Mrs Frugal Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 What a pretty house you have, Louise. Our garden never looked that immaculate in the first place!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 Wow Louise you have so much space your house is lovely, you must keep the front a chook free zone. I bet you can't wait to get started on the back and I am sure the chooks will have a great time helping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted February 15, 2005 Author Share Posted February 15, 2005 Yes it is a nice little house from the front the back is a bit ropey looking still and yes I aim to keep the chooks out of the front garden. The bit at the back which is parallel to where the eglu is sitting is now a big dip which is full of hardcore from after the bulldozer finished so I need to get some soil delivered in order to raise it all to the same level. It is going to be so much work as I will be doing most of it myself. The front garden is only immaculate thanks to my mother her garden is perfect so she plays with mine now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 Kate ... you need "Groundforce to visit". Nicola ... build the run, then see if they do escape, then buy a roof, Pepper never hops high, only our Ginger, plus if you have trees where the run is .. like mine, you might find you only need areas of "roof". Louise ... I am jealous, and should move back north, where the gardens always seem to be bigger (sorry southeners). My chooks did not totally destroy the lawn, but tramping down to the Eglu everyday made it messy at the bottom. The edges of the flower borders were worse where they scratched, and also the patio pots ... which are now paddle-stoned . Since we have built the run (3weeks) the grass has really improved, and with the stepping stones to the gate we can see a big difference. Good luck in run-building to you all - , Sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted February 15, 2005 Author Share Posted February 15, 2005 I have printed the topic about run building and I will have a think. My biggest problem will be sinking the posts as my garden used to be a river bed millions of years ago and is very stony - who am I trying to kid its full of boulders I couldn't even get the rotary washing line post in (I tried about 6 spots) so it is supported by some stones and if you actually use it hangs to whichever side has the heaviest item on My garden is only recently big Sarah I had an old bulding in the way and I had it knocked down last October only problem now is I have no screen from most of the back garden to the road and I am always being seen with that 'just out of bed' look going out to let the girls out Before I moved out there I lived in a tiny flat in Peebles and had no garden of my own only a shared drying green so I am making up for it my neighbour was gutted when I moved as I had turned our landing into a 'garden' and of course took all my pots when I moved I did buy him one as a present though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 Kate ... you need "Groundforce to visit". What? Doesn't it look like they've already been ?? I know, the garden needs some serious TLC. It was a lovely cottagey garden before the girls arrived but I'd rather have a bombsite for a garden than not have my lovely feathery fools plodding around in the mud! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 Kate - your garden looks like our chicken run - next to that I have an immaculate new lawn and I hope it is going to stay that way!. The girls eye it enviously Nicola - fruit cage netting is OK but you will have to keep a look out for snow. You are not supposed to leave the netting over a fruit cage over winter because snow would weigh it down or break it. We were prepared to go out with a soft broom if it snowed and keep it clear. If it was smaller, we would have used the wire netting. Also - ours is just 6' tall - fine for Carl and myself but son does complain if he has to go in there when it has been raining - he's over 6'2" and he mops up all the raindrops or has to do Quasimodo impressions:D Make sure the door opens out if you can as then it doesn't matter how mich wood chip or bark chip builds up. We just put some wooden gravel board across our doorway at the weekend to stop the bark spreading but keep forgetting to step over it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 Thanks for those tips Lesley, ours is a smaller area so maybe wire would be better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 If its any help Nicola, in the patches where we had to roof .. Graham used the same wire (coated stuff) as the fence, which you can see in the pics ... Sarahs wellies and run (Something like that) in the gallery. Sarah Ps ... the height of the run we have is about 3-4ft, but we do have the advantage of the conifers stopping the girls from flying out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 Thanks Sarah I will have to walk in the run to feed them and clean up so the height is something else to think about.................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 Forgot about that bit ... we have a "walkway" behind the conifers, then theres our fence at the back and Hawthorn hedge at the back on the neighbours side. So when I clean up the run area its pretty easy for me, and then the Eglu is on a hard standing at the back of the garage, and we don't need any "roof" there. Like Lesley ... you will prob have to "roof" the run, and hence think about the height . Our gate opens both ways .. but as the run is paved at the entrance (where the Eglu sits) we don't have too much of a problem with bark chips piling up behind it. Having said that it is a good thing to have the gate opening both ways, or outwards .. even if you want to move the Eglu out at some point. Sarah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted February 16, 2005 Author Share Posted February 16, 2005 It's really helpful all the tips for those of us that haven't started a run yet and some of the pictures in the albums are great for ideas One thing I have done is give the girls some hay. It has disappeared so I can only assume they have eaten it but I will give them some more at the weekend and let you know. It may be a good alternative to grass so long as they don't get too much. Knowing my two they may have just stamped on it and scratched it to pieces though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 Just be careful they don't get impacted crops Louise - or you'll be buying the maggots Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted February 16, 2005 Author Share Posted February 16, 2005 Hi Lesley, I did think about that they only got a tiny amount to try in case they really liked it and ate too much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted February 17, 2005 Author Share Posted February 17, 2005 Well my little girls are turning into a pair of vandals When I let them out this morning I noticed that the perch I had put in for them was snapped in two How they managed it I don't know I think they may have both decided to roost at the same time so this weekend it will be the hunt for another one as they really liked it Maybe I should cut down on the snacks they may be getting a little lardy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 Lardy chooks............... I am also searching for a nice branch for the girls to perch on I found one today in the woods but it is too large to fit in the run I will have to cut it down when I can find a saw............... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted February 17, 2005 Author Share Posted February 17, 2005 Hi Nicola, I'm glad I'm not the only one I will find another fairly easilly I think I may even get a large lump of oak from next years wood pile and see if they like a large log better at least I know they can't break that lardy or not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 We've got a branch in the run. The older four have always ignored it but Ellie likes it. She probably finds it is the only safe place! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motherhen Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 I tried a perch in the run to give the girls a bit more variety in their lives. Not a success - both ignored the perching possibilities and Pollo refused to hop over it so she couldn't get to the water and food. Although now we have the eglu and half the run sitting proudly in the middle of the 'hen run' it is Pollo who perches on top of the eglu to survey her territory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted February 25, 2005 Author Share Posted February 25, 2005 I have added some pics of the eglu in this weeks snow in the chooks from the north album. This morning it is almost gone after overnight rain so it didn't last long The chooks didn't like it much but they still came out to see what was going on when I was taking the pics just too nosey. The one good thing I found is there were no fox looking footprints in the snow so I don't think I have any unwanted visitors at the moment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted March 2, 2005 Author Share Posted March 2, 2005 I have noticed on the member list we have another 2 eglus north of the border I no longer feel so lonely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted March 2, 2005 Share Posted March 2, 2005 That's good news, Louise. At least you won't be alone when it snows hard up there and we only get a little dusting again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted March 2, 2005 Share Posted March 2, 2005 Hey, Louise, another new member has joined today from Scotland - DollyG - welcome to the forum, Dolly ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted March 2, 2005 Author Share Posted March 2, 2005 Thats great news - come on Scottish Eglus show them that we are all complete chatterboxes............................or maybe its just me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted March 7, 2005 Author Share Posted March 7, 2005 This last week I have noticed such a difference in one of my girls. They are both the same age but Bettys Comb and Wattles have suddenly started to grow and are looking quite red so I think she must be developing fastest so she may be the one to lay first. She has also become much more vocal. Maybe I have a Fred and Wilma by mistake I hope not the neighbours would go mental hopefully she is just getting ready to start laying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
