Keeping hens and ducks chat.

edwink

Nothing better than a bit of shade on a hot day

SisterAnna

Edwink I have really enjoyed the pics you have recently posted especially the one with the chicken and the Forget Me Not. The one in the shade is a good one too. I do hope you find the time to post more pics and others that have chickens on here have time to post some too. There are certainly some healthy happy hens on this thread. 

lovelifer

Hello hen people, I've been reading this thread as I have just acquired an omlet eglu classic and will be getting some hens (probably 3) as soon as there's some ex battery ones available nearby.

I've got books from the library and am trying to educate myself so that I can be a good hen keeper. I'm putting the eglu under our large (and very productive) cherry tree so its well shaded and intend to let the hens have the run of the garden when I'm home, which is a fair bit. I have 2 aging dogs and an old cat, I'll do introductions carefully. There's also foxes in the neighbourhood so I will have to be vigilant and ensure they are well fox- proofed at night.

any advice for a novice? The people on here sound very knowledgeable and competent so Im hoping I can learn from your examples.

Thanks in anticipation

edwink

lovelifer said: Hello hen people, I've been reading this thread as I have just acquired an omlet eglu classic and will be getting some hens (probably 3) as soon as there's some ex battery ones available nearby.

I've got books from the library and am trying to educate myself so that I can be a good hen keeper. I'm putting the eglu under our large (and very productive) cherry tree so its well shaded and intend to let the hens have the run of the garden when I'm home, which is a fair bit. I have 2 aging dogs and an old cat, I'll do introductions carefully. There's also foxes in the neighbourhood so I will have to be vigilant and ensure they are well fox- proofed at night.

any advice for a novice? The people on here sound very knowledgeable and competent so Im hoping I can learn from your examples.

Thanks in anticipation

Hi lovelifer

Welcome to our very friendly feathered friends thread.

Firstly I would make sure your eglu is safe as it can be. Foxes are very good at digging and if they find an area they can dig to get at something like hens, ducks, or perhaps rabbits they will dig like mad to get to them.  So the best thing to do with the eglu is to surround it with something like paving slabs, rocks, or something that can't be dug and is heavy. The fox can try all it likes but will never dig through paving slabs. So that is the first thing I would do to get yourself set up with the eglu. Might sound like a lot of work but a fox will happily dig a lawn to burrow under to get to your feathered friends sadly. That would be the easiest thing to do or you could cement all the way around the eglu to stop foxes digging in. It's not easy when you have foxes about, we have foxes here too. 

Just a thought are your dogs or cat male? because male urine, even humans will put foxes off of coming into your garden. Your dogs although elderly could be a good deterrent from the foxes. Also, your cherry tree should have good roots if it is very productive and those roots could be a deterrent from foxes digging under too.

Sorry, my first post to you is a bit doom and gloom about foxes but safety is first and foremost when it comes to your little hens it really is. You get the safety right and your hens should be ok. 

I'll add some more soon unless someone beats me to it lol.

Edwink x

Nelliegrace

We have had a purple Eglu Classic for nearly sixteen years and so far the metal apron on the run has kept foxes out. We see and hear foxes coming up the gulley from the park and going up the street. The Eglu is easy to move onto a fresh bit of lawn regularly, so is not meant to have paving slabs on the aprons. We bought clear plastic tarpaulin from eBay to cover the whole run during the Avian Flu lockdown and have a shorter tarpaulin to shade half. The hens do not like the rain. 
If they don’t want to go in the Eglu from the run for the first few nights, put a little torch in the Eglu, and they will soon get into the bedtime routine. 

Good luck with your hens @lovelifer
You might find this site useful https://www.chickens.allotment-garden.org/

lovelifer

Fantastic advice thank you both. Luckily it will be sited near the roots, plus the ground is very stoney. I have some spare slabs which i'll use on the skirts, over the tent pegs. The dogs are male, gobby and like a chase so I think they already deter foxes. I'll do all I can to keep the hens safe.

Great tip about the light in the eglu, will try that if needed. We have a rain cover and the tree is excellent for keeping dry under in summer at least. 

Thanks again and I'll report back when I have news and hopefully at some point, a useful contribution to make

edwink

Ah, I didn't know that eglu's have aprons. This is why I find this thread so helpful because we can learn from each other, which is great.  Thank you for the contribution Nelligrace I think there is always something we hen keepers can learn as we go along. It is all knowledge at the end of the day that we can pass on to each other. 

Yes, please do report back lovelifer so we know how you are getting on especially when you have your new hens, how exciting.

Edwink x

edwink

I've been sitting in here for ages and at one time my mum couldn't find me. I was definitely here but sitting lower to the ground before she came at me with her camera 🤣🤣🤣🤣

edwink

We lost one of ours this week.  She was PTS at the vets as despite having antibiotics for nearly two weeks didn't improve and her weight just dropped.  She was the smallest of the ones we have here anyway so didn't have much weight to lose, to be honest. She had always been the smallest out of all of our hens. bless her. The decision was made between us and the vet to let her go because in no way did we want her to suffer, she was nearly 5 and a half so did very well for a rescue girl.

Always sad whatever way they go 😢💖😒

Edwink x

Cheery_Daff

Aw, sorry to hear about your elderly girl edwink, as you say, always very sad xxx