Omlet server

[Mikeymancs]

Hello All,

 

I have just started out on the adventure that is chicken keeping, loving every minute of it, it's extremely rewarding.

 

We have three hybrids, two of which are now regularly laying each day...yummy eggs they are too!

 

We are based in central manchester, in a newish build very small semi. We have got a compact garden but it has the ideal corner tucked away behind the garage which is about 3m square. This is where we have positioned the wooden house and run we bought off eBay. It'd a fairly decent size and the run is the best part of 8th long.

 

This is a link to a photo of my current set up, please take a look:

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/68432835@N06/6222492130/

 

The issues we are having.... The garden is quite a wet garden and clay soil so it takes forever to drain. The area where the chickens are is a nightmare of mud to get to it.

 

The hens have also done a brilliant job of tearing up what little lawn I did have when I let them out free ranging for a few hours each day.

 

Ideally I would like to section off that corner area so that they can have that entire area during the day when we are out at work. What would be the best way of doing that?

 

Also, any recommendations for flooring in the area... We have tried wood chips but they get soaked and begin to smell a bit. We are tempted to get gravel..... Any thoughts?

 

If anyone is in Manchester or knows anyone that is a bit handy and fancies some cash to make a decent walk in run with a roof I would be very interested in hearing from you!

 

I have also been given the opportunity to get a Omlet Go with run, brand new but just been n display, for £330. Is this a good deal?

 

Although I have not long had the wooden coop... Literally a month.... I dowishihad held out for an omlet Eglu but at the time to be honest I thought they were very expensive for what you get.... I can now already see the advantages of them, I.e. You can move the whole Go into a different area if you need to for any reason and ver easy to clean.

 

Would it be silly to buy the Go when the current coop is so new and does the job, plus the hens are settled and laying, they have got used to the current set up, I wouldnt want them to get distressed.

 

 

Sorry for all the questions, but ideas and critique welcome!

 

Thanks in advance, Mike

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Hi Mike and welcome to the forum .

 

I see what you mean about the mud and the lawn . Omlet netting is great for keeping the little grass destroyers where you want them. (There are other types that work just as well!) I see you have your run covered which means you could use horse bedding (Easibed, Hemcore, Aubiose are just a few). As long as it's kept dry it magically dries up the poop and stays fresh for ages. You can also put down a powdered disinfectant called Stalosan F which will keep any pongs and nasties at bay (again, there are other types available!).

 

That little area you have is crying out for a WIR to be built in it, if you ask me . Have you had a look at Aviaries4U? I have one of theirs which they made to my specifications (although I can't remember if they still deliver further afield).

 

If you have the option to buy a Go it might be a good idea anyway, as it's always useful to have spare accommodation for introductions or as a sick bay. You could keep the wooden one as the spare and use the Go in a WIR? You wouldn't need the Go run then. I don't have a Go but can recommend the Classic wholeheartedly.

 

You can have a look at my WIR and the Omlet netting in my signature link.

[chicken bark]

ANH has given you good advice there.

 

You may find Bay Animal Housing are easier for the WIR - they are based in Lancs I think. You can buy there stuff online and I've seen it on ebay.

[Angie]

Hi Mike , i am in a new build with heavy clay in the garden, it took ages to establish a garden. When i got my hens it was fine till it rained then Oh my Gosh what a mess!!

I had paving slabs laid and a lovely walk in run built , i use wood chip as my flooring, although putting aubiose down on Mon as i can't find wood chip anywhere atm. I have a fab cube which is on the outside of the run for ease of cleaning. I got my run from whitebarn in Bradford, made to measure for the area i have and they erected it for me on site, very nice man

[Mikeymancs]

Thanks for all the advice... Keep it coming, it's all really useful.

 

We already use abiose in the house itself, and a sprinkle of it in the run. What depth should i use in the run? How often change it?

 

What do you think about this as a type of covered run set up...

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Large-Dog-Kennel-Metal-Galvanised-Pet-Playpen-Run-Puppy-/150371662783?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Dogs&var=&hash=item68c61873e3#ht_2781wt_963

 

It's the 5 ft by 10 ft, with a 4th height I'd go for... Plus i would also choose the roof option, the apex style would take the height to just about 5 ft in the middle... This should allow enough access for cleaning?

 

What do you think?

[Mikeymancs]

Hi Mike , i am in a new build with heavy clay in the garden, it took ages to establish a garden. When i got my hens it was fine till it rained then Oh my Gosh what a mess!!

