Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[drliz]

No, i'm not just bragging, but we are about to move to Wiltshire to a canalside cottage with 3 acres of paddocks, and start living the dream.... well, as much as the mortgage allows anyway!

so i'm after some thoughts on the move for the chickens:

We currently have 3 2&a half year old hybrids, who live in an eglu with a 3m run, and free range our modest garden about 4 days a week, and stay in the run on other days.

Thanks to the other poster who is moving her flock of 35 i've got some good tips about the actual move itself.

What do folks think about the transition from limited, and fenced, garden, to unlimited freedom in a large paddock which is effectively unfenced, at least as far as small animals are concerned. Should we keep them in the eglu & run for a while until they get used to it, or will they stay within site of the eglu, or are they likely to explore too far & get lost?

Obviously they are likely to be more vulnerable to mr fox, so apart from strictly enforcing the eglu being shut at dusk, does anyone have any ideas about keeping them safe? Currently, although we are on the edge of a village, we have 6' fences around our garden & are in a bunch of other houses, so we've never had a fox problem.

Next spring we are hoping to expand to a much bigger flock, of 15-20, so obviously too big for an eglu. any thoughts on do's & don'ts for larger wooden houses, and on keeping that sort of number?

lots of questions... grateful for any thoughts from you wonderful experts!

Liz

[Forestchook]

Hi,

 

Not sure I can help much with tips as I don't have even have my own chooks yet Soon though! However from what I've picked up from the forum maybe start letting them out to free range in the late in the evenings when they already are thinking about going to bed. That way they won't stray far. Then you can gradually let them out earlier as time goes on and they should know where home is. (Please somebody correct me if I have the wrong idea) Whether you should kept them in for a few days or weeks before letting them out at all I'm not sure. Since they will be in the same house they should be used to it but maybe to be on the safe side. It's what I intend to do when I get mine. I'm sure as long you do it gradually to make sure they know where to return to at night they won't get lost in their new extended territory.

 

Anyway what I really must say is I'm extreamly

Enjoy your new home

N

[chicken bark]

Congratulations.

 

I'd keep them in their eglu and run for about a week and then let them out later in the day for a while until they get used to their surroundings.

 

I would definitely advocate the use of electric poultry netting in your situation. I live in a 4 acre plot and my 75m of netting is hardly noticeable in it. I have 9 hens and 3 ducks living in that space and apart from the dustbowl craters it is lush green grass. They have plenty of space and are as safe from predators as it is possible to make them. You then don't need to buy coops with runs as they effectively just FR, you can then keep your current eglu and run for introductions/broody/sick bay etc.

 

I hope your move goes smoothly - really exciting.

[Chucky1]

We moved to the country (and to a different country for that matter) nearly three years ago - I'm sure you won't regret it.

 

This is our experience - I'm not advocating it, it just works for us

 

I think keeping them in the run for the first week or so makes a lot of sense. We have 39 chickens and 12 Ducks. The chickens sleep in two cubes and a concrete shed that we made secure and converted about 12 months ago.

 

All the girls are let out at first light and go to bed at dusk. They are then free to roam over 8 acres and beyond if they have a mind. They sometimes do so. The chickens sometimes go over to the neighbours field on the left and the Ducks sometimes go over to the neighbour on the right. Don't ask me why

 

Foxes around here keep a pretty low profile - with good reason. We have never clipped their wings - I think if they ever were unfortunate enough to meet a preditor that small amount of flight might well help.

 

So far in two years we have lost two chickens. One strayed onto the road and was run over shortly after we got her (its about 200yds from their house) and the other disappeared about 4 weeks ago.

 

If I've left anything out feel free to pm me.

 

Good Luck