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

[AshStar8]

I recently re-homed 3 ex-batt chickens and unfortunately have to keep them in a run while I'm a work because we have regular fox visitors. I've got them a nice big run, but obviously it doesn't compare to ranging free in the garden, so I want to try and add some levels and perches and things to give them things to do so they don't get too bored, especially considering that with the short winter days they will be tucked up in their coop before I leave and when I get home from work so won't be getting much time to free range at all. Can any of you suggest what to buy and/or how to make some good bits to add to their run to keep them occupied and happy? Photos of things you've done would be great too, if you have them.

 

Also - I want to make a dust bath for them, but cannot seem to get hold of nice dry sand. I bought building sand at Homebase, but it was soaked through and I can't dry it fully - it seriously sticks to my hands, so I worry they won't get it off their feathers. Any suggestions for which type of sand to buy and from where?

 

Thanks!

[Olly]

Hello, and welcome to the forum. I've given up on dust baths, mine just used to poo in it! If you use the search facility you'll probably find some threads on it though.

 

I just have branches in my run, I was lucky enough to be given some twisty bits of rhododendron which are propped up. Any combination of planks/wood will do though, a friend of mine has an old wine rack in her run - they just like to perch at different levels, you could prop a pallet up at an angle or knock up some sort of frame out of s"Ooops, word censored!" wood. Whatever you put in will be covered in chicken poo in no time, so I wouldn't spend a lot of time on the aesthetics of it!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Welcome . I've got lots of perches/planks/logs in my run - any old bit of wood will do as Olly says. I've got bits of laminate flooring, old shelves, a bit of bannister and some cut up logs I found in the woods near us. Also an old garden bench. The photos in my signature link are a bit old but give some idea.

 

I gave up on dustbaths too - mine just wriggle about in any dry bits in their run or free range area.

[auntielizzie]

Hi,

I've got an old tyre in the run which I kept from my old car which I put a mixture of play sand (from early learning centre) and very fine dry earth that I collected in the summer from the FR area in. It does get poo'd in quite a lot though, so it's just something else to clean Unfortunately my run isn't big enough really for extra perches - I wish it was Santa!

[AshStar8]

Thanks for all your advice, everyone - very helpful!