My eco solution to rat problems

[debratugwell]

Got my first 3 chickens on Monday and they seem to be settling in now. Just a couple of questions on behaviour really. Quite often they stand in one spot for ages as if they are fixated on something - I keep wondering if they've gone to sleep but they haven't. Also they were all in the run this morning and all pecking at the Eglu door (not to get back inside as the door was open) but they seemed to be spending a long time doing this. Any thoughts or are they just being inquisitive?

[buffie]

Sounds normal to me, probably getting accustomed to their new surroundings and mum if they look well, bright and generally like a potter round, I am sure it's just them getting used to things.

 

if you have any other concerns just ask Mine tap at the door, maybe they see something I can't as they have amazing eyesight

 

BBx

[debratugwell]

Thanks for that. Sorry another question if I may?

 

I bought a second hand Mark I eglu and the food/water holders are both the same. Having now looked on the spares department in the Omlet Shop the water holder "Glug" is a completely different design.

 

Have I got 2x Grubs or did they both look the same? Anyone know? Does the old style holder hold enough water for a weekend away????

[ali-s]

Are the hooks on the back of the feeder/drinker metal? If they are then you have the old style called peanuts.

 

I would put out another drinker if going away for weekends especially with 3 Chickens.

 

The peanuts holds about 1 litre of water, the glug holds 3 and a bit litres (depends how much gets spilt on the way to the run )

[debratugwell]

Yes they are so looks like these are the old style. Thanks for that though - may treat them to an early Easter present!!!!!!!!

[harveypup]

Hi Debra, it could be that they were pecking at drops of condensation. My two do this all the time. You should know that now you have chickens you will not do ANY housework, they are just too interesting

 

Been to Millers today and we have ended up with another Bluebelle and a Speckledy who are as yet unnamed. They too are only babies and I have therefore had to separate them by putting the newbies in the Eglu run with Eglu door shut and Hilda and Vera out in the play area with the eggport open as a temporary measure. Will have a dog cage from my friend tomorrow as a more permanent solution until they have grown sufficiently to defend themselves from the Hag

 

Was really funny as Vera who is quite tiny for a chicken was puffing herself up as big as she could when they arrived and Bokkkkawwwking really loudly!!

[Sheilaz]

The standing stock still usually means they are listening or have sensed something near by. Mine do this a lot when I can't see or hear anything unusual, but when 6 do it together I think that's what it is! Yours will of course have a lot of listening to do in new surroundings.

Aren't they such fun to watch?

[debratugwell]

Hi Debra, it could be that they were pecking at drops of condensation. My two do this all the time. You should know that now you have chickens you will not do ANY housework, they are just too interesting

 

Been to Millers today and we have ended up with another Bluebelle and a Speckledy who are as yet unnamed. They too are only babies and I have therefore had to separate them by putting the newbies in the Eglu run with Eglu door shut and Hilda and Vera out in the play area with the eggport open as a temporary measure. Will have a dog cage from my friend tomorrow as a more permanent solution until they have grown sufficiently to defend themselves from the Hag

 

Was really funny as Vera who is quite tiny for a chicken was puffing herself up as big as she could when they arrived and Bokkkkawwwking really loudly!!

 

 

 

 

Glad you managed to get there in the end and hope it won't be long before the new arrivals settle in. My girls settling down nicely and they come up to the edges of the run now when you bend down to talk to them. Everyone in bed on time at 8pm last night and I'm looking forward (although with some anticipation) to letting them out on Easter Monday night when our visitors have gone home. Thought I'd follow the advice on the forum and let them out say at 7.30pm ish in the hope they'll all go back to bed. Just hope they don't leg it over the wire and off down the road!!!!!!!!!

[harveypup]

I'm sure you will be fine. maybe you should let them try a little sweetcorn over the next few days. Mine come running at the mere sight of it!

[debratugwell]

Well it didn't happen. Visitors went home, asked hubby to put chicken wire up on wall but it was piddling down and he had a real grump on him. Ended up having an argument about the amount of poo and he didn't want it all over the path, stone chippings etc. and thought the chicken wire would make the garden look really scruffy.

 

So now I'm going back to the drawing board to see if there is anything which looks nicer to fence them in (e.g. those bamboo type screens you can buy from garden centres).

 

Opened the egg port after they'd gone to bed and gave them a stroke but I really want them to come out of the run and have a wander round, albeit not all over the place. I think we are both taken aback by the amount of poo and this is putting him off somewhat which I can appreciate. So now looking for a solution!!!!!!!!!!!! Has anyone tried the Omlet chicken netting? Is it value for money as £60 is quite steep?

[harveypup]

We have used the omlet chicken netting to create a permanent play area around the Eglu.

 

I too thought it was a tad expensive but it was definitely worth it. My girls do get to free range around the rest of the garden too but they can be put back in the play area if necessary (When we go out, have a BBq etc)

 

All you need to do is rake over the play area every so often to either disperse or collect up the poo.

 

My hubby was also like this at first but has grown to love them just as much as me

 

ps you also don't really notice as much poo when it is spread over a larger area

[Tina C]

The omlet netting is fantastic and as its green it sort of blends in. The advantage over something more permanent is that you can move it around or increase or decrease their free-ranging 'area' (keeping them off the bits of the garden you don't want destroyed).

 

I have 2 lots now - one for each 'set' of chickens, who are in different parts of the garden at the moment. When we are brave enough to integrate them the second lot of netting will be used to keep them out of the raised beds. At the moment we have chicken wire round the beds (to protect them when we let the girls out for a rummage under the hedge or to attack the grass and each other (!). As stuff gets bigger I will need the netting to fence off the whole area.

