Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[redcharlie43]

Hello everyone,

I am quite new to this. I adopted 3 ex-batts in Nov last year. Fatty, Baldy and Bully made it through the horrible winter in their lovely eglu and I upgraded to a cube in April. Baldy sadly went to chicken heaven 2 months ago ad I have since aqquired a lovely POL sussex and bluebell.(after much dicussion with OH who finally let me go chicken shopping!). The ex-batts and new girls are pretty much OK with each other now but I have noticed that the ex batts and the bluebell have quite messy bootoms and nasty runny droppings. They seem very happy and are all putting on weight and although the ex-batts have stopped laying, the bluebell is giving us a new egg each day. I was wondering if what i can do to stop this? Any advice is appreciated. I have to say that I never thought that these creatures would be quite so addictive and have not admitted it to my OH who thinks I am crazy!

[blueandwhite]

Hi you could try worming, not giving treats not sure but someone on here will have better ideas. I've got a bluebell and she does get mucky 'bum' feathers. So I've got an old washing up bowl and every few weeks give her a bit of a wash. I used to do it in the kitchen sink but she is rather large now and also kept trying to get on the window ledge! Decided it wasn't very hygenic! I just use a squirt of Carex in the water and wash it off well, dry her off with an old towel. She doesn't seem to mind at all. Hope they all okay.

[Sam]

Yep, I'd try worming with Flubenvet and keeping treats to a minimum.

When one of mine was mucky, after worrying about her I found out she was just sleeping in the nestbox