I had paving slabs laid and a lovely walk in run built , i use wood chip as my flooring, although putting aubiose down on Mon as i can't find wood chip anywhere atm. I have a fab cube which is on the outside of the run for ease of cleaning. I got my run from whitebarn in Bradford, made to measure for the area i have and they erected it for me on site, very nice man

 

Hi Angie,

 

It's a nightmare the rain, I am slightly lower than the house behind so seem to get a hard deal when it comes to surface water!

 

Do you have a photo of your run, I'd be interested in having a look.

 

Thanks

Mike

[Mikeymancs]

Hello again,

 

Well I have decided to buy a walk in run from BAH. It's this one http://www.bay-animal-housing.co.uk/prod_info.asp?prodid=574#

 

It will fit in the corner of the garden with about a foot of clearance all round.

 

Next question is about the base on which I should put the run... The soil is clay like and ends to get wet and muddy easily. I was thinking of putting a base in the whole corner of the garden, about 3-4 inches deep of 20mm gravel. The run would then sit n the gravel. I would imagine as it's deepish gravel,it should be fairly free draining? I intend to put guttering on the roof so that it's channeled into a water butt.

 

Would the gravel be ok?

 

What should I put onto the gravel inside the run? Abiose and the like would all get churned up with the gravel a d turn it into a nightmare?..

 

Any ideas and thoughts please....

 

Thanks!

Mike

[Ain't Nobody Here]

That looks like a lovely run. I'm sure there are a few BAH customers on the forum who are very happy with theirs . I'm thinking slabs would probably be best in your situation. At least then you'd know their floor area would always be dry.

[doctors girls]

i got my WIR from BAH and i am very well pleased with it have a look at these photos it might give you some ideas

 

 

as you can see i put the run on a breeze block base with the netting built through the blocks and covers the full length of the run and had the run half slabbed half gravel and wood chip but i then changed it all to fully slabbed when i put a roof on it

 

the slabs are laid on the inside of the of the blocks with rapport bedding down so when i do a big clean out it is just a case clear everything out and i can hose the slabs down the base of the run does not get wet because it is raised up on the blocks and the water drains through the slabs hope this helps you

[Kazzy73]

Thats a nice wir, do you know if bah deliver anywhere, im in the se near london?.Do they like the solid floor,what have you put down so the can scratch around?So sorry for the questions but thinking of getting a wir after xmas so would like all the different set outs explored

[Tutti Frutti]

Welcome to the forum! I love your set up and that space has Walk In Run written all over it

 

This gravelly voice of experience says... avoid gravel on clay soil. Gravel clogs up with poo far too quickly for my liking. It's fine if you can hose it down but that doesn't work for me because of the clay

Edited April 8, 2016 by Guest

[chickencam]

We have heavy clay soil and we built a run area to fit our Eglu run and extension enclosed with scafold planks and then filled it with a thick layer 6 inches plus of bark chippings, not the chuncky ones just the bog standard ones. Our garden has a slight slope and the run is close to the top in a levelled area. We have always covered at least half of the run with corrugated plastic sheet sin the winter, but the uncovered section has never been waterlogged and we had our girls just before the flooding in 2007 so it has seen serious rain. We have found that the bark has it's own eco-system and it doesn't smell and the hens are constantly turning it over and it makes fantastic soil after about 9 months. We rake out any compacted areas every couple of months or so and it has worked extremely well for us.

 

We also have a home built walk in run down the side of the house which has a roof, this has the same base material and it actually doesn't work as well where it is completely dry, although there are more hens in this run and they do dust bathe in the dry areas. The key to success is thick layer that the hens turn regularly.

 

[Mikeymancs]

Hello again everyone,

 

 

Well... What a difference a few days of graft can make...

 

We ordered a walk in run from BAH and it arrived yesterday, i know most people have had good experiences with BAH, but it's been a real pain the proverbial...

 

It came with terrible instructions three roof panels different sizes so they did not fit properly, screws falling out of the Pre prepared panels, no roof fixings etc etc!

 

I have emailed BAH and they are looking into it, but I am really disappointed in how bad it was to put together and the wrong/missing parts etc. I had taken a days annual leave with the purpose of getting it assembled.

 

We have spent about ten hours all in all, getting to something resembling a WIR... The help of a local handyman as we just couldn't get the roof panels to fit so had to get some help from someone with the tools.

