Joojoo Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 Hi I just wondered whether the majority of eglu owners have a permanent place in their gardens or do they move them around on the lawn every couple of days? Our girls haven't arrived yet - 9 days to go hoorah and I want to get prepared for their arrival as I'm off work this week, but I can't make up my mind which would be best. So I have a few questions: Does the smell tend to be worse if they are just on grass rather than a permanent base of hemcore? How quickly can they wreck a lawn if the eglu is not moved around? Also, what items do you think are necessary to get hold of prior to them arriving eg. meds, etc? Any advice would be gratefully received Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 we've got a permanent run and i think its easier. We use hemcore in the run and its fab at asborbing wet and poo's and smells. we dismantle and clean the eglu weekly - so it stays nice and pristine!! I would recommend buying a spare set of roosting bars if you can stretch to it - we rotate our bars with every clean. Poultry spice powder to mix with their food keeps hens healthy and a tub lasts for ages. I also use Barrier red mite powder in the eglu when cleaning it to prevent red mite. Grit/shell to mix in with pellets. We collected other stuff as we went along, im sure you will - and end up with a box of "chicken stuff" in the garage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joojoo Posted August 28, 2007 Author Share Posted August 28, 2007 Thanks Chelsea I will pop up to our local animal feed shop tomorow. I presume that I should be able to get the poultry spice and other bits and pieces from there as they deal with all farm animals. And I will alter my order with omlet and get an extra set of bars - it will make more sense as I expect they will take ages to dry in the winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 yeah we got poultry spice (yellow long narrow tub - approx £6-7) and barrier powder (white tub) from our farm stores...both tubs last for ages....we've had our spice for a year now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joojoo Posted August 28, 2007 Author Share Posted August 28, 2007 Do you give them poultry spice and grit in with their pellets every day or just every so often? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 whenever we fill up the grub. the grub doesnt need filling every day, but we mix it with their pellets, so they have it all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joojoo Posted August 28, 2007 Author Share Posted August 28, 2007 Thanks for replying under the sad circumstances I hope you are ok Take care Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lera Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 How quickly can they wreck a lawn if the eglu is not moved around? - oo, within about 24 hours. Once they start laying, they get very keen on scratching. Mine have a bigger grassy area that I let them into at the weekend, and that's still in good shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CockADoodleDoo Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 mine are in a permenant run Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joojoo Posted August 28, 2007 Author Share Posted August 28, 2007 Hmm think it may be a permanent run then I thought I might be able to save the lawn if I moved the eglu around every day, but it sounds like its not worth the hassle I haven't got a shady area in the garden that I could permanently put it as we are south facing, do you think it would be ok for them with just the omlet shade or will they still be too hot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 I found that as well as eating and scratching the grass, the area quickly gets covered with poo, so needs moving daily at least. A fixed area where they scratch to their hearts content is much better. Aubiose or bark chips absorb the poo more and are easier to clean out and replace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joojoo Posted August 28, 2007 Author Share Posted August 28, 2007 I know this will probably sound totally stupid but what is "Aubiose"? I've only heard of it on here but didn't know what it was Is it an alternative to hemcore? I think I will go for the permanent option- it sounds a lot easier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 How about making your own bars? http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7877 I must admit, I didn't (although I really meant to). I ordered some a couple of weeks ago when I got my netting & they are split on the top. I have not used them yet, just need to get some time to take a piccy & email it to Omlet, to see what they say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 our run is now permanent as after about 10 days of poop picking daily and 3 moves of the run to leave 3 bare patches of lawn we realised our lawn would never recovery in time!! We now have Hemcore on top of the grass that was once there, and have put a little edging up around the eglu and run as they kick it all out! It hardly smells at all, get a very slight farmy smell when it needs a rake out and clean and I rake it out weekly and chuck a bit more hemcore down on it. For things to get before they arrive I'd get layers pellets, a bag of poultry grit, something for the nest box (straw or we use hemcore and shredded newspapers), garlic powder for in their water as this'll greatly reduce the smell of poop and it wont attract flies so much, citronella oil (www.neph-aromatics.co.uk £3.95 for a 50ml bottle that lasts ages), bag of mixed corn for treat time....that's about all we needed when they first arrived, although we only had mixed corn and pellets so had to make several trips out to our local farm shop in the first couple of days!! Would also recommend the poultry spice - we've not yet got that are still quite new to all this but I'm going to pop down to farm shop later this week and see if they've got any as it sounds handy to have. For the amount of grit in feed, we put about 2-3 cupfuls into the grub when we fill it upand give it a good mix so there's plenty in there for them Also, what items do you think are necessary to get hold of prior to them arriving eg. meds, etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovemychooks Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 I know this will probably sound totally stupid but what is "Aubiose"? I've only heard of it on here but didn't know what it was Is it an alternative to hemcore? I think I will go for the permanent option- it sounds a lot easier Hemcore and Aubiose are the same thing so I don't think it matters which one you get, hope that helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 hemcore is apparently treated with citronella although it doesn't say this on the bag but we got hemcore as we originally had fly probs - don't anymore though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 29, 2007 Share Posted August 29, 2007 Hemcore is also a tiny bit chunkier than Aubiose, but essentially they are the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joojoo Posted August 29, 2007 Author Share Posted August 29, 2007 That's great. Thanks for all your help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joojoo Posted August 30, 2007 Author Share Posted August 30, 2007 Hi Just wanted to make sure that I have got everything on my shopping list for tomorrow. Can you let me know if you think I have missed anything off please Hemcore Straw (for nest) Barrier Red Mite Powder Garlic Powder Mixed Corn Poultry Spice Grit/Shell The layers pellets are coming from Omlet with the eglu. Do i need anything to give them to stop worms or lice? Or is that one of the above? Sox, I'm just trying to cover all eventualities Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted August 30, 2007 Share Posted August 30, 2007 I think that will do fine for now. We worm our chooks every 3-4 months with Flubenvet which we bought online. It comes in a tub which would honestly last a lifetime as you only need a teeny tiny amount. I wouldnt worry about worms initially but maybe down the line add it to your "chicken bits". You will build up a mixture of chicken stuff gradually anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joojoo Posted August 30, 2007 Author Share Posted August 30, 2007 Thanks. I'm off shopping in the morning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 I don't suppose you remember where you got the Flbuenvet stuff from online do you? I've had a quick look as I want to get some as we've not yet wormed ours and think it may be wise to have some here for when we need it but it seemed quite expensive for a tub - from what you're saying I'm assuming I should go for the smallest tub I can see? I was worried about it going off.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 we got ours from the Domestic Fowl Trust. it was expensive I would try and get the smallest you can get as I dont think we'll ever use up the tub we have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted August 31, 2007 Share Posted August 31, 2007 I got Flubenvet from Interhatch - rang them and it was in the post to me same day. 01246 264646 Very good service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joojoo Posted August 31, 2007 Author Share Posted August 31, 2007 Quick question - but do you think that the meds I mentioned earlier incl barrier red mite powder, poultry spice and flubenvet are likely to be cheaper on the net or from farm suppliers locally? I have got time to buy them online if needs be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
