We decided a while back to make a few changes to the chicken enclosure, the main improvement being to extend the dry area. We have contacted the guy who built it for us and he is really busy at the moment but will come and extend the roof area one day within the next two weeks.
Meanwhile we decided to get on with a few changes of our own. We bought a potting cabinet for storing all chicken related items. This takes up the same floor space as the plastic box I was using, but as it is tall with plenty of shelves it holds so much more. This means I no longer need to go out of the gate and into the shed for things. This small change has made life easier for me.
This potting cabinet makes ideal storage for all my chicken related items
Every time I open the door to the cabinet all four girls come running over, as they have quickly realized that this is where the treats are kept. If they hear the rustle of the meal worm bag they are right under my feet waiting, not slow to catch on when it involves treats! We also decided to turn the coop sideways to allow easier access for cleaning. The end panel comes out, as does the nest box. Before we moved it, I was hemmed in by the fence and struggled to clean it out. I now have plenty of room and this simple action has also made life easier for me.
We have turned the coop sideways to make cleaning easier
The chickens were so funny when they came up to find the feeding station. It used to be on the left by the coop but we moved it to the right hand side to keep it within the dry area. All four chickens were looking for it on the left and trying to reach under the coop as if they thought it was hiding there. I tried rattling the feeder but they took no notice. Finally Bluebell discovered it and the rest quickly followed. I wondered if they would discover the way in to the coop as that has also changed, but again Bluebell found it first and they followed. Bluebell is bottom hen and gets pecked away by the others and yet it seems that she is the smartest hen.
The turf I put in the run had been completely pecked and looked dead, probably because I sat it on top of the wood chip. As they are half price at the moment (£1.99), I decided to buy another, cut it into squares and plant it in seed trays. It divided in to twelve trays and I thought that I could put in one tray per day then bring it out to rejuvenate
The girls love the grass
This won’t last long
I have twelve trays of grass (one is in the run)
The two trays on the right have already had all the green pecked out by the girls
I only hope they do grow back as they look really brown. If not, it hasn’t cost much to do, but it would be nice to be able to keep the girls supplied with fresh grass as they love it.
Click here to see the history of my flock.