Warm boot recommendations please

[Foxy Loxy]

Hi. I am a first time chicken owner. I am going to collect my hens tommorow. Any advice on what to do for the first day. I have been advised to keep them in the eglu and eglu run for the first week so that they get used to it. I was going to bring them home about 5pm. Put them in the eglu run and then lock them in the eglu overnight. Does this sound o.k?

 

Also, another stupid question. If the hens are in the eglu overnight, do they not get thirsty and hungry overnight?

[James516]

Hi Foxy! We got our girls about a month ago. We kept them in the run for the first 5 days, as suggested, although when they were asleep at about 9pm or so we opened the egg port to give them a pat.

 

We were lucky - our girls made their own way into the eglu fom day one. Some people have to tempt them in with a torch for the first night or two until they get the idea that they should sleep in there! We let them out again when we get up, which is anytime from 6am to 8am.

 

They don't get too hungry in there - they pretty much sleep the whole time, but you should make sure they have food and water available during the day.

[Egluntyne]

Hi Foxy Loxy.

 

They don't need to eat or drink during the night..so one they have put themselves to bed you can shut the door and they will be fine until morning.

 

Let them out as early as you can.

[Foxy Loxy]

Can you tell me the difference between hay and straw too?

[Egluntyne]

Hay is the top bit of the grass and is edible. Straw is like the second cut and is co"Ooops, word censored!" and stalky.

 

I'm not sure that it is a good idea to give them hay as the long strands can cause digestive problems.

 

Straw is used by lots of Omleteers in the nesting box of the Eglu.

[Foxy Loxy]

I bought some hay from the pet store last week. I didn't know that there was a difference between straw and hay. I asked for hay but it looks like straw from the description. The stalks are thick. Is this straw?

[bronze]

straw is the stems of cereal crops

hay is dried grass

[Egluntyne]

Sounds like it. Hay is usually finer and can look more obviously like a grassy crop.

 

Have a look .....here.....

 

The top 3 pics show hay and the next three show straw.

 

Hay tends to be a bit greener and straw yellow.

 

I hope this helps.

[Snowy]

Hi and welcome Foxy Loxy!

Hay is often a darker greeny grey colour and is just dried grass. Straw is yellow and is the stalks, usually of wheat or barley, it is much co"Ooops, word censored!"r. Hay is edible but no good for chickens (they need to be able to nibble little bits off rather than swallow long lengths). Straw is used for bedding only. Some use shredded paper instead, or just some aubiose or shavings in the nest box. Does sound like you have straw, what colour is it?

[Sheilaz]

You'll soon be an expert, FoxyLoxy.

Straw is the thick & straight like a drinking straw, whereas hay is thin and bundly, like nests of long dried grass.

Straw is OK, but hay is not good for hens as it can get blocked when they eat it.

A lot of us don't use straw but buy Auboise or Hemp (from horse supplies) in a big, compact bale that lasts ages and soaks up moisture much better than straw/sawdust.

 

Good luck with it all, have fun.

 

PS...Oooh, look, we all posted to help!

Edited May 29, 2007 by Guest

[Foxy Loxy]

Thanks for the pictures. Its definately straw that I have got. How often should I change the straw? Every day?

[Foxy Loxy]

I plan to get up about 6-8am every day to let them out. If they are sitting in the eglu, do they really make a lot of noise to wake up the neighbours?

[Snowy]

They don't really need anything in the nest box - they'll happily lay if it's bare! But I like to make it a little more comfy looking. Also, some of them have a nasty habit of pooping in the nest box. Straw or paper means you can lift it out and the eggs stay cleaner. I only change it if it's been pooped on.

 

Mine don't make any noise until they've been let out (other than some banging about!)

[Egluntyne]

Q1. Depends how pooey it gets. I'd do it every day to start with and then see how it goes.

 

Q2. No two hens are the same re noise. I shouldn't think you will need to let them out before 6....that's is above and beyond the call of duty!! I'd say between 6 and 7 would be about right.

 

Again...see how it goes. You'll find that they are up earlier in summer.

 

Not very helpful answers I know but its a case of getting to know your particular hens.

 

You'll be fine I'm sure.

[Foxy Loxy]

One thing that I wonder is about winter. Its fine in the summer to stay out in the garden whilst the hens are freeranging but what about winter. I'm sure people don't want to be outside in the horrid weather. How do people generally find this?

[MisHapp]

We have a compromise in winter - we create a free ranging pen with chicken wire fencing. This is not fox proof but is a risk we have decided to take.

[Egluntyne]

I let mine out into a fenced area in winter...not fox proof but I am either pottering about.....there is always something to do in the garden even in in winter......or am in the kitchen where I can see them.

[beach chick]

ditto - while I would hate something to happen to them, I think the quality of life is very important. I do notice that mine like to stretch UP, which they cant really do in the eglu run... on the other hand, they may be preparing for helicopter style take off, and just lulling me into a false sense of security!!

[Olly]

I'm wondering this, myself! I'm lucky enough to have a greenhouse from which I can supervise, so mine have been free-ranging recently even though it's been raining. I sit in there with a cup of tea and admire my tomato plants, I'm often joined by the cat who likes the warmth.

 

Because the days are so much shorter in the winter, I think mine are going to be in the run most of the time then, simply because I won't be able to be home during daylight hours. They are fine - I've just bought a converter and extension to give mine more space, but the run is perfectly adequate for them.

[The Pearsons]

I haven't got my girlies yet (tonight or tomorrow I think) but I am at work from early in the morning. Dark when I leave and dark when I get home in the winter. The ladies will have their cube, run and a big extension. Although we are in the country there are very few trees to act as fox coverts and I've only seen one fox (in the far distance and through high power binoculars) in the time we have been here - that was being chased by people on horses and the foxhounds.

 

Lots of our neighbours have hens (mostly completely free range with no fencing at all - what fencing there is is to keep the hens out of veggie beds) and no one has reported fox problems......

 

Helen P

[Jools]

Hi Helen

 

Where are you on the Scottish borders? We lived near Penrith (okay I know it's not the Borders, but it's quite close ) and we're near the south west coast of Cumbria now. Apart from it being a wonderful place to live, we're also blessed with only having rural foxes who rarely venture out in daytime and who have plenty of wildlife prey to satisfy themselves. Most poultry I see on my travels free range, but of course they have secure housing for nightime.

 

I'd be inclined to go with your instincts with your new chickens. If your neighbours haven't had any losses, then the odds are that you won't either. It's not guaranteed of course, but you are in the best position to make that judgement. Mine have free-ranged during the daytime for the four years I've had them ........... and so far so good. However, I always make sure they are shut up before dusk and not let out again until 7am in summer or when it's light enough in winter. On the odd occasion we have a social life and won't be back until after dark, I shut them in their run before we go, then panic all the way home until I can shut their bedroom door securely!

 

Enjoy them when they arrive