Poorly chicken

[ThreeChooks]

Hi there! 

 

I’m new to the forum and chicken keeping in general (got our first chooks in beginning of September) I’m enjoying my eglu go up and the run, but I have a few questions about it and about maintaining a run and keeping it clean, especially in the winter and in extremes of summer (as extreme as it gets in the UK anyway).

 

The eglu go up coop itself, it’s marketed as being fox resistant/safe. How safe is it really? I look at the turning mechanism at the back and whilst it ‘locks’ into place, I just wonder what is stopping a determined fox accidentally knocking it with its paws and opening it up. I don’t want to be that person who says they never get foxes in their garden, but I haven’t seen any yet (been at our current house 11 months) as it’s a new build house and surrounded on all sides by a 6ft fence. Anyway, I know this wouldn’t stop a fox so I do worry at this time of year and the safety of the chickens. Is there anything people have added to the back of the go up for extra protection in case the worst does happen and a fox does accidentally knock the mechanism? Even if just for peace of mind? 

 

Second question! People who have stationary coops and runs, which substrates do you use in the run on a permanent basis? Which ones are the cleanest, good at keeping smells to a minimum, easiest to muck out, fly repellent (am thinking ahead to the summer about this one, don’t wanna annoy one of our neighbours who thinks chickens are a biohazard 🙄) currently our coop and run are on grass but I know as winter progresses this will turn into a mud pit. We have 2 Pekin bantams and a silkie and I know this won’t be good for the feathers on their feet. Is gravel any good? Do people dig a space out for the run then put arboise(?) straight down on the floor?  Or gravel as I mentioned? In the summer (or when I got them in September) I’d let them out of the run and they’d have the garden all day to run around in. Now that it is dark and wet and I worry about foxes, they stay in the run more, but are still able to free range all day at least 3 times a week, so I’d like the substrate in the run to be interesting for them to root around in when they are shut in. In the summer months they’d free range every day. Also if anyone has any tips/ideas on chicken enrichment, I’d be grateful! Does placing herbs around the coop and run help with smells, keeping rodents away, health, etc?

 

I realise I added more questions to the last big question, but if anyone could answer these I’d be so grateful! Any pictures anyone has of the eglu go up looking pretty in their gardens too would be brilliant!

 

thanks in advance!

 

Edited November 26, 2019 by ThreeChooks

[Cat tails]

1) some use bungees around the back of the coop, attached to the run. I don’t think it should be a major issue, although there have been stories here.

2) there are a number of options:

I have soil with dug in slabs. I do absolutely nothing to it apart from hosing it down once in a while, or let the rain do its job. For in winter, I have the clear Cube cover over the run, which fits quite well.

Other options:

• slabs with aubiose (run needs to be dry)
• slabs with woodchips (preference dry run)
• slabs with hard wood chips (preference dry run)

3) if you remove all food at night and make sure there is no spilled food around, you have less chances of too many rodents

[Patricia W]

Completely agree with Cat Tails response on 1 and 3.  I would add aubiouse in a covered run on soil.  Especially if you have clay like me.  It dries to a surface as hard as slabs.   Chuck some Stalosan F on it every couple of weeks and rake it in.  I only have to change the run covering two or three times a year.   The key is covering the run.  Clear tarps best to let in light.  I use Tarpaflex 

[Luvachicken]

I had gravel in the run almost 10 years ago and it was a total waste of money.

It just turned into a poopy mess even though I raked it and would hose it down often.

Nowadays my girls have hardwood woodchips in their run and it is the best thing we've done - clean and no smell.

Pekins will get mud balls on their feet no matter what you do. It's best to help them out and gently pick them off for them.

Best place we've found for the woodchips is Flyte so Fancy.

Any pictures of your lovely chooks ?

[The Dogmother]

Hardwood chips are best for large runs

I use slabs with Aubiose on top. All runs are covered with clear tarps using bungee hooks - I used to buy online, but discovered that my local Toolstation does them cheaper and better quality.

I have cubes (mark 1) which are sturdier and more secure than the newer Go, Go Up and cube mark 2 models, so can't answer your question about security.

