Stedic Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 (edited) Well, for the chickens anyway. The ex-batts have been in their Eglu for three weeks and have already learnt to make a racket, bankrupt me through mealworm bills and destroy my garden (potted plants a speciality!). Today they're moving across the garden and into the WIR with their two worst enemies. I'm sure there will be a fair few squabbles and fights, but I've followed all of the advice on the forum so things shouldn't be too distressing or dangerous! Wish me luck! Edited October 5, 2010 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 Hope it goes well Keep us posted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daxigirl Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 Can you not let them all out for a fr first to use up some energy. It's wet n windy here and mine are in and out like yoyos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stedic Posted October 1, 2010 Author Share Posted October 1, 2010 That was the plan, but the wind and rain arrived just after I'd finished cleaning their respective coops. If it dries up I'll let them all out to FR together while I move the Eglu into the WIR and add in some extra cover. If it stays this wet I might leave them as they are, the last thing I want is for them to get bored when there are strangers about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 Good Luck I'm hiding from my lot - it's too horrid to let them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 I'm hiding from my lot too. What a difference in the weather from yesterday to today. We had such a lovely day of sunshine yesterday and now it's just pouring with rain. The inside of our WIR is kind of soggy around some of the edges, guess we need to buy some tarpaulins to keep it drier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stedic Posted October 5, 2010 Author Share Posted October 5, 2010 Its not going too badly! I sat with them for the first few hours and there were a few squabbles. The ex-batts kept getting stuck in corners and around the Cube legs - guess they have no concept of how big they are! They slept in the Eglu for the first night and put themselves to bed there for the second, so I plucked them out and put them into the Cube. They all made it out in the morning and there was very little squabbling. Yesterday I took the Eglu out of the WIR after everyone had laid. I had hoped that this would encourage them into the Cube but when I went down at dusk the posh girls were in bed and the ex-batts were desperately trying to roost (on the grub, on the cube wheel etc). After a few protests I managed to lift them all up the ladders into the Cube.I bounced them up the ladders, hoping that would give them an idea of what to do. This morning two of the ex-batts had made it out of the cube, but the bottom hen was stuck and didn't seem to know how to get down. I tried to encourage her, but in the end lifted her down. I'm not sure if thats the right thing to do, but I didn't want her stuck there for too long. In actual fact she wiggled so much that she pretty much walked down on her own anyway! Integration wise everything is good, a few squabbles and two disinct flocks but everyone is eating and no one has drawn blood or been hurt. I'm just hoping that they master the Cube now - I've already got some wood underneath the ladder so they can use it as a ramp....just hope that they are strong (and clever) enough to make the climb tonight or to lay in there today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicken bark Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 That sounds as though it is going well. I think it takes any hen some time to get used to the cube ladder so I'm sure they'll get then hang of it eventually. I think others have put wood behind the ladder so it is not as open and also added a log at the bottom so that the first step is not so high. Really good that they are putting up with each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
