Plans for the run extension

For some time now I have been concerned that our chicken run isn’t big enough for our girls. We think it is big enough for the bantys but not for the two big girls and I worry that this may contribute to the feather plucking.

When we added the two new girls Topaz quickly moved up to top hen. This seemed to stress Dotty as while she was number two in the pecking order behind Pepper she had had the easiest position. She had never had to peck to maintain top position but she had never had any hen peck her either. She enjoyed being Pepper’s second in command and chicken life was easy for her.

Suddenly Dotty found herself receiving warning pecks if she got in Topaz’s way. She reacted by sneaking up behind the girls and pulling feathers from their bottoms. She would do it to all the girls and I was constantly telling her “no” and moving her away.

This went on for a few weeks then suddenly over the last few days I have found feathers in the run again. They were a mix of all the girls feathers but Amber was the most targeted. Amber now has a bare neck and feathers missing from the side of her head.

Poor Amber is looking awful

I have wondered if the stress of this is what is causing her to struggle with her egg laying again although she has had a problem with egg laying right from the start.

Honey also has her neck plucked

It breaks my heart to see this. These two little girls look worse now than they did last summer. I have also picked up feathers from the new girls.

I feel the girls need more space and if they have more space it would also be possible to separate the big girls from the little girls to try to break this habit.

I discussed it with my husband and was surprised when he said he had already been thinking about it.  We have quite a big garden but had slotted the chicken run in behind the veg plot as it was already situated in it’s current position. We started thinking of other positions it could go.

We used to have a thyme lawn next to our patio. In the past I have been successful with a thyme lawn but this one has never worked. I think the thyme doesn’t like our chalky soil.

Last year I put low plants in the gaps to try to improve it but it now just looks a muddle. It just doesn’t work and is neither a lawn or a bed. We have been trying to come up with ideas of what to do with it for some time.

Now we have the perfect spot for a new veg plot. It gets more sun then the current veg plot so should do well and the veg plot gets more sun than the current chicken run at this time of the year so that would be good for the girls too.

This will become the veg plot

View from the other direction

The box on the table contains the veg we had already bought to plant this weekend. This will go on hold for now. We have runner beans, broad beans, purple sprouting broccoli, peas and leeks. I have already planted tomatoes and courgettes in pots on the patio.

View of the whole garden

We have also already planted potatoes and onions in the veg plot so they will have to be dug up again.

The veg plot will become the extension to the run

My husband rang the guy who built our run two years ago and he came round today to measure up and give us a quote.

We were thinking of using the three strips near the path and leaving the last strip for tall veg such as runner beans. We explained that we would need the run to be set back a bit from the path to allow us to carry crates up the path.

We have our crockery for our catering business stored in the large shed at the top of the garden.

Our guy suggested it would be better to leave the strip next to the path for veg giving us elbow room next to the path and use the next three strips. He said that as the sleepers were well bedded in from years of walking on, they would make the ideal framework for the run. We will put the weld mesh underneath to stop anything digging in. He will make a doorway from the existing run into the new area. This will double the size of the run.

Our guy will start work as soon as he gets a free day or two. I am feeling quite excited about this project.

The run will be doubled in size

The area beyond the run up to the end of the blue net will all become run. I plan to plant some tough plants like rosemary and to put in perches. We can reinstate the ladder that used to be in the run and add logs and maybe even a platform giving another level. The options are endless.

I think this will really improve the quality of life for my girls and I may be able to break the feather pulling habit although I know that won’t be easy. I know the girls will love the extra space though and I can’t wait for work to begin.