[mullethunter]

On 11/26/2019 at 8:18 PM, The Dogmother said:

used to buy online, but discovered that my local Toolstation does them cheaper and better quality.

Tarps or just bungee hooks DM?

[The Dogmother]

I bought 3m x 4m tarps from there and they were far better quality than those i had recently from ebay. I wasn't looking for bungee hooks there as I have plenty, but they'd probably do them.

[ThreeChooks]

Sorry for the extremely late reply everyone! Thank you for all your suggestions, I decided to go for hardwood chips from flyte of fancy and my eglu go up is looking pretty smart! Here are my three chooks!

[Patricia W]

Such pretty girls! 

[ThreeChooks]

1 hour ago, Patricia W said:

Such pretty girls! 

Thanks! The silkie is a strange one as she is meant to be a silkie except she has white skin, so I assume she’s not a pure silkie!

[Cat tails]

They look lovely!

With a Silkie who might not be a real Silkie (but hey we don’t judge!) make sure you have a covered run. They are not waterproof and get really wet. The Cube clear cover fits quite well.

[The Dogmother]

5 hours ago, Cat tails said:

They look lovely!

With a Silkie who might not be a real Silkie (but hey we don’t judge!) make sure you have a covered run. They are not waterproof and get really wet. The Cube clear cover fits quite well.

They also struggle with ladders as they can't flap up them - they are flightless. Does she have 5 toes?

Pretty ladies :)

[mullethunter]

Spikey wet head feathers 😆🥰

[ThreeChooks]

7 hours ago, Cat tails said:

They look lovely!

With a Silkie who might not be a real Silkie (but hey we don’t judge!) make sure you have a covered run. They are not waterproof and get really wet. The Cube clear cover fits quite well.

I have the roof covered with the official Omlet covers (two of them) and one side covered plus the windbreaks (bit OTT? Haha) I swear I saw somewhere there was a cover which was pretty big and actually covered the whole roof and sides in one piece? Or am I making that up or imagining things? (I have run extensions)

2 hours ago, The Dogmother said:

They also struggle with ladders as they can't flap up them - they are flightless. Does she have 5 toes?

Pretty ladies

The pekins seem a bit more clued up and when it gets dark they just hop up the ladder, she follows a few minutes later and hops up, the first night she was a bit clueless but after that first night she’s been fine hopefully! She’s apparently about a month younger than the Pekins but is noticeably bigger than them and she does indeed have 5 toes!

Edited December 20, 2019 by ThreeChooks

[The Dogmother]

I have mark 1 cubes (the BEST ) with clear tarps which go over the top and down the sides. We have sideways rain here, so this keeps the runs dry.

[Cat tails]

 I have this one on my Go Up run:

https://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/chicken_keeping/eglu_weather_protection/10510/clear_cover_for_eglu_cube_mk1_-_1m/?rf=e33fe82e994379d4aed5ab40aeea6876

It leaves only a small gap in the front, and two small gaps at each side. It does give them much more protection than any of the tarps made for the Go Up.

[The Dogmother]

Those covers are daftly small!

I would measure up and get a tarp online or form Tool Station; I get the ones with the integral webbing as they seem stronger. I have a couple of sheets of clear corrugated plastic under the front to create a porch and keep the wet out. The Aubiose litter stays nice and dry.

My personal choice only, but  would add another extension or two on the run if you are going to keep 3 birds in it, especially if we get a prevention zone soon.

[ThreeChooks]

3 hours ago, The Dogmother said:

I have mark 1 cubes (the BEST ) with clear tarps which go over the top and down the sides. We have sideways rain here, so this keeps the runs dry.

 

2 hours ago, Cat tails said:

 I have this one on my Go Up run:

https://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/chicken_keeping/eglu_weather_protection/10510/clear_cover_for_eglu_cube_mk1_-_1m/?rf=e33fe82e994379d4aed5ab40aeea6876

It leaves only a small gap in the front, and two small gaps at each side. It does give them much more protection than any of the tarps made for the Go Up.

