Just general chicken stuff. unusual homes?

[4390evans]

We have been thinking of getting chickens for a few years but one thing or another has stopped us, but I do still look through the internet for info for when we do get them. So just wanted to pick your brains on a few things so...

We have quite a long length of land and height is no question but it is quite narrow, are any of you guys in the same situation if so what types of houses do you have for your chicks? And pics would be great

What do you do in winter for your girls, do you keep them in their house all day and night or do you let them out during the day only..??

What do you do to kill boredom for them?

The bit of land where they can run about is just earth no grass or anything so I thought they would be entertained by just digging for worms etc but apparently not, I've read that they pull out their feathers if they are bored or stressed, how do you cope with this?

Thanks guys

[veggiechicken]

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...tos_62713.html

My chooks have a big shed, a covered run that I can walk into, and two attached open runs that can be alternated if necessary. They also come out into the garden to free-range when I'm around.

They make their own way into the henhouse at dusk and I shut them in and let them out again in the morning.

[4390evans]

@VC Do you clip your chick wings yourself or do you take them to the vet?

[veggiechicken]

I don't clip them, though I have done it in the past, once I was shown how and where to clip.

[Scarlet]

@VC Do you clip your chick wings yourself or do you take them to the vet?

Chickens rarely fly and if they do, they usually fly up, land, and fly down. If the fence is floppy they rarely bother and they generally don't like to wander from the flock. My electric fence is a 3ft high, it's floppy, they could fly over it no problem where there's much nicer vegs - they rarely attempt it...now turkeys are different . If you do clip wings, you clip one side only.

My chickens are out every day, even in snow. They get locked up at night after they have retired (turkeys need putting to bed ) and opened up again at first light.

They won't peck and pull out feathers if the run is a sufficent size for your flock. Overcrowding causes feather pecking. I also believe hybrid chickens have a tendancy for this, it may be because they are bred in cramped pens but I've seen it happen a lot. Check where your chickens are coming from. If any birds look like they are pecking each other, shop elsewhere.

I have a shed and a proper coop (bought for £20 second hand) actually it's really good quality. I've also got a couple of homemade coops. I've an area that is covered,good for keeping the food dry and it's somewhere for them to peck around if it's wet and muddy in the winter.

[Lisasbolt]

Just open the door and leave it open in the day time and if they feel like going back they will do. My ladies always went back if it rained, and then they lay the eggs throughout the day.
Never clipped wings but came close with the queen she used to fly the fence and have a buffet in my veg garden. The others never have been over i just have a chicken wire 4ft fence around the area but the have a very very large area.
One thing they love..... put a stake in the ground and screw and nail and string in. Then the other end of the string tie a lettuce or cabbage etc (anything really) they will peck and eat it all day long and it is so funny watching them peck it to one another (and now and again get hit in the head i´m not mean honest)
We also up up cd´s on string out of the tress but they have never bothered with them. We put climbing posts in and weird things for them to perch on but the choose their favourite tree and just hang out there all day long.
They love having a arm full of straw/hay they will scratch that for days and eat it.
My ladies will be gone soon and i will really miss them.

[Lumpy]

Our 3 girlies have a fully fenced run that is 40 ft long and in an L shape. The panels are 3ft high and all the ones at the front are removable for easy cleaning, feeding etc.

To help stop bordom we shoved 2 piles of quite large logs which allows them to bug hunt. They also have an old, small performed pond that has holes drilled into the bottom which has been half sunk into the ground. The soil inside has given them a dust bath and the lip of the pond is a perfect hiding place for slugs and snails - yum yum.

We only got our ex bats at the beginning of the month but they went up and down the ladder to it into the house straight away.

We bought a green tarp (£2.99) that is 8ft x 4ft and it has been stapled onto one side of the run so it can be pulled over if it is raining. It keeps them and their food dry.

Oh did I mention the assault course the OH constructed - 2 open ended squares of pallet wood with walkways between them and on to a log pile. Oh and the swing - I saw an ad on the BHWT shop for a chicken swing so OH made one.

Elsie sits quite happily on it as it is suspended from the top.

[janzbro]

Hi, I have a 6x4 shed that I have converted into a coop and retro fitted it with external nest boxes,

The run is 6m x 6m is made from heras security fencing with smaller mesh on the bottom metre

For entertainment they have hanging CDs (they had a peck at first and now ignore) I did have a mirror but the wind smashed that and it took ages to pick u the glass (use a plastic one), various large logs that I turnover so they can get at the bugs that gather under them and few tree branches and ladders between the logs for a general assault course

what they really love is a corn on the cob with an eyelet screwed into the top of it and hanging from the fence by string but that proves quite expensive as they go through it in no time so its a very occassional treat. Also have a hanging basket cage that I can put greens in, make sure you hang them up a good foot above their heads and they merrily jump away pecking at the leaves or corn cob.

I put straw (grass clippings in summer) to have a scratch about in, I throw a scoop of corn in on afternoon.

One thing I would advise is pallets on the ground for you and them from autumn to spring, as it will turn into a mud bath - chicken decking if you like. I leave mine in all year and move them about in spring summer as the grass grows back under them and there is always some bugs about.

I have an automatic door (chuxaway) that lets them out in morning and closes after dark.

Hope that give you some ideas for the future

[janzbro]

Forgot to mention I have an old small dog kennel that I fill with wood ash and DE for a dust bath.