CockADoodleDoo Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 Hi All i am new to this forum and you propably get this question all the time but i was wandering what you all thought the essentials that you need to get with the eglu and 3 chickens are as i am getting an eglu in july Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 For starters: Poultry Spice Aubiose or Hemcore (instead of bark in the run) Barrier Red Mite powder. Later: Flubenvet (wormer) Important: Get a METAL bin to keep their food in. Rodents can nibble plastic. Welcome to the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 a wallpaper s"Ooops, word censored!"er thingie too, for getting poo off the nesting bars. also welcome, but as a relative newbie feels a bit odd saying that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 Hi. My essentials at time of ordering the eglu were : 1. spare set of roosting bars (don't cost much and makes life easier). 2. winter shade (you get a summer shade free but the winter one is great for hot summer sun shade and great for these amazing downpours we've been having this week). 3. keep reading this forum before they arrive, I picked up so many tips whilst I was waiting for mine to be delivered. The rest I got after my chooks arrived....you can sort all these out later. Auboise (or Hemcore) to line the poo tray is great, poultry spice, grit (unless they free range a lot), treats bowl (eg. heavy dog bowl so they don't jump on it and tip it over), washing up gloves (for scrubbing roosting bars). Once you have found your local feed supplier you'll be tempted to buy everything. But just getting chickens and eglu/cube is enough at first, the rest will come when you are ready. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 garlic to add to the feed - cuts down on the smell of what comes out the other end! although I loathe the garlic; I'm trying bokashi next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CockADoodleDoo Posted June 23, 2007 Author Share Posted June 23, 2007 Thank you all for being so helpful and it seems like a great forum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andymacaulay Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 Hi All i am new to this forum and you propably get this question all the time but i was wandering what you all thought the essentials that you need to get with the eglu and 3 chickens are as i am getting an eglu in july I concur with garlic. I use garlic powder, a teaspoon to a full grub pot, and it seems to keep the area fly free. You don't have the fun of seeing one of the girls hop lightly off the ground and snap a fly from the air tho. Second set of roosting bars - I got these a couple of weeks ago and cleaning so much easier if you can swap the bars over and let the diry ones have a good soak. Citricidal - seems to shift the occasional sniffle if a few drops are put in their water. For 3 hens we were recommended to get a 1m extension on the run and this does seem to give them enough space. Our eggs have lovely hard shells without any extra grit in the layers pellets - I don't know what others' experience is. Barriers for any precious plants!!! My raised beds are surrounded by willow hurdles but I have still lost everything within a chicken's neck-length of one side. We have some rolled up willow that gets unfurled across plant beds and velcroed in place when we let them roam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy C Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 So far, I could not do without,: THE FORUM and 1. The winter shade (or a shower curtain) for the run during the perfect English Summer. 2. A permanent run site. Using the Omlet pattern with modifications. We have changed the bark chipping for hard wood chips. Added layers of landscape fabric underneath (allows drainage but easier to sweep out and stops the soil from rotting them away). We have also put old rubber car mats under the vulnerable to scatching places like under the grub. We also used run pegs to make sure the run was secure as the site is uneven. 3. Spare roosting bars. (one in the wash, one ready for use) 4. Extra grub and glug. To give extra water on weekends away and the second grub is for greens, grit and treats. 5. I use a cat litter s"Ooops, word censored!"per for the poop tray. 6. 2 washing up brushes (one for cleaning the bars & eglu) and the other for the grubs and glugs. Good strong hose (killed one off already). 7. Dried garlic granules (available from horsey places) 5 grains to a glug, to reduce poo smell. Extra grit for the eggs. 8. Verm-x for worms. Poultry drink when they seem under the weather. Citricidal for sneezing. 9. Red mite powder (not used yet, but may need it). Poultry barrier spray (used after weekly clean, to avoid the red mites) 10. Wellies (for the summer ) 11. Metal bin and scoop for feed. (Lid held on with a bungy chord). 12. Straw for the nest. 13. Compost heap (had already but works better for the added poo) 14. Treats: tinned sweetcorn (cheap supermarket own brand rinsed under a tap), GRAPES (for bribery), raisins, left overs (cherries, potato, cooked veg, salad leaves, etc),and frozen sprouts (for greens). 15. Extra egg boxes from friends. Sorry to scare you. Ours do live in the lap of luxury. Desirable luxuries: Hen-cam - we have set up one of our security cameras on the run. So we can do henwatch from the living room. Hen books: I recommend "Keeping Pet chickens", "The Complete Encyclopedia of Chickens", "Hen keepers Journal" (by Francine Raymond to record eggs and happenings) Digital Camera. Practical Poultry Magazine subscription. Battery hen welfare trust T-shirt, Key ring and bag - good to raise awareness Omlet T shirt (for days away....) I hope I have not scared you off..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhapsody Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 Spare roosting bars Winter shade/shower curtain Washing-up brush for bars/tray (glug and grub can go in dishwasher) Some kind of horse bedding for run/tray A Tubtrug in matching colour for transporting dirty bedding to your compost heap Cider vinegar to add to drinking water as a general tonic and helps them clear worms (2 splashes in the glug every day) Some mixed corn as an afternoon treat to teach them to run up to you in a hilarious way when you call Enjoy your chooks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 Spare roosting bars Poultry spice Hemcore/aubiose for the run - its fab ! Barrier red mite powder clear shower curtain to protect from wet in the winter citronella for the summer months (couple drops on kitchen roll in the poo tray keeps away flies) --------------------------------------------------------------- then eventually, Flubenvet for worming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
