alunee Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Hi, We're new to this and collected four approximately 22 week old hens this morning, a Black Rock, a Blue Bell, a Magpie and a Sussex. They're eating and drinking well and we've already had two eggs, one laid in the run and the Black Rock made it into the nesting box. The Sussex has had a good look around up there too, but when it came to dusk, although a couple of them got onto the steps, they all curled up underneath the coop. I picked up the Blue Bell and put her in the coop, but it only served to disturb her peace, she just hopped straight off and got as far away from me as she could. While I understand it isn't anything to worry about, they look quite cosy under there, I was wondering what I can do to encourage them into the coop at night? We have a Cube with 2 extension runs and have put the wind covers around the wheel frame. Should I take the wind covers off and perhaps the cover off the run? Any ideas or comments appreciated. Thanks, Alun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PixieDust Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Personally I would get them into the Cube as it is safer. If your run is an Omlet one they do not claim they are fox proof. The first night with ours, we put them in just before dusk, (it was the middle of November), and by the third day, I think it was, they put themselves to bed. As idyllic as it is, its not safe in England for your girls to not be securely tucked up at night, unless you have a Fort Knox run where nothing can get in or even dig in. Just gently persist with putting them in and they will soon get the hang of it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alunee Posted April 12, 2015 Author Share Posted April 12, 2015 Thanks for that, Yes, foxes are on my mind. Perhaps I should go and wake them! Alun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimi5 Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Hi alunee Welcome to the world of chicken keeping You could just pop them in to the coop for a couple of nights (pop hole door closed) so that when they come down in the morning hopefully they'll know where to go up to bed! I did this and they did get the hang of where bed was Some people have had success with a torch shinning out from inside the coop. It's not too cold at the mo......it's up to you Enjoy and keep us posted Oh and we like pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimi5 Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Forgot to ask ....did you sort out your difficulties with run extensions???? What did you do in the end??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kissinuk Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Well, you're not alone, we picked up 3 new girls today, 2 made it into the eglu, 1 decided to settle down in middle of the run! Had to "encourage" her in, but from past experience you only need to do this once or twice before they get the idea... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Hello there and welcome, ideally encourage then up the ladder and into the cube, I would and indeed have added an extra piece of wood over the plastic cube ladder to make a new ladder as my girls and lots of others I have heard of hate the cube ladder, I think for the hens it takes a bit of getting used too. Have a look at the photo section and you'll see many of us do the same. If the cube and run is put together properly using the correct peg and end door secure bolt foxes shouldn't get in as they are fox and badger resistant, lots of people on here leave there cube pop doors open and I know of lots of people on this forum who's hens actually choose to sleep in the run! Silly hens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alunee Posted April 12, 2015 Author Share Posted April 12, 2015 Thank you all, I've gone out, put the hens in the coop and closed the door. While I doubt it did much for the bonding process, we'll sleep more easily knowing they're safe. There are a couple of households that free range not far from here, but who knows. I did try the torch trick earlier, but they're either too daft or too clever to be taken in. I'll put them in at dusk tomorrow. Forgot to ask ....did you sort out your difficulties with run extensions???? What did you do in the end??? Yes, thanks for asking. It turns out the Mk1 Cube extension runs can be made compatible with the Mk2 Cube run using a couple of run skirt panels that come with the new run. Omlet supplied me with the extras I needed. Hello there and welcome, ideally encourage then up the ladder and into the cube, I would and indeed have added an extra piece of wood over the plastic cube ladder to make a new ladder as my girls and lots of others I have heard of hate the cube ladder, I think for the hens it takes a bit of getting used too. Have a look at the photo section and you'll see many of us do the same. I nearly bought a second hand Cube off someone that had put a piece of wood on the ladder. Thing is, the Black Rock went in to lay an egg and the Sussex was in there for a while this afternoon. On the grass with the coop above and the wind covers around must have felt more snug! Alun PS I'll try posting a couple of pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alunee Posted April 12, 2015 Author Share Posted April 12, 2015 ...Enjoy and keep us posted Oh and we like pics If you're interested, you could try this link: Good night, Alun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Lovely girls alun, can you see what I mean about the ladder, it can be intimidating for new girls if they have never faced it before especially when it is slightly damp and slippery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 In the past I have found the torch trick works. I have a large up turned flower pot at the base of the cube ladder and that seems to help. Mine get up quite nicely getting down is not elegant and they have had years of practice. Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alunee Posted April 13, 2015 Author Share Posted April 13, 2015 Lovely girls alun, can you see what I mean about the ladder, it can be intimidating for new girls if they have never faced it before especially when it is slightly damp and slippery. Thank you for your comments. I tried to choose what looked like healthy birds, although I'm feeling a bit guilty about not taking one very friendly but not particularly well presented bird. We may go back for her and once we're into the new routine, we intend to give a home to a couple of ex battery hens. Yes, I do see what you mean but 2 of them have been into the coop anyway and seemed perfectly content up there, just didn't want to sleep in it. In the past I have found the torch trick works. I have a large up turned flower pot at the base of the cube ladder and that seems to help. Mine get up quite nicely getting down is not elegant and they have had years of practice. Chrissie All good advice. We'll see how we get on over the next couple of nights. They were clucking like anything until I opened the door about 7am this morning and now seem quite wary of me. Another egg was laid during the night, so that's 3 eggs in 18 hours, I'm guessing they can't be too unhappy. My partner is bringing some grapes and strawberries back from work so I can hopefully re-ingratiate myself! Alun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PixieDust Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 They are beautiful Alun. Especially love the Magpie markings. Not seen one before so had to look them up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alunee Posted April 13, 2015 Author Share Posted April 13, 2015 They are beautiful Alun. Especially love the Magpie markings. Not seen one before so had to look them up. Thank you! We had originally enquired about four Black Rock's, but decided to go for different breeds/cross-breeds when we got to the farm, to help my youngest children with identification and it just seemed more interesting. I wasn't expecting to see quite such an eclectic mix. I thoroughly recommend the seller. He keeps unwanted hens for a minimum of 3 years while he tries to give them away and was/is very helpful with advice. If anyone's looking near to York, here he is: https://sites.google.com/site/valeofyorkpoultry/home. Alun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 They are beautiful Alun. Especially love the Magpie markings. Not seen one before so had to look them up. Hi, the Magpie is also known as a Daisybelle or a light Sussex reverse. I had one a while back. Fantastic layer Lovely birds, they'll soon learn to go to bed. Although my Daisybelle did like perching in the WIR most of the time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alunee Posted April 13, 2015 Author Share Posted April 13, 2015 Hi, the Magpie is also known as a Daisybelle or a light Sussex reverse. I had one a while back. Fantastic layer Lovely birds, they'll soon learn to go to bed. Although my Daisybelle did like perching in the WIR most of the time Kind and informative words! We now have 4 eggs, I imagine that's all the hens, 3 of the eggs laid in the nesting box. I just need them to kip up there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PixieDust Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 They are beautiful Alun. Especially love the Magpie markings. Not seen one before so had to look them up. Hi, the Magpie is also known as a Daisybelle or a light Sussex reverse. I had one a while back. Fantastic layer Lovely birds, they'll soon learn to go to bed. Although my Daisybelle did like perching in the WIR most of the time You know I thought it might be. Thanks. They are very pretty birds. I might go for one next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimi5 Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 So how did the girls perform tonight??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alunee Posted April 13, 2015 Author Share Posted April 13, 2015 So how did the girls perform tonight??? Well, they made a meal of it, but got there in the end. The Sussex, who I think is the boss, sat in the coop with her head hanging out of the door, and did her level best to stop the others getting in. When they finally made it past her, she stayed there for a couple of hours and I ended up having to push her in. I got a couple of pecks for my trouble. But they're in and they made their own way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PixieDust Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Good news. Keep doing it til they go in by themselves, which shouldn't be too long Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimi5 Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 That's actually really quick Your ladies must be fast learners Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alunee Posted April 14, 2015 Author Share Posted April 14, 2015 That's actually really quick Your ladies must be fast learners The Sussex was standing guard again tonight, but she shifted inside when I approached the coop door, so that's the 2nd and 3rd night they've made their own way up. I'd like to leave the door open for them, but I doubt it's worth the risk. I can just about get my hand underneath the skirt in a couple of places, but foxes haven't developed opposable thumbs, not the last time I checked anyway. PS Three eggs overnight and another four this afternoon, that's eleven small but perfectly formed eggs in a little over two days. I didn't know it was possible! The Sussex was standing guard again tonight, I asked her for half as many but twice the size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 If you can get your hand under the skirt then I would add some extra pegs in those places just to be on the safe side. You might get a day time visit from Mr redcoad and if there is a chink in the armour, they will find it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alunee Posted April 15, 2015 Author Share Posted April 15, 2015 If you can get your hand under the skirt then I would add some extra pegs in those places just to be on the safe side... That's a good point actually, I'd forgotten about the screw pegs that Omlet sell. Where I write 'get my hand underneath the skirt' (sounds inappropriate!), it's not something which can easily be done, but as you say, best to be on the safe side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 when I was looking into getting hens I YouTube'd 'fox getting in to coop' and was so shocked how quickly a fox can get in, how fast he was and also what a tiny gap he can squeeze himself through. OH was on site the other day in London and a fox had got on to the site, OH said it ran around for a bit, not at all concerned by the builders milling about then jumped an 8 foot hoarding fence with ease!! 8 foot!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
