MaggieMcHen Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 I have a friend who doesn't come on to the Forum (Too busy!!!) - but if you can come up trumps she might!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She has an Eglu and the Hens keep blocking the doorway every day with their scratchings. Does anyone have any suggestions to prevent this please? They are on chipped bark and soil. I have suggested Hemcore but I guess that would still get in the way. She has tried a slab in front of the door but they still manage to get the mess in the doorway. I have been looking after them for a week and every evening have had the devils own job clearing the mess so that I could shut the door securely. Thanks in advance Maggie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chocobo Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 hmm.. put them on just grass? Or.. buy a cube sorry not much use, sure someone who knows these things will be along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 Rake out the mound in front of the door - if it in a permanent place then perhaps dig out an area in front of the door and fill with Aubiose of hemcore. Or just make sure that the soil level is a bit lower in front of the door and use the Aubiose or Hamcore on top of it. The above are made of small shredded bits of hemp which is soft so would easily be pushed out of the way with the door. It doesn't build up in a solid mass as do soil and bark and shredded wood. Easy to rake too - and breaks down and merges into the ground also, so if they do dig up the soil the Aubiose or Hemcore mixes in with it making it light and not compactble. (I should have shares in the company ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted August 17, 2007 Share Posted August 17, 2007 Stick her hand- holding a stiff brush- through the eggport and brush it away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milly Posted August 17, 2007 Share Posted August 17, 2007 Or raise the eglu up on some bricks or something? Just so that it is above the level that gets scratched up. Milly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted August 17, 2007 Share Posted August 17, 2007 we use a long-handled rake through the door of the run and ours is on Hemcore so it stays very light even when they scratch it all up into big mounds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaggieMcHen Posted August 17, 2007 Author Share Posted August 17, 2007 Many thanks - that's more or less what I told her!!! She has very sandy soil so the Hemcore would I think very quickly get incorporated into it. But I think a combination of paving for the front of the Eglu and then Hemcore on the rest might sort it. She teaches so the hens are in for a great part of the day and need something to dig and scratch in. Thanks again everybody Maggie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted August 17, 2007 Share Posted August 17, 2007 Hiya - I used to have the same problem even tho I cleaned out the hens doorstep every day. I just used a garden cane to flick the dirt out of the groove / slit. Works a treat! Moving the eglu around slightly helps a lot with that problem! Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
