chicken keeping

[jollyemarie]

hi, i am new to mumsnet, and i am actually a grandma but obviously iam a mum too
can anybody help me please.... we have just started to keep chickens in our garden, they have a wonderful coop and run but for some reason they have decided to take all their bedding out of the nesting boxes and tip it on the floor of the coop. is this normal or are they trying to tell me something? please help (blush)

Hello,

I keep chickens as well. When you say they put the bedding in the coop - do you mean the actual henhouse or the grass in the outside bit?

I put sawdust both in the nesting box and in the hen house floor. Never had any complaints from them

thanks tenbygirl. I put sawdust in the henhouse like you and straw in the nesting boxes attached to the henhouse, is this right? Also do you have any tips on how to keep roaming cats away from the coop. Only had the chickens since tuesday and already had two eggs, don't want them upset now. (smile)

Now I was told not to use straw near chickens, I'm sure there's a medical reason why not too - but can't for the life of me remember what.

My cat investigated the chickens when I first got them - the chickens soon put the cat right and she keeps her distance now. Too scared of the flapping wings and the noise!