|
Desperate to get an eglu... but?
I am DESPERATE to get an Eglu and chickens, but
partner is worried it will a) kill off all the grass and
b) chickens will eat all the flowers etc! Do chickens
poo on the grass much or is it mainly in their Eglu? How
easy is it to clear up?! I love the idea of them pecking
around my garden all day till dusk - is it necessary to
put them in the run when you go out? And if so, how easy
is it to 'round them up'? Sorry for all the q's - I'm a
total chicken novice! - Bungo
"I guess there's no hiding the fact that ours hens do
eat some of the plants in the garden, and will keep the
lawn nice and trimmed. If you keep the Eglu on the grass
it will obviously rot the grass underneath. You can
avoid this by moving it regularly, which will also stop
the chickens scratching and pooing in one area of your
lawn. The other alternative is to make them a bark
chipped area that the Eglu and run can stay on
permanently. I find this much more practical, and it
saves on the lawn. Chickens have no preference as to
where they poo! They will poo in the Eglu over night and
they will also poo wherever the mood takes them. The poo
is easily picked up, and if you compost it down it makes
a fantastic fertiliser for your plants. Mowing the lawn
will also get rid of any poos, as will the hose pipe.
Gina
I agonized in the same way, as I am very fussy about
my garden. You can only keep the Eglu on grass if you
have quite a large lawn and can swing it round in a
complete circle regularly. NB: The Eglu + run seems huge
when you first get it set up in a modestly-sized garden.
I kept moving my run around on a small lawn but got
rather distressed at what was happening to the grass.
Because the chickens were confined in the run all day,
they were digging their own dustbaths everywhere,
destroying the grass. I made a bark base and have been
delighted ever since. You will love your chickens so
much you will forgive them anything, but if you love
your garden too you will have to compromise. And I
couldn't leave them out in the garden all the time even
if I weren't so garden-proud, as we have daytime urban
foxes here. Gallina
|
"Chicken poo seems to do the grass the
world of good - it just breaks down or I rake it up and
chuck it in the compost bin. I let mine roam around the
garden when I'm there and they have occasionally helped
themselves to my herbs and make themselves dust baths in
the borders but I'm very garden-proud and neither of
these bother me. Sometimes I have to round the girls up
to go back in the run but mostly I find they just bimble
back in when they've explored enough. I haven't noticed
mine scratching holes in the lawn yet but maybe I'm just
lucky on that front?? Tom and
Barbara
I have to admit, my girls are
partial to a pansy when they are out in the garden, love
sticking their heads through the fence and eating next
doors privet, and have scoffed the low lying leaves on
the cherry tree. Apart from that they are fine - they
have a spot under a hedge that they use for dustbaths,
so leave the grass pretty much alone, and have made
short work of the dandelions, slugs and snails!
Shona (Chookiehen)
Trial Access To The
Forum
If you are an egluowner then you can
access to the forum. Evening if you haven't got chickens
yet you can have a weeks trial access to the forum by
clicking this link here -> forum
Don't forget
Barbara
Remember that Barbara is always on
hand to answer your question about chickens - just pop
her an email to barbara@omlet.co.uk |
