andy_j Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Hi everyone, just about to venture into my 2nd attempt at chicken-dom !!! First time, several years ago, built a lovely big 4m2 run down the garden. I unfortunately underestimated the determination of Mr Fox and he eventually go in and killed all 3 of my lovely hens. So this time, i've given it a lot of thought. Although the garden's small, i have a 5m x 4m piece of decking which is 5 foot above the rest of the garden and only accessible via a set of steps, which can easily have a gate at the top. So i've taken the plunge and got a 3m x 1m run which should be both vermin and fox proof. The run is covered and the floor is decking (untreated) and there is an internal "house" So, a few questions for you. On the floor will be woodchip with a large tray full of soil or turf...does that sound ok Being a head gardener, i have access to many plants. Are there any that chooks really love to demolish as i could bring some home if i have them. I plan to keep 4 or 5 Pekin/Bantams and hopefully get them all at once from the same person...Would this be ok ?. Im not too worried about eggs as long as the girls are happy and friendly. lastly (for now) I might thinking about clipping their wings as the decking has a 1m high rail around it and i don't really want them getting up onto it. They will be in the run when we're at work but be allowed out when im home. Kindest regards Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Welcome, Andy . Sorry to hear about your fox attack, what a shame . Your new setup sounds very fox-proof, I'm sure your new girls will happy and safe in it. If you get woodchip easily being a head gardener, use that but if not, have a think about horse bedding like Easibed etc. They make for really good floor covering and compost more easily than woodchip. A tray with soil would be fine but they'll probably just chuck it all over the place anyway. My girls just dustbathe anywhere in the soil/Easibed in my run so I gave up on a dustbath receptacle. As long as you get your girls at the same time, even if it's from different suppliers, they should get along fine. Not sure about plants. They'll basically strip anything in seconds so not sure it'd be worth the effort unless you're just using up unwanted plants! Re clipping wings, I've not got bantams but I'd imagine they could jump up onto 1m railing even with wings clipped. You could rig up some netting round the inside of the railing to prevent them jumping up? Will they be allowed off the decking? You could rig up something right round it to keep them off the lawn/flowerbeds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Hi and welcome I agree re the flooring. Easi bed is really easy to use, I spread mine on the garden when it's gone brown and mushy (I deep litter). With regards to clipping wings. My Pekin bantam can't fly or jump. She just waddles around. I've not clipped my other girls wings as it is their first form of defense against predators. Makes for great fun when trying to catch them. My family get a great deal of enjoyment watching me run round the garden, usually resorting to a very large fishing net Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 your set-up sounds fine, just bear in mind that whatever you put in the run will be kicked out, so have a 'skirting' or something at the bottom to keep it contained. I don't know how the decking will stand up to this in the long term, but it should be fine with either woodchip or horse bedding as suggested above. Personally, I would clip their wings as the likelihood of them launching themselves off the rail and over your garden fence is probably higher than the chance of them having to escape from a predator - and I'm not sure that unclipped wings are that much help if that situation arises, it gives only a slight advantage. Chickens will eat pretty much anything! I give mine things like blown cabbages/broccoli, stuff that has gone to seed or gone off - they will eat garden plants and love rooting around in green stuff, so if you are pulling up bedding plants or something like that you could chuck some in the run? I'd be too worried about poisoning them, but as a gardener you probably know what is safe and what isn't. They are usually fairly good at knowing what they can eat, but stuff that they wouldn't touch in the garden might be eaten if it's in the run and the only thing available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Hi Andy and welcome, just one thing to add to the excellent advice already given....get yourself some mealworms...they will do anything for a mealworm and if you shake the bag and get them used to that, they will come running and you won't have to worry about trying to catch them. Grab yourself a coffee and sit and watch them and you,will soon get used to what is normal and what isn't for your new ladies. They will soon be eating out of your hands or I should say they will soon have you doing exactly what they want you to do. We look forward to seeing some photos of your girls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 I'd clip wings just the once and see what they do when they moult - if they attempt at launching themselves up into the wild blue yonder, then snip again. My cheeky Mini used to sneak over the netting to get in the veggie patch but we found her launch point so that stopped any more of that - no snipping required! But in the main the other pekins didn't - and she only started that up when she was 3! She used to fly up to the top of the eglu run quite often. I have only ever snipped newbies once and they settle in fine. When we hatched I had to snip the little monkeys about 3 times until they grew enough to be too heavy to try (when you see a maran and a buff Sussex whoosh over your head you kind of get the feeling that it's time to snip! ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 My Pekins can fly 5 feet up onto the fence, so I would definitely wing clip. It seems that once it's been done once they give up trying to fly. Looking forward to photo's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 better keep my eye on my girlie then. Oh I forgot I've got 2 including the frizzle, she can't fly or jump either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
