Solitary chicken - need advice

[Jules.]

When my girls free range at the bottom of the garden confined by the Omlet netting they manage to escape over it by standing on the run & flying over

There is nowhere else where we can position the run so that they can't do this, so if I take the run away completely will my chooks be safe locked in the eglu at night without the run attached?

Edited October 11, 2007 by Guest

[Christian]

Yes, Jules!

 

The eglu is marketed as fox proof, the run is fox resistant. As long as you lock them up at night, I can't see any problems.

 

We had to put up extra trellis on the fence to stop the girls climbing on the run and flapping over.

 

Babs uses the run as a lookout spot now!

[jonesyboy27]

Hi Jules

 

We had the same problem and over came this bu using metal telescopic clothes line props

 

£1.50 from our market they extend to 10ft I then drape bean netting from the plastic hooks.Sorted out the girls escape attempts.

 

Mind you I had to warn low flying aircraft

[Tina C]

I threaded garden canes through part of my netting to stop one of my girls flying over - she gets out somewhere else now, a very determined bird.

 

The girls will be safe in the eglu without the run but where are you going to put the food etc?

 

I very rarely lock mine in the run but sometimes, when we are out all day, they do have to stay in so I like having the run there ready and waiting.

[Jules.]

I have hooked the food peanut onto a slat in the garden fence, & the water one I have turned on its side so it lies on the ground.

i will get hubby to help me make a run

[Jules.]

Piccies here

http://club.omlet.co.uk/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=18227

http://club.omlet.co.uk/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=18233

 

I have used the winter shade to keep one area dry by draping it from the tree, ivy

& attaching it to the omlet netting. Can you see the flitrap hung up above the eglu? I must admit I have never noticed it to smell.

The chooks get to scratch around behind the shed too, so they have quite a big area to roam in. I love the fact that the netting is quite u"Ooops, word censored!"tusive, & now the run has gone the girls seem to have loads of room. I have hung the peanut grub up on ome of the slats on the fence, it is jusr out of sight behing the eglu, & where I have put the water peanut in its side it should catch rainwater drips off the shed roof... but I have in mind to get a water butt.

I'm also off to colletct a compost bin I have got from freecycle tonight, as mine is full to bursting now.

[Guest]

It looks good!

[Egluntyne]

I really hate to be negative about your set up.....I'm sure the girls will love the freedom of being able to potter about, but they have no protection from the fox whatsoever during the day.

 

Monsieur Renard will have no trouble at all jumping over those fence panels.

 

I really would urge you to put the run back on the Eglu.

[Lesley]

I don't know Egluntine - the panels look quite high and have neighbouring houses so perhaps it is safer than it first looks?

 

It is nice to see them out, scratching about.

 

Would you be able to make that area into a permanent run, perhaps eventually with a roof of some sorts? It wouldn't be as u"Ooops, word censored!"trusive as the green netting though - it does look good.

[Jules.]

I understand your concerns Egluntine. We live in quite a big housing estate, there is a dog next door, two doors down, behind us, across the road so we are well surrounded by dogs (big uns, too). Ever since we got our girls we have never seen a fox, & on the days when I am not working they free ranged anyway, & the run was just in the way for them. I needed to take the run off as my BIL is chicken sitting for us in a few weeks time, & the original plastic srews were wrecked, so they needed drilling out anyway & I have got metal replacements from Omlet.

I agree, I do need a run....I can always put the run back on again.

[Richard]

Mine are getting really adventurous! The Orps are fine as they don't do anything more than hop onto the top of the Eglu run (although "Ooops, word censored!"ody sleeps in the Eglu at the moment, its in the big run in case I need to isolate anyone).

 

But Liz, Daisy and the Buff Sussex girls are using the top of the Eglu run as the starting point for further adventures. This morning they went Eglu run, hop/fly over to the roof of Georgie's studio coop, then a jump fly onto the shed roof. From there they could survey all the garden!

 

But then they had to work out how to get down! Took ages!

[Snowy]

He he! I can just imagine their faces Richard! Mine always seem better at getting up than getting down again.