Poorly chicken

[chestnutmare]

I know lots of people here have moved onto the walk in run set ups but I won't be doing that anytime soon as we will be moving. If the Morehens Disease stricks badly I will get another Go or an Eglu. I'd love to see other people's Go or Eglu set ups to share ideas on how to make improve on practicalities or activities for the chickens.

 

I've tried a bird sand in a bucket for dust baths but they weren't at all interested and it was just taking up space.

A bit of corn scattered in the wood chip provides good scratching time.

I roll up cabbage leaves (they love savoy ) and hang them in a food ball for them, that's a hit.

I used white cobbles to weigh down the run and it acts as edging to keep the woodchip in place. But we've ended up buying some wooden log edging as well as it seems they can fling woodchip around at some speed and height.

 

 

Anyone else care to share?

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I had this setup for a couple of years before my WIR.

 

 

[goodinparts]

Anh - are those the famous ikea shoe racks making the perches in your pictures?

Both great set ups - am still hoping to inspire OH to a bit more creativity around our and - have told him we HAVE to have woodchip at least in the cube before Reading - as I'm hoping to come home with assorted feathery legged delights

[chestnutmare]

I must find something for them to perch/play on - I'll have to go on a walk and see what woody things I can find. Thanks for posting the pics.

goodinparts, have you got pics of your and ? Let us see, let us see.

Oo, what are you getting?

My girls love scratching in the woodchip. I will be doing a through clean this weekend - fingers crossed that my hose pipes won't freeze!

[goodinparts]

It all looks too bleak & wintery for pictures at the moment, CNM....but am hoping for a grand spring-clean & re-organisation before the Reading Bantam Show - so promise piccies then. Who knows, I might even have some new girls........!

[chestnutmare]

My pictures are bleak and wintery but I will be patient. I have to clean this weekend... it's very windy and wet out there at the moment, not really spring-cleaning weather really *sigh* Ooo, how exciting, I hope you come back with some new girls... I'd love some more myself.

[Redwing]

I had a tyre dustbath in my Eglu run that the chooks loved, they'd sit round the edges of it for hours too. There is also a little perch platform in this pic

 

 

I used wood planks around the run and woodchip inside

 

[Gertie]

I've got a plastic footstool for a perch, a log & a terracotta flowerpot, also a broom handle across the run for a perch. I hang treats in this springy ball thing & they have a pecky block & CDs hanging. I use a large shallow storage box for a dustbath. All just stuff I had in the garage.

 

Will try get a pic of the stool tomorrow. Very cheap & washable!

[chestnutmare]

Thank you Redwing and Gertie. Lots of ideas for using things I've probably got lying around somewhere. Thanks for sharing. Gertie, I'd love to see the pics.

[Gertie]

My neighbours probably thought I was mad (if anyone was up at 7.30am on a sunday that is!!), watching me take photos of chicken coops in my dressing gown!!!

 

Here is the coop decor with no hens - they are due a clean!

 

and with hens...

 

and the view of the area with hens. You can see the run extensions I mentioned before but I have still not attached them yet. I am going to wait until Easter now as I want to have lots of time to watch the hens when I put the 2 groups together.

[chestnutmare]

Thanks Gertie for taking and posting the pics and sorry I've been a while checking back.

 

I'm sure we have a foot stool like that around somewhere, do they use it? I'm thinking it may take up quite a bit of space in a ... And what's red-looking, to the right? Do they play with the CD? Phew, will stop with the questions now.

 

You have a lovely garden (I spy cat! ). You'll enjoy your easter break observing/playing with the chickens.

[GuyChurchward]

A few different and progressing setups I have had, latest is just finnished

 

Eglu On gravel, Eglu with extended run, Cube with extended run & Cube with monster run

 

[goodinparts]

Those are so lovely - I think I want to be one of your chickens - love the way you've managed the terracing effect up the slope. Fantastic!

[Gertie]

Hi CM

 

Yes, they do use the stool, not really the CD's, they like the log. They love the dust bath best. I'm working on coop decor too. Planning to develop it when I add the extensions. The red thing was a red pepper hanging in a spiral bird feeder!!!

 

I'm allowed to destroy that part of the garden with chickens & other garden projects...my partner never ventures into the garden but he has confined me to a section!

 

GuyC- your pics are amazing, where do you live...it looks incredibly beautiful!!

[GuyChurchward]

Gertie, well a long time ago it was Surrey but we're over the pond now in the Santa Cruz mountains in California between San Fransisco and Monterey.. A little slice of heaven attached to Silicon Valley !

[chestnutmare]

GuyChurchward - wow, those are lucky chickens and lovely set ups too. Thanks for sharing.

 

Gertie I never thought of giving the chickens peppers. How boring am I with my cabbage and sprouts? They do enjoy them though, especially savoy cabbage. I must try a log. I tried the dust bath but it was taking up quite some space in the run and they weren't using it.

Your cube will be extended next week won't it?

[Snoxy]

WOW...love your set-up Guy Churchward! Amazing...I want to live there!!! NOW!!! Not in the run of course

 

My ex batts are in my Eglu and have a fenced off part of the free-ranging area my other 15 girls use..they sleep/lay in a converted plastic shed which works very well

[Gertie]

Ah. What a beautiful view you have there GuyC.

 

CM, I give mine anything past it's best, but they like tomatoes and sprout best of all. I gave them a romanesco cauliflower the other day and they looked at it as though it was an alien!!

 

I don't have that much coop decor in my classic run due to space. They do have a cat litter dust bath and a log. They seem happy enough!

 

I have half a plan to add the extensions next week! Can't wait till half term. Looking forward to seeing the walk in run I hear people mentioning...that might change my plans!!!

 

Happy chicken watching next week !!

[chestnutmare]

Thanks, Gertie. Don't forget to post pics of the extensions.

I have given them baby tomatoes before. They got eaten. Re. space - the food ball and the scattering a little corn in the woodchip takes up no space and they really enjoy the foraging. And I enjoy watching them.

... Who'd have thought I'd be picking out cabbages and sprouts in the supermarket for my pet chickens? And then carrots for the horses, sometimes apples...