 

I am really not sure how to proceed with BAH about all the hassle I have had.

 

 

Anyway here are some photos

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/68432835@N06/6246357419/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/68432835@N06/6246871258/

 

What do you think?

Edited October 15, 2011 by Guest

[Ain't Nobody Here]

It looks very good but what a shame you had such hassle . I hope you get some sort of recompense from them for inconvenience/extra time spent etc. Did you have to pay your handyman? Perhaps you could ask them to stump up for that?

[Mikeymancs]

It looks very good but what a shame you had such hassle . I hope you get some sort of recompense from them for inconvenience/extra time spent etc. Did you have to pay your handyman? Perhaps you could ask them to stump up for that?

 

Thanks for replying... Glad you think it looks Ok, to be honest when you have been staring at the blinking thing for hours on end trying to work out how it goes together you get a bit sick of it lol

 

I had to pay him yeah but without the help and the extra tools he had we would still be looking at a of wood the wrong shape I don't want BAH to just send me another run, as all the work is now done.

 

It should make a different for the girls, they now have a 6 ft by 9 ft covered run, along with a nice gritty bath to scratch around in. The hen house I have put inside is perhaps a little large really and takes up a chunk of space, but they can get under it and jump on top top.

 

I will be adding more perches too.

 

No more mud... Touch wood!

[Sam]

That looks brilliant

 

I remember your original posting and thought the area was crying out for a wir... didn't take long

[Mikeymancs]

That looks brilliant

 

I remember your original posting and thought the area was crying out for a wir... didn't take long

 

 

Hehe, I am terrible...when I get an idea in my head I have to follow it through ASAP. I am pleased you think it looks ok

[Mikeymancs]

Ca I ask for all your opinions....

 

We currently have three girls, how many would you say is the maximum I could have comfortably given the new setup?

 

Ideally, would like to add one or two more...

 

Thanks

[Ain't Nobody Here]

My run is 2.5m x 2m so almost the same as yours. I have had 6 in it (now 5) and they manage very well. They are out all day in a contained area though so aren't confined to the run much. Have you looked at my signature link? I think the key is to provide lots of extra "floor" space by building perches/ramps/etc.

 

You could net off a small freeranging area just outside your run to give them a bit more space?

 

Remember that introducing new girls can be quite tricky so you'll need to have alternative accommodation while they get used to each other. Weren't you thinking of getting a Go ?

[Mikeymancs]

Hello ANH

 

Yes I could net off a bit of an area outside the run I guess. When I am home like today, they are out in the garden (or should I say rotorvating the garden?). They will also be out an hour or two each evening depending when I get home from work.

 

I have today added a few toys to amuse them, A peck block hanging from the roof and also a mirror n string and some small ping pong balls... Highlight amusing to watch them peck at them!

 

They reall are such lovely girls, when in the garden they come and wait outside the kitchen door and bok until I answer it's taken a month or so but the really are starting to trust me now.

[Mikeymancs]

By the way, great setup you have! I bet they love living there!

[AndreaT]

Hi. Sorry to hear you have had trouble with BAH. I had the same problem with them, it was delivered 5 days later than promised and with the wrong size roof panels! I ended up buying extra panels from B&Q as it was taking BAH too long to send me replacements. It took 3 weeks of nearly daily phone calls to get a refund for the extra panels but I did get it in the eventually. My advice is to keep on at them, you'll get there in the end! It's a real shame that they makes mistakes like this and have really bad customer service as now that A4U won't deliver they are the only other option.

 

On the plus side, now that it's all together it is a great run and my girls are very happy in it.

[sabidtech]

Hello there from a fellow newbie.

 

I have been reading this thread with quite some interest.

 

My question is for ANH (and anyone else who may know) - what is the maximum number of hybrid hens you can fit into an eglu classic - I only ask as I'm considering a walk in run. I have 4 hybrids at the moment but I note when they are all the coop there appears to be room for about two more?

 

Am I being too optimistic here?

 

Thanks

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I have had 6 in an eglu (within my walk in run) but not all of them were laying. You may get squabbles over the nestbox if you have 6 all laying. Another nestbox (perhaps a pet carrier or similar?) would help solve that!

 

I only have one girl who sleeps in the nestbox, all the others sleep al fresco.

[sabidtech]

Ah yes the nest box - I can see how that can cause problems. I suppose you could just get another eglu and stick that in the WIR!