First winter, 2 questions

richyrich7 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 22, 2008, 22:00 »

Quote from: "Flyin Chickens"

Have some bark chips that I will put down today.

Anyone have any ideas on the possible problem with mice??

Here have a look at this LINK it's more aimed at rats but basics are just the same.

Sadgit · « **Reply #16 on:** January 23, 2008, 09:40 »

Quote from: "Aunt Sally"

Large bark chippings, Hemcore/aubiose, straw - but NEVER Hay !!

If they eat it, it can cause an inpacted crop which can be fatal or require surgery to remove.

yeah that is right people... NEVER hay I knew that... :oops:

poultrygeist · « **Reply #17 on:** January 23, 2008, 09:44 »

Quote from: "Flyin Chickens"

Anyone have any ideas on the possible problem with mice??

I'm gonna risk sounding stoopid :roll: but are mice as big a pest as rats ?

Obviously they could get out of hand and will try to gnaw through anything between them and food but are they as big a health risk as rats ?

richyrich7 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 23, 2008, 14:43 »

Quote from: "poultrygeist"

Quote from: "Flyin Chickens"

Anyone have any ideas on the possible problem with mice??

I'm gonna risk sounding stoopid :roll: but are mice as big a pest as rats ?

Obviously they could get out of hand and will try to gnaw through anything between them and food but are they as big a health risk as rats ?

Well I'm not 100% sure but I'd imagine there's not a lot of difference they both wee and poo everywhere :evil:

Bloke to tell us is Bodger he's certified

check out the link in my previous post above.

poultrygeist · « **Reply #19 on:** January 23, 2008, 15:24 »

Will do.

I'm hoping we get Tawny owls next door again this year. We had 2 adults with 3 surviving juveniles. Must have been plenty of rodent ready meals for all to survive.

It'll save on poison.

Bodger · « **Reply #20 on:** January 23, 2008, 16:27 »

Mice are nothing like the health problem that rats are.

Many of the mice that you come across in poultry keeping and gardening are field or wood mice and do not represent any health problems to humans. A large percentage of Brown Rats carry Wiels or is that Weils disease which can be deadly to humans.

Its still worth controlling mice if they get to plague proportions because of the food they eat and waste. I have had chickens tails nibbled as they sleep which can be a bit of a nuisance.

Flyin Chickens · « **Reply #21 on:** January 23, 2008, 16:38 »

Thanks for the links re Rats. I will look to make some tunnels and get some poison (Even if I do only have mice the rats may soon follow)

My hens spend quite a lot of time up on top of the coop to keep their feet dry but have to squelch through the mud when they are going inside.

Bark chips are down but I am not sure how long they will last as I caught the girls digging for freedom in to next doors garden the other day.
It is one never ending story of chicken run at my house with the two of them constantly plotting how they will escape!!

poultrygeist · « **Reply #22 on:** January 23, 2008, 17:20 »

Cheers for that Bodger. We've got 25x13 x 900 weldmesh with the bottom 4-6" as a skirt all round the bottom with slabs overlapping and mostly round the top 3ft with 13x13 chicken wire round the rest of the top 3ft.

Obviously it won't keep out the mice but hopefully will keep the bigger rats out. I can lay poison in drainpipe along the outside in a couple of places.

The coop is inside the run about 2ft off the concrete section.

I think I would need to install searchlight towers and machine gun posts to improve it much more.

I'll leave the rest to the owls !

FC - we've got some old logs and bits of branch in the run for them to perch on. Can you get hold of any to give them a dry perch ?

spizanne · « **Reply #23 on:** January 25, 2008, 23:30 »

look on the bright side. if you've got mice you haven't got rats

Stree · « **Reply #24 on:** February 17, 2008, 17:22 »

Noticed the point about not using hay in the run..........By hay do you mean such as meadow hay only or does that include straw as from straw bales as well....I need to know quick !

babe · « **Reply #25 on:** February 17, 2008, 17:28 »

chooks can have straw, but not hay, it compacts in their crops and can make them poorly.

Stree · « **Reply #26 on:** February 17, 2008, 19:17 »

Thanks for the reply Babe, just put straw down in a new run ! ready for my new Amberlinks tomorrow !

babe · « **Reply #27 on:** February 17, 2008, 19:19 »

how exciting...lots of pictures please.

have you got names for them yet?

Ruby Red · « **Reply #28 on:** February 17, 2008, 22:29 »

It was mentioned about laying turf and covering it with wire mesh so the grass can grow through but the hens cant destroy it. This sounds a brill idea. But could it hurt the hens feet in any way. If not i will deffo do it.

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #29 on:** February 17, 2008, 22:35 »

Quote from: "Ruby Red"

It was mentioned about laying turf and covering it with wire mesh so the grass can grow through but the hens cant destroy it. This sounds a brill idea. But could it hurt the hens feet in any way. If not i will deffo do it.

Hmmm... not sure Ruby. They might catch their toenails on it

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