3.6m Omlet Chicken Run for sale, Brand New in Boxes, Milton Keynes (MK19)

[migsy]

Hi

I have had my 3 hens for 2 days and I am wondering whether it is necessary to move the run or can you keep it on the same piece of grass. The grass is quite wrecked after just 2 days and I have a small garden so I am concerned that if I keep moving it, I'll have no lawn left. I'd be grateful for any ideas!

[ISCA]

From what I have seen mine do to vegetation, you will have no lawn left within a few weeks! Moving the pen will allow some recovery of the grass area, if any is left, but it depends how much space you have overall for rotation of the run. basically enough to allow complete recovery before you have to use that area again.

 

Have you thought of having a permanent area for the (I presume) Eglu? Then you might preserve some green lawn and can cover the run area with a suitable bedding such as auboise.

 

Others with Eglus will be along to give more informed advice, as I have a fixed WIR and fenced off area in the garden for mine- I have a new lawn and intend to keep it!!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

To be honest, moving the run on grass becomes a real chore after a while . That's why most people end up creating a permanent site. It's a lot easier to keep the run clean if the base is soil or slabs with some sort of bedding on top (Hemcore, Easibed, Aubiose are a few kinds used by Omleteers).

[Busybird]

I do not move my run.

 

Although most people on here seem to find a run bedding such as aubiose much easier to keep clean and pong free, I have kept mine on the one area of bare soil (used to be grass) since I first got them. When it needs it I dig it over and add garden lime. Otherwise I just brush off the poo debrit and sprinkle StaIosan F on top.

 

What I have added over the years is more run covers (a mix of shower curtains, Omlet shades and a camping groundsheet) as a dry run is much easier to manage than a wet one

[oneyolktoanother]

ours are on a perment spot on slabs, they wrecked the grass within 3 weeks

[migsy]

Thanks for the hints. If they are on auboise, how often would I have to change it. I'm definitely going to have to keep it in one place as my lawn is very small! Soil sounds a good idea too.

[sadietoo]

Aubiose is great stuff..it seems to absorb the poos, so you can keep it going just by "poo picking" regularly..I only rake mine out and replace it all about once every six weeks, so in the eglu run, I get about three changes out of a bag, with a couple of top ups. (I use aubiose in the poo tray and nesting box too). I only have two girls, but they don't free range when I am not in the garden, so they are (unfortunately) in the run a lot (new WIR promised by OH but not yet materialised )The main thing is to keep it as dry as possible as Busybird has said..I currently have shower curtains on my eglu run..(which I bought as a temporary measure after the fox shredded my eglu run cover and found actually better than the eglu cover). ..

[Ain't Nobody Here]

When I had 3 in an eglu run, I used to change the bedding every 6 weeks or so. I'd try to pick out the big poos ( ) if I could reach them but otherwise they just seemed to disappear magically into the bedding . Just make sure you keep the run dry with a cover of some sort.

 

Garden lime and Stalosan F are good things to use after a clean out of a small permanent run space. Garden lime neutralises the soil and Stalosan F is a disinfectant (both safe for chickens).

[Mollie333]

Cant really give any information on this.. I've no experiance with the eglu, but i hope you all the best luck. i highly doubt you will have a lawn left if you move the run..