Warm boot recommendations please

[feemcg]

Every night since getting the cube one chook has decided to try and sleep 'al fresco' on top of the cube - until evil mum has gone out and put them to bed . I came home from work tonight and all 5 of the big girls were up there. I wouldn't mind so much but it could get messy if they poo during the night (which we all know they do ). At least the big chicks have the sense to bed down where they're supposed to.

I think the fact they have a solid roof over the run confuses them and they're happy to be out in the summer - I just don't want the mess .

[craftyhunnypie]

Ooooo naughty chooks. Perhaps you'll have to do a line of sweetcorn up to the door of the cube, or just tell them to get their PJ's on, go & clean their teeth and get in bed like good little chookies!

 

Emma.x

[Jill]

Oh no. I am getting my cube on Tuesday and was hoping they would not get on to the top of it. At the moment one uses the top of the eglu run to launch herself over my outer run fence. Looks like I will have to find another solution. I have already clipped her wings.

[Egluntyne]

Barbed wire?

 

Just kidding!

[feemcg]

I was thinking of lying some poly bags over the top of the cube for a couple of nights - maybe the 'slippiness' would deter them .

[ubereglu]

I'm not really sure it would, as the tarpaulin we use as shades on our eglu run is slippy to a certain degree and my three manage to jump off it fairly well!

[Jill]

I already have a winter shade on my eglu run and it has not deterred her at all. The shade is now in tatters from her feet I keep trying to think of ways to stop her doing it. She thinks she is so clever. I have moved the eglu to really close to the fence now as I am hoping she will find it harder to get the height straight up (she is rather plump ) Barbed wire might certainly be a solution

[ubereglu]

My chickens did that to our summer shade too!!! We replaced it with some tarpaulin, which they haven't managed to break yet!

[Jill]

I thought I might try a shower curtain as some others have recommended it. My eglu will only be used, when I get my cube on Tuesday, until the new chooks and old chooks can mix then they will all go in the cube and the eglu will be there for emergencies. Don't really want to spend a lot out and certainly don't think it is worth getting another omlet shade as I am sure they will still keep jumping on it. I think the eglu and run will turn into their own personal piece of play equipment

[ubereglu]

Just a quick question fee, how on earth do they manage to get on top, do they jump off something as an aid?

[feemcg]

Yes Liz, I think theyre jumping from a roosting bar attached to the wall of the run - its being removed this evening before bed time as I've just came back from the wedding (so wasn't here to turf them off last night) and the whole top of the cube is covered in poo (maybe I'll need to electrify it ).

[Jill]

I will have an eglu quite close to the cube. Do you think they will be able to jump from the top of the eglu onto the top of the cube? I do hope not.

[feemcg]

I think they probably would I'm afraid - if you look at my cube pics when it arrived (fees chooks get tango'd) you'll see the perch they're jumping from. Here's the mess today - just going out to clean it

 

[Jill]

It's lucky they are so easy to clean. I think you are right and I might have problems. Electrified barbed wire it is then

[Jools]

Look on the bright side - at least it keeps the roosting bars clean

[feemcg]

I took down the perch thing they were jumping from and they were all frantic trying to find it. After a few crash landings only Belle managed to get up and was quickly 'ushered' down . Guess who's getting her wings clipped?