with tame kittens. I have no doubt an adult feral cat could physically take out a chicken.

 

I use chopped hay in the nest box - it's in approx 1 inch pieces.I was advised that the chickens will drag around full length hay and make a mess. That said, the wind blows the small pieces around a bit when i'm trying to change it which makes a mess too!

 

I line the dirt tray with newspaper and clean it out once per week and hose it down.

 

Every morning i take any poo out of the nest box and i also grab a bit of the hay to wipe any poo off the bars and let it all drop into the tray.

[squidsin]

Thanks Louise. Newspaper lining makes much more sense than straw - d'oh!

 

Missy has never shown any sign of the fact she was once feral - she is the cuddliest cat ever and is much more of an indoors girlie cat than an outdoorsy hunter. She's never caught anything either, apart from moths! And luckily (for her too, as she's a bit of a wimp) there aren't many cats round here. But I will keep a close eye on her all the same.

[scarlettohara]

Be careful with hay as it grows spores which are harmful to chickens - one of my horses doesn't have hay for this reason

[squidsin]

They are still in their eglu. I tempted them out briefly with some food, and Nugget is a lot bolder than Popcorn and has been out in the run a bit, but Popcorn doesn't seem to want to come out. I am worried she's not getting enough to eat and drink. Any advice?

[Falkor]

If they have come out for the food then they know where they can get more. I would just leave them to it for a while, they should get braver once they have settled in for a day or two.

[squidsin]

I gave them the remains of my pasta for lunch and they came straight out then! Guzzled it down double quick. So I don't think I need to be too worried about them.

 

My husband just rang from work to find out how they are settling in. Bless!

[Falkor]

Arrr bless

 

Talking of cats, as you may have seen from my pix, Missy is obsessed with the chickens! I am sure the novelty will wear off, but will it be safe to free range bantams with interested cats about (although I will only do it when I am in the garden)? What with them being smaller than 'normal' chickens?

My three cats are scared of the chooks, even my little japanese bantams but it really depends on the indivdual cat as to how much interest they take. Next doors cat used to spend a lot of time sitting on our fence watching them but a couple of squirts with the water pistol and he lost interest. Keep an eye. My "hunter" cat is the most scared of the chooks but probably cos he decided to stalk my LF Orp who quickly turned on him, gave him a peck on the nose and chased him from her side of the garden

 

Do you put straw in the eglu?

I use Aubiose horse beeding which is chopped up hemp plant. I started with straw but found that it stayed wet and they poop just sat on the straw whereas with Aubiose it soaks up moisture and dries it up a bit. I also found it difficult to poo pick with straw as you had to remove a fair bit so the composter would get full quickly. that is the other good think about Aubiose - it rots down quick.

 

I've put some in the laying tray, and in the dirt tray to make it easier to clean. Also, how often do you clean the inside of your coops? Do you remove droppings every day?

I poo pick to droppings trays every other day or so but this is because I have 6 chooks in one , and nine in another so they generate a fair amount of poo. Full clean outs which involve a bucket of hot water with a squirt of ecover and then a squirt with poultryshiled happens once a week here.

 

Thanks for any bantam-based advice you may have!