Ali James' Garden Chickens

[ScottyGill]

Lovely to have you join us. I have just started my chicken adventure with chicks in incubated, we have 3 6 weeks old who are getting used to being outside and 3 2 week olds. I've learnt so. Much on this forum and so much more to learn.

We have a big run for our guys and I put the water and food under a shelter, because Scottish summer My husband made a coop and it's probably all sorts of wrong but I love it and they'd love it. I was expecting them to use it more in the rain were having but they seem fine using the halter and enjoying the foraging opportunities, they have permanently mucky beaks a DNA legs, having so. Much fun in the raised beds that have become part of their run. I'll definitely be bringing logs back, getting so many ideas.

 

[Ali James]

Lovely to have you join us. I have just started my chicken adventure with chicks in incubated, we have 3 6 weeks old who are getting used to being outside and 3 2 week olds. I've learnt so. Much on this forum and so much more to learn.

We have a big run for our guys and I put the water and food under a shelter, because Scottish summer My husband made a coop and it's probably all sorts of wrong but I love it and they'd love it. I was expecting them to use it more in the rain were having but they seem fine using the halter and enjoying the foraging opportunities, they have permanently mucky beaks a DNA legs, having so. Much fun in the raised beds that have become part of their run. I'll definitely be bringing logs back, getting so many ideas.

Hi ScottyGill. I honestly thought BYC was purely American, but how wrong I was! It is very eclectic and everyone is lovely.

Couldn't help but giggle at your Scottish summers comment - my DH and I hiked up Ben Vorlich on Loch Earn many years back in 'summer' - we nearly froze our wotsits off...

 

[Ali James]

I'm sat in my garden staring at my empty run waiting for tomorrow when we can go to get the girls. And what do I hear? An egg laying song.... One of my neighbours also has chooks!!! It must be on the street behind us and several houses down, but the sound is unmistakeable. Happy days!

 

[Ribh]

I'm sat in my garden staring at my empty run waiting for tomorrow when we can go to get the girls. And what do I hear? An egg laying song.... One of my neighbours also has chooks!!! It must be on the street behind us and several houses down, but the sound is unmistakeable. Happy days!

we are expecting lots of pics & all the names!

 

[LozzyR]

If I had a secure run I would totally leave the pop door open! Sleeping in... I really miss it

...that’s why I love my auto-doors...

 

[Ali James]

we are expecting lots of pics & all the names!

There will be photos galore!!!

 

[Ali James]

...that’s why I love my auto-doors...

We may well think about it in the future, not sure how it would work with our hen house though.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

What a lovely intro and video! Your setup looks great.. please don’t take our suggestions as thinking we know better.. just giving tips on what we each find helpful to our situations

Yes! Just what WhoDat says.
Hope I didn't come across as a know-it-all. I'm just feeling really enthusiastic!

Hi and thanks so much for joining in. There are some great ideas there; I was wondering about raising the height up a bit, but then will have to work out an 'extension' for the ramp up to the door...

I have lots of ideas and supplies for enrichment - watch this space!

Since my coop was only raised about 30cm (12") I just rested the base of the ramp on a log and put a shorter log in front of it as a "step". Having said that, my girls will often just jump up on my dead grevillea branches and hop on half way up the ramp!

Thanks Kris, that's really helpful.

This evening I have fitted self adhesive vinyl tiles to the floor of the poop tray and the nesting boxes, and sealed it all with a transparent waterproof silicone. It doesn't look all that pretty, but once the sand and the pine shavings are down, it won't look any different.

Last night I was driving off to Bingo with a friend and spotted some large tree stumps by the side of the road. To my friends amazement, I slammed the breaks on, reversed back, jumped out of the drivers seat and promptly loaded up the wood pieces. Its all rotting and falling apart and must be a little slice of chicken heaven! I know lots of folk on BYC do this sort of thing, and it made me smile and feel like one of you!!

Anyway ... as you were...

Definitely one of us!
Who would have thought we would find lumps of rotting wood so desirable?

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

If you use cinderblock to raise it just put another cinder block under the end of the ramp. That keeps it at the same angle, and the chickens will be able to get up easily,

Duh, Why didn't I think of that?

Ooh, I put my cinder blocks upright (holes facing the sky) and 3/4 filled them with dirt then added grass seed. I didn't want anyone falling in the holes and getting trapped like I've read happened to others here!

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Like so:

View attachment 1892286

Looking good!