Oh I wish I had this instead! I should’ve looked properly on the website as this would be so much better to have, I may have to purchase it. 🤦🏼‍♀️ 

Attached is a picture of my run, I’m going to stay with my parents for 4 days, and they live about half hour away. The chooks will have to stay here obviously. But looking at my run would you be happy to leave the coop door open at night? I know it would ultimately be up to me, and I’d check on them every other day, but I’m so worried about leaving it open at night. Underneath the run itself is mesh and the mesh skirt on the side is pegged down. Like I’ve said before I've never seen foxes in the garden but all it takes is one night... the food is still work in progress as the food bowl they provided was too big for the bantams to reach up and stick their head in, but I obviously want their food to stay dry! I mean I really don’t mind coming back twice a day as they are my responsibility and I’d be devastated if anything happened to them.

 

Edited December 21, 2019 by ThreeChooks

[Cat tails]

I leave my coop open all year round, except with very low temps or a lot of snow and with all the new years fireworks. But I don’t have any foxes around. I do think a well constructed coop and run will be enough to prevent a fox from getting to the hens.

I used to put a few bricks in front of the grub to enable my bantams to reach the food. But now have a small metal parrot dish for them (in the clear plastic IKEA crate in the picture). They don’t eat as much and I just refill it everyday and only fill what they eat plus a bit. They used to spill their food everywhere and I got fed up with all the spilled food and the risk of rodents.

[ThreeChooks]

1 hour ago, Cat tails said:

I leave my coop open all year round, except with very low temps or a lot of snow and with all the new years fireworks. But I don’t have any foxes around. I do think a well constructed coop and run will be enough to prevent a fox from getting to the hens.

I used to put a few bricks in front of the grub to enable my bantams to reach the food. But now have a small metal parrot dish for them (in the clear plastic IKEA crate in the picture). They don’t eat as much and I just refill it everyday and only fill what they eat plus a bit. They used to spill their food everywhere and I got fed up with all the spilled food and the risk of rodents.

And rats aren’t a problem or anything? I bring the food in at night but it’d be left out overnight in this instance. And a rat wouldn’t try and kill a bantam iff the coop door was left open overnight?

[mullethunter]

I wouldn’t be worried about leaving the door open at night - I never close the door on my Cube unless the temperatures are well below freezing. In theory a rat could kill a bantam but I don’t think I’ve ever heard of it actually happening.

DM - is there a photo on here anywhere of how you’ve arranged your ‘porch’?

[Patricia W]

If you want fit for purpose tarps, forget Omlet and as DM says, go for Tool Station or Tarpaflex.   Until recently I had Poland’s who like Silkies, have thin skulls and need cover in winter.  Poland’s don’t go broody which is a major advantage I found! 

[The Dogmother]

I will take a photo of one in daylight - if it ever gets light again that is! I really need to replace the corrugated plastic as it has got cloud and brittle - a job for the spring.

I NEVER close the doors of my cubes, well I did when we had 8" of snow a couple of years ago, but the runs were dry and secure, so it was only for my idea of comfort rather than them needing it.

Looking at your run covers, I would definitely get a clear tarp and some bungee hooks to go over the top and down the sides. Mine are angled out slightly at the bottom to take the water away from the edges of the run.

[ThreeChooks]

17 minutes ago, The Dogmother said:

I will take a photo of one in daylight - if it ever gets light again that is! I really need to replace the corrugated plastic as it has got cloud and brittle - a job for the spring.

I NEVER close the doors of my cubes, well I did when we had 8" of snow a couple of years ago, but the runs were dry and secure, so it was only for my idea of comfort rather than them needing it.

Looking at your run covers, I would definitely get a clear tarp and some bungee hooks to go over the top and down the sides. Mine are angled out slightly at the bottom to take the water away from the edges of the run.

I’m definitely going to get a larger one to cover the roof and sides. You say you never shut the coop door, are rats not a problem? I worry as they are bantams, would a rat not try and kill them?

[Patricia W]

No.  If you take the food and water in at night there’s nothing for the rats.  I keep the door of my cubes open too.  But my bantams perch in the run overnight.  They only go in if there are very high winds and -6 or below.