Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: Goosegirl on March 18, 2023, 10:23
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We have six Plymouth Rock hens in a wire and mesh enclosure. The ground was once grass but they have such big feet that it's been paddled up and now consists of bare soil (or mud when it rains). We had one of those round hen feeders with a top on but the feed kept getting wet and wouldn't fall out of the container so we ditched it and just sprinkled their feed on two small concrete areas. Trouble is that it keeps getting dirty despite scraping it off daily. OH says that they so love scratting around for feed in the soil/ mud and just let them be. Is this ok because I'll be putting it in their pen onto areas where their feet have brought soil mixed with their poo.
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I would say no it is not OK. They need access to feed all day and if it disappears into a soil/poo mix that means they will have to eat contaminated feed. It is asking for trouble with internal parasites.
If the run is not covered, you should consider putting a proper roof on it to offer shelter, shade and protection from bird flu. As a quick fix, put up a small shelter just to keep the feed under. My big run is roofed, but drips in places, so I have a smaller shelter within made of blue water pipe hoops with a small run cover over it like this.
https://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/rabbit_products/eglu_rabbit_weather_protection/10507/heavy_duty_cover_for_eglu_go_and_classic_-_half_length/
I only used it because I had it anyway. It doesn’t need to be an Omlet one.
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I agree with NS, my run is covered entirely with Onduline over weld mesh. The feeder is a treadle feeder & didn’t take long for them to suss out how to get food, that stays clean & dry. They stand on the treadle to open it & when they get off it closes. The downside of my enclosed run is they never go outside so I take greens into them & all the weeds go their way. Plus I have hanging bird type feeders, cabbages,apples every day for them