[NATHAN]

Yesterday i caught Ruby (one of my chickens) shaking soil from her trouser leg whilst in the exercise yard. On closer inspection of the run i found a really quite impressive hole that she and her comrades had excevated, suggesting that they were soon to go under the wire.

The three of them are kept in an ark and are allowed to run about the garden for an hour or two in the evenings. The makers of the Ark also market a scratch pad to put in the run to stop daring escape attempts but imagine that they are quite expensive. Does anyone have any suggestions that might help. Can i use a piece of wire mesh (small holes) on the base of the run, or will this damage their feet???

Any help appreciated.

[WG.]

Life can never be the same after that cartoon film ... ...  

[richyrich7]

Yes I think it would damage their feet, hens seem to spend 90% of the time scratching about  so holes are inevitable, mine certainly have open cast mining operations in their run, but some rotter fills them in again when they get to deep    

Do you move your ark around that would slow down escape from stalag 9

[Aunt Sally]

Hens dig down to make craters rather than tunnels so a skirt on the outside of the run (like my eglu's) is effective.  It also stops foxes digging in  :!:

See here Eglu Run

[NATHAN]

Anyone know where i can get a small amount of wire mesh. Have looked on line and it seems that you have to by shed loads of the stuff.

[richyrich7]

Your local little hardware shop is the best place to find it, you can usually buy it by the metre in either 2' or 3' widths.

[Oliveview]

Ours had made a large hole right by the low wall (fence on top) and looked like they were going under the wall into the olive grove so had to put brick under the wall bit where they were trying to excavate
Did not realise hens were such good diggers.
Pamela (in Spain)

[Foxy]

Hi there
Are your girls just having huge dustbaths? This is natures way of removing lice and mites from their feathers particulary a nuisance in this lovely warm weather.