Sooo much pooping

[holistix]

Hello there:-)

 

Yesterday we collected our first three girls, ex-batts from cranleigh:-))))

 

They have settled in brilliantly, eating and drinking well, scratching and pecking at the grass, and putting themselves to bed this evening. They even managed three eggs today. They haven't seemed to mind the cold wet weather ( I have two lightweight omlet covers over the 4 mtr run) but I would like to get a clear PVC cover that will come to the floor to give them more protection and me a better view I have found somewhere I can buy it by the metre but wanted to know what you would use to attach it with? I just can't think how to do it securely so it's not flapping about but want to get on with it ASAP.

 

Any advice would be gratefully received, thank you

[Christian]

Try Halfords or poundland for bungee cords. They work brilliantly for keeping the tarps down....

 

Good luck with you new hens!

[Purplemaniacs]

Try Halfords or poundland for bungee cords. They work brilliantly for keeping the tarps down....

 

Good luck with you new hens!

I was going to say bungee cords too.

 

Well done for giving your ex batts a new home. Glad to hear they are settling in well.

 

Chrissie

[Leicester_H]

I'm always worried about springy bungie cords after a friend had one go in his eye.

 

We use clear plastic (equivalent to show curtain) and use an eyelet maker (a small device that make small round holes so they don't split) and then use garden twisty ties to tie the cover to the bars in suffient places to stop it flapping.

 

It seems to work very well.

 

H

[Redwing]

Homebase do packs of two bungee cords for £1 they aren't very springy and I wouldn't trust them with a roofrack but they will hold down tarps ok.

 

Tarpaflex sell eyelet makers and also little grippers for tarps with no eyelets

[Leicester_H]

Tarpaflex sell eyelet makers and also little grippers for tarps with no eyelets

Yes - I have an additional Tarpaflex for really bad weather. They are expensive BUT very clear and strong and so I expect to last a LONG time - so worth the money in the long run.

I tried shower curtains but mine ate it !

Hence went to thicker clear (UV stabilised) plastic from local DIY store (1.5m wide - cost £6 per meter). They also have plastic (so don't rust) eyelets that you place either side of plastic sheet, hit with hammer to make nice eyelet. Then can tie eyelets with garden ties or string to bars of run. Advantage is I can put eyelets in most conveneient places.

After bodging around for years, this seems a much nicer solution.

 

H

[Plum]

I used bungees and then bulldog clips to stop the shower curtains flapping. They'll rust eventually but not for ages

[holistix]

Thank you all for your replies and suggestions.

 

I hadn't heard of tarpaflex but have now had a look and think I might invest in one as it seems like a pretty permanent solution. One questions though, is it suitable for an omlet run, rather than a walk in? I have two extensions so the run is 4 metres. I see on the website you can get various lengths but a standard 2m wide. I haven't been out to measure it out yet but think it may be two wide at the eglu end?

 

You've probably gathered that neither I or my husband are very practically minded

[sparkysmum]

Hi Holistix & well done for rescuing your ladies Ex batts were our first & have to say favourite hens. Re your run, have you considered covering it with corrugated plastic. We covered our eglu run with corrugated plastic years ago & it still keeps the run dry if we need it. Its not expensive & as I've said lasts for years.

 

Good luck with your ladies, you will love them. Alli x

[doctors girls]

Re your run, have you considered covering it with corrugated plastic. We covered our eglu run with corrugated plastic years ago & it still keeps the run dry if we need it. Its not expensive & as I've said lasts for years.

 

 

ask ANH to post some photos of his old set up with the corrugated sheet covering the run it looks neat and tidy

[Leicester_H]

I have corrugated plastic on half of each run (can't find photo at present - will take one when rain stops).

I found some smaller ridge plastic (1" instead of 3") which I think looks nicer (less 'industrial').

From memory it is 66cm wide by 1.8m long and cost about £8 per sheet.

My OH drilled some tiny holes in each corner so that I could tie it to the bars.

H

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Always happy to oblige . If you have a windy garden bungee ropes are the best thing to keep it on. (I'm a "she", btw, hard to tell from my avatar, I know )

 

 

[Leicester_H]

Just stopped raining - so here are some pics (done in a hurry so not very good)

 

This shows one run - half has permanent corrugated plastic cover. Other half is removed in summer.

Lower edge has permanent plastic to stop Aubiose leeking out.

 

OH drilled a few holes so that I could tie plastic to bars (none have come off yet)

 

OH also cut 2 shaped pieces that go on the ends in really bad weather (usually overnight) - they tie on with 5 strings - I don't like leaving these on as it isolates them a bit

 

Since extension is at different angle to the rest of the run , I made a flexible plastic 'tarpaulin' from some thick plastic from my local DIY store that also sold the eyelets.

 

Final pic shows how I divided run (due to excessive feather pulling) by tying canes to bars and put in extra door.

[Duncan08]

Loving that the runs are on wheels What a great idea

[Leicester_H]

Loving that the runs are on wheels What a great idea

Yeah - it really helps to be easily move them - see

 

http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=43282&hilit=+wheels&sid=d589cb888713af3cfbbdfe99ab0eba35

 

H

[CrazyDaizy]

Where do you get the corrugated plastic? Brilliant idea

[Leicester_H]

B&Q sell some - I expect most DIY stores do - check its the CLEAR stuff - not just the semi-clear stuff.

I prefer the smaller ridge stuff (1 1/4 inch rather than 3 inch ridges) - I think it looks neater - but thats personal opinion.

 

I got mine from this local shop

http://www.sodenplastics.co.uk/Soden_Plastics_Ltd/Soden_Plastics_Ltd_-_Leicester_-_Products_Page_4_-_Clear_Plastic_Roofing_-_Car_Port.html

 

1 1/4 in Clear - 26in wide - 6feet long - its easy enough to cut.

 

H

[CrazyDaizy]

I just purchased my corrugated clear plastic sheets from Homebase and fitted them this morning. I've just used two sheets joined in the middle at the top. They don't cover the whole of the run, which is fine by me (I can always buy more) only £9.49 per sheet. You can buy longer sheets if you require.

 

http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=110&storeId=10151&partNumber=058308

[Leicester_H]

Looks good - who's that in the foreground (looks like my Smokie!)

H

[CrazyDaizy]

Looks good - who's that in the foreground (looks like my Smokie!)

H

That's Bluebell. Our errr.... Bluebell chicken (not very original with the name are we )

[Duncan08]

Our Bluebell is called Bluebell too, Our Lavender Aruacana is called Lavendar, Miss Pepperpot is called Pepper and our gingernut ranger, chilli.

 

Guess what our Vorwerk is called?

Marigold

 

We arn't too original on names and Marigold just popped up when we saw her