 

My original omlet girls do escape sometimes but as they are only out of their run when I am around they get put back into their bit of the garden quickly. The one that hasn't escaped gives the alarm by squawking for their friend.

[debratugwell]

We have used the omlet chicken netting to create a permanent play area around the Eglu.

 

I too thought it was a tad expensive but it was definitely worth it. My girls do get to free range around the rest of the garden too but they can be put back in the play area if necessary (When we go out, have a BBq etc)

 

All you need to do is rake over the play area every so often to either disperse or collect up the poo.

 

My hubby was also like this at first but has grown to love them just as much as me

 

ps you also don't really notice as much poo when it is spread over a larger area

 

 

 

Thanks for that - I can see what he means but there was no getting through to him yesterday so thought I'd do some research first and see if I could present him with a solution to suit us all!!!

[chocchick]

Persuading OH, I know that well I once did a thread to try and get evidence foxes don't just attack at night as he refused to believe it was possible.

My garden is now a bit of a mess. If you freerange for short times particularly over winter and are able to let grass regrow or put down a surface such as wood chips and/or paving slabs it will save your garden. OH went for a huge run over half our garden that is now just mud, a smaller really well done permament area would have saved us money. We used green-coated chicken wire about 5 foot which is generally chicken proof but not fox proof, and bamboo canes.

[debratugwell]

Persuading OH, I know that well I once did a thread to try and get evidence foxes don't just attack at night as he refused to believe it was possible.

My garden is now a bit of a mess. If you freerange for short times particularly over winter and are able to let grass regrow or put down a surface such as wood chips and/or paving slabs it will save your garden. OH went for a huge run over half our garden that is now just mud, a smaller really well done permament area would have saved us money. We used green-coated chicken wire about 5 foot which is generally chicken proof but not fox proof, and bamboo canes.

 

They are on the only piece of grass in our back garden at present until husband has finished wall in front garden at which point we are making them a permanent area on wood chips. Only intending to free range for couple of hours each afternoon on my return from work plus when we're around at weekends so I suppose I am looking for some middle ground to be able to let them out occasionally but not completely trash the garden. Do you have any pictures of what you've done????????

[chocchick]

Erm, maybe look at the run inspiration thread as I'm not entirely happy with my mud pen and would love a run more like one of those if I was starting again as probably would have cost the same in the end. We have spent more than the omlet netting using chicken wire.

http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4703

but if you still want to see

http://club.omlet.co.uk/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=8272

It has pairs of canes vertically at intervals with pairs of canes threaded through half way up (because we had 3 foot wire and had to join 2 bits together). Don't put canes across the top as it is easier to perch on. they have still on occasion perched on the top of the wire or flown out. I suppose you can either thread or tie on the canes with wire. We have some tent pegs anchoring the wire on the floor in places as the chickens found gaps to squeeze under. it's not foxproof a fox did get through the gap in the doorway.

I found this website recently for chickenwire/mesh fencing as we want to split the run and grow some grass back.

http://www.meshdirect.co.uk/

[debratugwell]

Thanks very much for that - very useful. Incidentally what's the big green tray in your run - grit or dirt for a bath????? I've not given mine anything to have a "bath" in yet - do you think I should and if so what would I put in there?

[chocchick]

I got it as a dirt bath (general purpose tray from B&Q) but they generally ignored it and dig their own in the ground anyway. Sand (children's?) or soil would work.

I put it under the feeder to collect layers mash at one point too.

[Olly]

Like harveypup, I really recommend the Omlet netting - seems expensive, but it is well worth it, and it does blend in - also you can move it easily if you don't want it on view. I use it to create a larger area around the Eglu run, which I let the girls into for a couple of hours in the evening, and longer at weekends. I have let them have the run of the whole garden a couple of times, but they trashed some of my containers - it's not eating things, so much as scratching. If you don't want a permanent run, then it's ideal, although it is not foxproof - it will keep them in, not other things out!

[Chicken Licken]

Money was in short supply when my girls needed a bit more space. They had effectively destoyed 50% of my garden over the winter (it is very small). This is my cheaper alternative - 2 rolls of green plastic mesh from the garden centre and some cheap wooden posts. It does the trick though. The girls have a bit more room and my grass can regenerate (maybe). I thoroughly recommend aubiose instead of barkchips - I had the bark chips over winter and am definitely not a fan. The aubiose is light and easy to change and I think cheaper too.

[debratugwell]

Money was in short supply when my girls needed a bit more space. They had effectively destoyed 50% of my garden over the winter (it is very small). This is my cheaper alternative - 2 rolls of green plastic mesh from the garden centre and some cheap wooden posts. It does the trick though. The girls have a bit more room and my grass can regenerate (maybe). I thoroughly recommend aubiose instead of barkchips - I had the bark chips over winter and am definitely not a fan. The aubiose is light and easy to change and I think cheaper too.

 

Thanks for that. Am I right in thinking aubiose is the stuff used for horses in stables? Obviously it is meant to soak up wee etc. but how does it actually fair outside in the winter when it's chucking it down. Doesn't it just get soaked?? B&Q sell 125liter bags of bark chippings for £5.28 (or cheaper) and in my own mind I'd kind of thought about bark chippings under foot when you go walking in the woods etc. which albeit wet in winter, does still hold it's properties so to speak. Now I'm a bit confused!!!

[chocchick]

Aubiose is horse bedding, I have it but only under the covered part of the run.

Bark chips are supposed to be prone to mould and therefore wood chips are better. They are quite wet at B&Q though

Wood chips you may be able to get from a true surgeon/saw mill locally.

[debratugwell]

oh I see - thanks for the tip - good job this forum is here or complete beginners like me could buy all sorts of stuff and end us losing a fortune!!!!!!!!!