What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[steveb]

Just thought this might be of interest to some of you...

 

I've just fitted a 1m extention to the cube and also fitted some homemade "barge boards" all around.

 

The purpose of the barge boards are merely to keep the Hemcore in place, as the girls do seem to love kicking it all over the place.

 

We've given up on moving the cube about to try to save the grass... it's just not gonna work... so we have resigned ourselves to keeping the cube in one spot and using Hemcore to keep it all clean'n'tidy inside, which I must say is working great... I used about a quarter of a bag of Hemcore and the poos just disappear !

 

Here's the pictures... doesn't the run look enormous now !

 

There are more pictures in our Album. See the link at the bottom of this post.

 

[Martin B]

Great Photos!

[Guest]

That's a good idea

[Jaime]

That looks so much neater than my creation of a sort of raised bed full of hemcore. I'm very envious.

 

Why didn't I think of that?

 

I think I might have to copy

 

How did you fix the boards to the walls of the run?

[Egluntyne]

Is it just too heavy to move with the extension Steve?

 

The barge boards are a clever idea.

[steveb]

How did you fix the boards to the walls of the run?

 

Small hook at each end, so they literally just hook on. I'll take a photo tomorrow that will explain better.

[steveb]

Is it just too heavy to move with the extension Steve?

Not at all too heavy... the extention doesn't really as much weight, although the sheer size eith the extention makes it really need two people.

 

Our main reason for keeping it in one place was that we had moved it all over the garden already, but rather than each bit of grass getting time to recover, we just found that we were getting a whole garden of concentrated chicken poo ... and the grass was struggling to recover.

[The Dogmother]

That looks fab Steve. I have boars around my eglu run, buy they're not attached and nowhere near as sophisticated as yours

[feemcg]

The run with extension looks great - I still think this size of run should have come as standard with the cube.

[Egluntyne]

I have boars around my eglu

That should keep the foxes away Claret......they can do some damage with those tusks!

Just kidding!

[Guest]

I have boars around my eglu

That should keep the foxes away Claret......they can do some damage with those tusks!

Just kidding!

 

 

Your set-up looks fantastic, Steve!

[Lesley]

I have boars around my eglu

That should keep the foxes away Claret......they can do some damage with those tusks!

Just kidding!

 

- my thoughts exactly! I knew she was coveting our pigs but didn't know she'd popped one in her pocket

 

Good idea to contain the Hemcore Steve - we did that with our home-made run to contain bark chippings as they make so much mess.

[jilly]

Your set up looks really good. Just want to ask, you said the poo disappears with the hemcore ? How does this work (sorry to sound really thick but not got my cube and hens yet. On here to gather a bit of knowledge?!) I was just going to put my cube straight onto grass. As when I let them out there are loads of beds with wood chip/bark in them so they can flick those around then. Do I NEED to put wood chip or hemcore in the pen ? I am getting the cube with the extension and like you I don't intend to move the cube around the garden, I want it to stay in the same spot.

Thanks

Jilly

[steveb]

How did you fix the boards to the walls of the run?

Here's a couple of pics showing the how the barge boards attach. Sorry about the poor focus (rubbish macro on this camera).

 

Couldn't be any easier... A few bits of treated "feather edge boards" (normally used to make fences) from B&Q and some small hooks that you can literally screw in by hand. Total cost was around £5. The boards literally just hang off the run bars.

 

[steveb]

Just want to ask, you said the poo disappears with the hemcore ? How does this work.

Magic! ... It's just soooo absorbant that the poos seem to literally disappear.

 

On grass, a couple of week in the same place and the ground would be a real mess of poo, flies, etc and even nastier if it's wet.

 

With the Hemcore, there's just no evidence of poos, flies or any nastiness. I don't know how but it really works. Just change it once a month (the old stuff composts very well, so I read).

 

Do I NEED to put wood chip or hemcore in the pen ?

You don't NEED to, but...

 

I am getting the cube with the extension and like you I don't intend to move the cube around the garden, I want it to stay in the same spot.

