Solitary chicken - need advice

[AndyRoo]

Hello,

 

I have a couple of Qs re: walk-in runs -

 

1. If I order a walk-in run at the same time as a cube, will I have to buy the connection kit separately, or do you get one of those thrown in?

 

2. Does anyone know which adaptor kit I need if I get one of the new style cubes? Is it the original one, or the one for the Eglu go? I wasn't sure because of the shape of the new cube.

 

Thanks,

Andy

 

EDIT

 

So it looks like we'll be getting an Eglu cube with the run this weekend! YAY!

 

I do have one question though, which I suppose I have probably already asked in a different thread, BUT-

 

The area in our garden where we'll be keeping it is currently 'gravelled', but not with a fine gravel, something like the cotswold buff stone pictured here:

 

It's far too big for them to eat any of it, and we'd put down bedding on top of the stones... but would it be ok for their feet? If it'll be a problem, we can always clear the stone away first.

 

Help!

 

Cheers,

Andy

Edited October 10, 2016 by Guest

[The Dogmother]

You'd best phone Omlet up on Monday morning; they will be able to answer those questions for you.

[mullethunter]

If you order online you'd have to buy separately, but I have found that if you phone up, sometimes if you ask, you get...

[Lewis]

Definitely agree, if you don't ask you don't get.

 

Omlet are often very good if you're placing a large order all together

[AndyRoo]

Well, all sorted and hopefully by the end of next week we should be all set for some chickens!

[Cat tails]

Whoop whoop!

[Lewis]

Awesome

 

That gravel should be fine. I think bedding on top of it will be a pain to clean so if it's deep enough just hose it down every few weeks

[AndyRoo]

Awesome

 

That gravel should be fine. I think bedding on top of it will be a pain to clean so if it's deep enough just hose it down every few weeks

 

I did think that, but beneath the gravel is one of those anti-weed sheets, so I thought if I was washing it away, it may not go as far as we would like and build up and then... well, ewwwww!

 

I can always clear away the stones and just have the bedding on top of the anti-weed matt sheet and then clean that away. I didn't want to go and put the bedding directly on to the soil because if it rains I am expecting it to turn into a boggy mess!

[The Dogmother]

Are you able to get hold of any cheap slabs to put under the litter in the run?

 

From experience (a friend used gravel) is clings onto the poo when it dries and gets difficult to clean. Personally I would go with a slabbed base with Aubiose on top, which you can sprinkle with Ground Sanitising Powder and rake over each week, then clear out every couple of months or so.

[AndyRoo]

Are you able to get hold of any cheap slabs to put under the litter in the run?

 

From experience (a friend used gravel) is clings onto the poo when it dries and gets difficult to clean. Personally I would go with a slabbed base with Aubiose on top, which you can sprinkle with Ground Sanitising Powder and rake over each week, then clear out every couple of months or so.

 

We'd have to go out and buy some slabs, although there is a Wickes not too far from here which sell them relatively cheap.

[The Dogmother]

Might be worth putting an ask out on your local freecycle/freegle; loads of people are tearing up patios and installing decking.

[mullethunter]

I agree with DM. I have weed membrane - sand - slabs - hard wood chip. It's brilliant.

[The Dogmother]

It's a heck of a lot easier to clean.. i think the weed membrane splits after a bit, from what i have heard. My skabs are just on soil, and are fine... after i shovel the litter out, i either sprinkle it with GSP or lob a bu cket of liquid disinfectant, such as viratec, over it

[Alis girls]

Another slabs and auboise fan here.

Andy - I think you have got a touch of "I gotta get hens now" disease different to Morehens where you just gotta add to those you've got - no vaccine and no cure - so you are dooomed - doomed - thought you were waiting till next year? That garden's crying out for a patter of tiny feet. Good luck with the girls - will you name them?

[Grandmashazzie]

Def agree I too have slabs and there are always lots on gumtree freebies from people changing garden. Or if you spot a landscaping project on the go they might give them to you,saves them disposal.

[AndyRoo]

Another slabs and auboise fan here.

Andy - I think you have got a touch of "I gotta get hens now" disease different to Morehens where you just gotta add to those you've got - no vaccine and no cure - so you are dooomed - doomed - thought you were waiting till next year? That garden's crying out for a patter of tiny feet. Good luck with the girls - will you name them?

 

 

Well, we were going to wait - but an opportunity has arisen in our favour, so we've taken it! I'm not a particularly lucky person, so when I get lucky I tend to capitalise on it!

 

It's not so much a case of 'igottagethensnowdisease' - as we have been talking about it for about 3 years(!). We could probably have gotten away with an Eglu and a small run in our old garden, but it would have been quite a small set-up.

 

We've definitely decided to avoid morehens disease by waiting until our 'supplier' (as it were) has all of the hens we'd like in stock, and then we're going to buy them all at once and be done with it until enough have died off that it makes sense to add more at a later date.

 

Besides, we're going to start getting work done on the house fairly shortly, so I need to have something to occupy my time while I am not picking out colour schemes and tiles and wood flooring or writing books or reading or baking or painting... hmmm, maybe I don't need another project. hehe!