Solitary chicken - need advice

[gavclojak]

We have the girls in a large enclosure, we have a cube with a 1 meter run which in covered and the door permanently open for access into a massive walk in secure (that's another thread) enclosure.

My question is.... The girls have had fun decimating the grass which is now dirt. What can I put down in the open enclosure, I want something they will enjoy but also something that is weather proof and will deter flies and is easy to clean....a big ask I know.. Does anyone else put out straw, bedding,in the part under the cube to afford the girls a little bit of weather protection or will they just go into the cube if they feel cold ect. Mine seem to never go in the cube unless its bed time or egg laying time.

They seem to just potter about and them snuggle together to have a little chill....is this normal?

Also I occasionally let them into my garden area when I am weeding, and they love it but will they come to expect that and start making noise to come out, they are very quiet at the moment, only egg announcing occasionally and a few other noises when a squirrel has the cheek to run across the enclosure and I don't want them to become too demanding and vocal otherwise my neighbours may get a tad hacked off..especially on a Sunday morning.

So many questions

[good_egg]

We use woodchip. Doesn't do everything you are after but is probably the best for an uncovered area as other options get a bit nasty in rain. As for shelter, I found the girls liked the area under the cube, especially when we bought heavy duty covers/baffles for that bit and it was then out of the wind and rain.

[gavclojak]

Thanks that's great, do you put anything in the area under the cube. I was thinking maybe straw but don't want them laying eggs, I have the heavy duty cover but will maybe buy the small side cover too.

[good_egg]

Just woodchip. At one point we had easibed and they loved that. Now have a large trug under the cube and it is full of easibed as a dust bath. There are small covers specifically for around the bottom of the cube.

[Lavenders_Blue]

I use wood chip as a floor covering too - free from the tree surgeon. I have used straw before in desperation when I couldn't get hold of the tree surgeon and really needed something to put down. It goes manky really quickly on the run floor so I wouldn't waste your time with it if I were you.

Wood chip can be kept 'clean' by regular raking over and sprinkling with powder disinfectant to kill nasties.

As long as you provide a sheltered area for bad weather, then wood chip as a floor covering in that area will be fine. The hens like to dust bathe in it too!

As for whether your girls are likely to become noisy and expect to be let out if you let them have free ranging time, the answer is quite likely! I am a meanie and work on the basis that what they don't have, they don't miss. So mine don't get let out at all (apart from naughty hen Pearl who has both an escape route and a way back into the run sussed out, and can often be found wandering round the garden). Their run is plenty big enough so they don't need FR time.

[kissinuk]

I use straw and change it once a week, never had problems with it. In fact I find it smells a lot less than when I used woodchips as it gets changed more often. I also recommend putting slabs down too, otherwise the mud will become a mess, especially when poop starts to decompose (slabs can be cleaned much easier).

 

I buy my straw from Welland Valley Feeds, costs £2.50 for a massive bale!