The Weather Thread #9 1 2 3 4 85

[ThreeChooks 0]

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 by ThreeChooks

[Cat tails 336]

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 133]

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 222]

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 256]

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 237]

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 256]

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.