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Chicken keepers

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Original poster

Snow in coop...

23 replies

CheeryCherry · 01/12/2010 19:27

We have an eglu cube...noticed this afternoon that there is snow in the laying area - is that normal? It has been a blizzard all day but I was expecting it to be more sealed. Will they be ok? I want to bring them in the house!!

OP posts:
ChickensHaveNoMercyForTurkeys · 01/12/2010 19:30

That's not good. How is the snow getting in? Can you cover the cube over with a tarpaulin or similair? Your hens will be fine with the cold but they need to be kept dry.

Original poster
CheeryCherry · 01/12/2010 20:10

We have covered the run but not the coop....eek feeling bad now. Couldnt see where it was getting in cos the wind was too bad. Should I go cover it now? Its still snowing.What can I use as a cover - its so windy?

OP posts:
ilovehens · 01/12/2010 20:58

How about a weighted down blanket?

ChickensHaveNoMercyForTurkeys · 01/12/2010 21:09

Yes, something weighed down could work. I used a tarpaulin weighted with bricks last year when the run was filling up. Or if your cube is totally mobile, maybe turn it around so that the wind is driving the snow in to the gap iyswim? Might be worth dropping an email to Omlet as well. The cube is not cheap and it should really be up to the job.

ilovehens · 01/12/2010 21:20

I have my coop covered with a tied down plastic greenhouse. dh has reinforced it with bamboo sticks and it works really well at keeping the snow and rain out of the coop.

Sometimes you just have to improvise to protect your feathered friends Smile

ChickensHaveNoMercyForTurkeys · 01/12/2010 21:26

That's smart thinking ilove Grin I have a super fab wooden coop now which is keeping my girls snug. They are refusing to stick one feathered foot outside in the snow, so muggins 'ere is hand feeding them corn

ilovehens · 01/12/2010 21:31

lol Mine are refusing to come out as well.

Hey, I spend ages on the 'net looking at chicken houses and coops/runs. It's coop porn! Some of them are just so fab and I'm always mentally re-designing my chicken setup to accomodate one of these fantastic coops.

Your hens sound very spolit and pampered Grin

Original poster
CheeryCherry · 01/12/2010 21:41

Phew, have been out in the blizzard with an off-cut of carpet from the loft and have weighted it down with stones - not easy to find in the dark when they are under 2 foot of snow!
Lol about your ladies ChickensHave... sound as spoiled as ours.
And yes ilove...there are some amazing coops and henhouses Smile

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ChickensHaveNoMercyForTurkeys · 01/12/2010 21:44

They are very spoiled. I managed to convince DH that we needed this one. Eight pekins now live in the lap of luxury Grin

ilovehens · 01/12/2010 22:03

Oh, now that is very nice Chickens Grin

ilovehens · 01/12/2010 22:06

this is mine but it's the larger one that they do. I only have three hens, but two of them are larger breeds.

ilovehens · 01/12/2010 22:15

check out some of these setups

lurvely.

ChickensHaveNoMercyForTurkeys · 01/12/2010 22:16

That is the exact house that I started with nearly three years ago! Grin Then I, er, aquired more hens and we extended it. I sold it, with extension, for £173 last May to a man who was planning on keeping exbatts. It's a great coop, and really easy to clean etc :) Good quality too.

Original poster
CheeryCherry · 01/12/2010 22:20

ilove...those runs are lovely.Not sure they would stand up to our high winds - would need cementing down!
I saw some coops once that were designed like Olde Worlde gypsey caravans - so cute!

OP posts:
ChickensHaveNoMercyForTurkeys · 01/12/2010 22:21

I know the ones you mean, Cheery. I too love them. But think they're about £2500. And even I couldn't justify that.

amummyinwaiting · 01/12/2010 22:29

Mine is skanky compared to all of your posh ones! (Its on my profile). Grin

ilovehens · 01/12/2010 22:36

lol I'm sure it's not skanky amummy. As long as your hens are happy then that's all that matters.

Chickens-it is very easy to keep clean. I love it.

dh had to cement ours down after the high winds blew it over one time!!! I was at work at the time so wasn't there to witness the devastation. Luckily, the girls were over the other side of the garden at the time or they'd have been killed. When I phoned dh from work to find out how he was getting on, he told me about it and I was panicking like mad. Ours is now attached to a cemented wooden frame with coach bolts so it should stay put.

ilovehens · 01/12/2010 22:37

Oh, your coop is fine. I like the colour Grin

ilovehens · 01/12/2010 22:38

cheery, I have seen those gypsy caravan ones! lol

ilovehens · 01/12/2010 22:43

feast your eyes people!

sigh if I won the lottery Grin

bramblebooks · 01/12/2010 23:03

I have roofed my cube run with clear corrugated plastic from focus wt £7.99 a sheet! I out it on with bungee cords. I've also put some clear plastic tarp down part of the side to act as a wind break.
Is the eglu put together tightly enough? it must have been blowing in during the storm, that sometimes happens with rain.
My girls seem really snug in theirs, ive put extra straw in the roosting area.

ChickensHaveNoMercyForTurkeys · 01/12/2010 23:09

amummyinwaiting - that's a fine set up. How many girls do you have?

Original poster
CheeryCherry · 02/12/2010 21:31

ilovehens that is sooo cute - but soooooooo pricey! Shock

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