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

[PoachedPlease]

I know this question must have been asked before but I can't find it....after my worrying xperience trying to put chicks back in with flock and mom, I have just got hold of an eglu to use. Have never used one before. However, having removed the bars and filled it all with straw I am stuck as how to put food out as the glugs are too big for the chicks. There's no room in the main bit is there? My chicks are 3 weeks can I be sure they can't get out of the holes in the run? They are living the high life in my shed but too much poop all over the place. The dog crate felt too small.

 

Is the eglu and run the right way to go?

 

Thanks or any thoughts.

[AndreaT]

I've got both a classic and a Go being used as broody runs at the moment and as a forst time hatcher they've been great!

 

I would've thought they would be too big to fit through the run by now but I have put some link-a-board around the bottom which helps with that worry and also gives them some wind break.

 

Food wise I bought some cheap plastic feeders/drinkers which have worked fine I guess you could used dishes if you didn't want to buy anything new but you may want to raise them up of the ground a bit as they would probably get stood in/knocked over.

 

I was worried about integrating the chicks into the flock so I moved the eglu into the main chicken area for about a week before letting them out. This gave them all chance to get used to each other without fear of the chicks being attacked and it worked pretty well, they've all ignored each other for the most part. They were about four weeks old by this time.

 

Hope that's helped and good luck!

[sjp]

I use these two for chicks for day old up to POL they can go on a step of bricks or be hung up

http://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/chicken_keeping/feeders_and_drinkers/15822/eton_1kg__plastic_poultry_feeder/'>http://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/chicken_keeping/feeders_and_drinkers/15822/eton_1kg__plastic_poultry_feeder/

http://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/chicken_keeping/feeders_and_drinkers/15822/eton_1kg__plastic_poultry_feeder/