In that case, I would very strongly recommend the Hemcore route !... I can't believe the difference it's made here in the short time we've been using it, plus the girls love to root around in it and kick it about.

 

The secret is, use much less of it than you think you should if you don't want it all over the garden. I put in half a bail originally... covered the run floor to about 2 inches.... Way too much. Now I'm using about a quarter of a bail, which seems to do just a good a job and stays in one place with the barge boards on.

[jilly]

Steve, How clever !! Sometimes the simple ways are the best !! It's just thinking of them.

 

(Sorry Jaime when you read my earlier question. I know you did tell me about hemcore when I visited you but can't remember what you said !!)

[jilly]

Thanks for the tips !! Hemcore is the way !! I remember now think Jaime said he shook hemcore over the roosting bars and let some go into the poo drawers and that helped do the same thing absorb , made it easier to clean etc. (If I have misquoted you Jaime I apologise!) but I'm sure he said something like that. I need to find a supplier in my area for feed, hemcore, straw etc. Anybody my way (Bolton Lancs?) Need to get sorted in readiness for my girls arrival.

Thanks

Jilly

[steveb]

I need to find a supplier in my area for feed, hemcore, straw etc. Anybody my way (Bolton Lancs?) Need to get sorted in readiness for my girls arrival.

According to the Hemcore website... "Sellers" in Bury.... Have a look here

[Jill]

Love the extension - makes it a much better size - more in proportion and the boards are a terrific idea. I think even I will manage to copy as the photos are so clear. I am so pleased I am getting an extension with my cube. I don't plan to move mine about. I found when I moved the eglu around regularly the whole garden ended up looking tatty and it worked better to have it static with bark outside and hemcore inside. Looks much nice and my grass is back to normal (when the dogs aren't digging).

[jilly]

Thanks Steve will check that out !!

Jilly

 

Ps. Just have and spoke to really nice lady not a million miles away from me via your link and she does feed as well as hemcore !! She says she does Allen and Page organic feed. She reckoned its the best ? but does anyone know if this is a good layer feed ? Would really appreciate any advice. Really pleased though coz now can source bedding, feed, and know a good vets just in case !! Now all I have to do is buy my cube and my hens !! (ha ha)

 

Thanks

Jilly

[Jaime]

Allen and Page is good stuff - the other is Organic Feed Company (which Omlet Sell).

 

You might find that the chooks dont like you changing brands so choose a local supplier that will sell you stuff well in date and stick with them.

Sometimes they dont like one new bag - so I mix them at change over time. Fussy Madams

[jilly]

Hi Jaime,

Sorry being a bit thick again.When you say you mix them at changover time. Do you mean before one bag is finished you start the new bag and mix some of the old feed with the new so they don't notice ? Didn't ask when we came to see you what brand of feed do you buy for yours and is it GM free and organic ? I know you said you sourced it locally.

 

Thanks

Jilly

[Jaime]

The feed I buy is from the "Organic Feed Company". It's GM free, vegetarian, organic and has high Omega3. I beleive the Allen and Page one is as good and it has the vegetarian society approval.

 

Organic Feed Company also do Organic mixed poultry corn - I use as treats - no more than a mug per day or they dont eat their pellets - then they dont lay eggs!

 

I start a new bag just before the old one runs out and give them scoops of each so they dont notice the change over.

 

I have spent today dismantling the woodchip bed in preparation for fixing boards like Steveb has done.

The garden is looking better and more organised already

[jilly]

Think I'm gonna use the same feed as you. Do you buy it in 20kg bags or 5kg bags ? Coz I know they have a sell by date and don't think I'm gonna need that much, but I will see. Not being cheeky but can you remember how much you pay for a bag ? Coz I'm going to see this lady in Greenmount tomorrow someone kindly told me about on here (think Steve) she sells feed, hemcore, etc and want to know if her prices are reasonable. (although I know it's not that much anyway)

Thanks

Jilly