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

[gavclojak]

This may sound strange but please bear with me, I am new at all this chicken lark;)

I came home from work and two of my girls have poo stuck on their feet, eeekkk I know:( shall I use a baby wipe of shall I try water or just leave it to come off on its own? They are new ex-batts, only had them a week so didn't want to stress then by trying to bath them yet.

Tried to pick her up but she got upset, so left her to calm down....

Also a helicopter went over last night and OMG they didn't like that one little bit

[Egluntyne]

I'd leave it or you will be spending thousands on baby wipes.

[good_egg]

Mine have a back of standing in fresh squishy ones! I would leave them to it and be careful when you have treats they don't jump on your lap without walking over the grass first!

[Jenthelibrarian]

Unfortuntely hens are not particularly clean and tidy, they make a right old mess of their runs and their beds and their idea of a bath is to roll about in the dirt. If they can then lavishly shake themselves free of slightly poop-smelling dust all over you then so much the better

 

I am postive that mine walk through poops with the intention of rinsing their feet in their drinking water, apparently it adds a 'certain something' to the flavour. If you see them doing this and rush to change the water they will kick woodchip or sawdust into it instead.

 

When your new girlies settle down and become silly-tame they will delight in trampling their dirty feet all over your clean jeans/skirt as they leap into your lap.

Because they'll expect you to share anything you happen to have about you that is edible, of course.

And if you kindly show them some yummy slugs they will happily scoff them down and then wipe the slime off on your leg.

[gavclojak]

Haha amazing, I am smiling at all your replies, they have decimated the grass and am wondering what to put on the floor of there lavish enclosure, was thinking of some bags from our local woods, the floor is covered with dried leaves, moss and small broken sticks, think they would love it, but does anyone else have any ideas.?

Thanks in anticipation

[Nelmel]

I bought real wood chips which are really good. Dont buy bagged decorative play bark as it holds moisture and encourages parasites. Very hard to find though so be friend a tree surgeon!

[Julia_K]

I'm with Nelmel - I have a really large walk in run that I haven't been able to cover and was fed up with the dirt/mud/dirt so got a local tree surgeon to deliver a big load of wood chips (I made sure it had a high wood content with very little bark) and I put this down at a depth of around 6". The girls weren't sure about it at first but now love it and there are deep holes everywhere. All I had to pay was the chap's fuel, so if it carries on being a success I think I've found the ideal base.

[Julia_K]

I'm with Nelmel on this - I have a really large walk in run that I haven't been able to cover and was fed up with the dirt/mud/dirt so got a local tree surgeon to deliver a big load of wood chips (I made sure it had a high wood content with very little bark) and I put this down at a depth of around 4-6". The girls weren't sure about it at first but now love scratching around in it. All I had to pay was the chap's fuel, so if it carries on being a success I think I've found the ideal base. I plan to replace it every 6 months or so and regularly sanitise it.