While most people check the weather forecast to help them plan their week activities or outfits, chicken keepers can also be using it to predict what accessories their coop needs to ensure their girls are as comfortable as possible.
From sun to snow, wind to wet, the breakfast time weather reports and the handy app on your phone are all giving you helpful hints that you might be ignoring.
? TEMPERATURE ?
Firstly, the most obvious indicator: the predicted temperature for the coming 10 days. Depending on what time of year we are in, this can be super helpful or utterly confusing if it is varying drastically. But let’s think about what we can act upon.
In winter, if the predicted temperature is at below 0 degrees celsius for more than 5 days in a row or the temperature is near freezing and you have very few chickens in your coop, you may want to consider attaching the Extreme Temperature Blanket to your Eglu to give your chickens some extra help with keeping warm, without limiting the coop ventilation.
During hot summer months, when temperatures can be above and beyond 30 degrees celsius daily in some countries, it is wise to move your chicken coop into an area that is in the shade for as much of the day as possible. For your chickens, daily health checks are essential to ensure they are not suffering with the high temperatures. If your coop is attached to or inside a secure run, you can leave your coop door open to increase airflow at nighttime without your girls being exposed to predators.
☀️ SUN ☀️
When the sun is shining, it is tempting to cover your chickens’ run with shades so that it is completely protected from the sun inside. However, this can have the opposite effect on what you intended. Instead of shading and cooling the area, lots of shades create a tunnel which traps the heat, like a greenhouse.
It is best to keep them in a shaded area, and protect one side of the run from the sun. If your chickens are out free ranging most of the day, make sure that they have access to shady patches in the garden, and that their food and water is also in shade.
❄️ SNOW ❄️
Exciting for some, but for others a weather warning for snow can be very disappointing. You may want to consider sheltering your coop’s run with clear covers to prevent as much snow getting on the ground inside the run as possible. If snow is predicted for the foreseeable future, you may want to prepare for long term icy conditions and bring your coop closer to the house so it is easier to check on your chickens, and they can benefit from some of the shelter your house might provide. During the snow, be sure to dry off damp feathers and remove any chunks of ice from claws. Increase the amount of bedding and food you are giving your chickens too as this will help them stay warm.
If you have time, it might be wise to consider how effective your chicken coop will be against the bitter cold. If you have a wooden coop, check if it is water-tight and well insulated. If you are not confident in your wooden coop, consider upgrading to a sturdy plastic alternative, like the Eglu Cube. It’s twin-wall insulation works in the same way as double glazing to keep the cold out of the coop, and the heat in during winter. The plastic material is waterproof and super easy to clean out quickly (especially important on chilly winter days).
☁️ CLOUD ☁️
The most boring of all weather forecasts, but often a rest bite from other more extreme conditions. During winter, a few cloudy days should raise the temperature slightly and give you a good opportunity to clean out your coop and thoroughly check on your chickens and make any changes needed for whatever the forecast predicts for the coming days.
? RAIN ?
Some weather reports are more helpful than others when it comes to the exact timing and chance of there being rain. But if you’re looking at days of 90% chance of heavy showers, it would be wise to act fast and get some protective clear covers over the run. If the ground under your chickens’ coop and run is already extremely muddy and wet, you might want to consider moving them to a new patch of grass, and maybe even laying down a base material, like wood shavings, to prevent it developing into a swamp!
? WIND ?
How you react to a windy forecast completely depends on the wind speeds predicted. Light winds, less than 25 mph, shouldn’t cause much of a problem. You might want to add some windbreaks around the base of your Eglu and a large clear cover down the most exposed side. However, in extreme high winds, the worst thing you can do is completely conceal your run, particularly a larger Walk in Run, with covers from top to bottom. In a large run, the mesh holes allow the wind to flow through without causing any issues to the structure, and a clear cover round one bottom corner of the run will provide chickens enough shelter. If you cover the run completely, the wind will be hammering against it and is more likely to cause the structure to lift or move.
If your chickens are in a smaller run attached to their coop, we recommend moving it to a position where it will be most protected from the wind and any falling debris, for example, against a sturdy building wall. The Eglu’s wheels allow you to easily move the coops around your garden to suit the conditions. If you are keeping your chickens in their Eglu coop and run, and not free ranging during dangerous weather conditions, consider adding some entertaining toys and treat dispenser for them to prevent boredom, such as the Peck Toy or Perch.
This entry was posted in Chickens
Hens spend their entire lives outdoors. This means they have to cope with everything the year throws at them — from summer heat waves and winter chills, to year-round downpours. Being hardy birds, they take much of this in stride, but they benefit from a helping hand from their humans. Here are ways to help your flock and prepare for the chicken-keeping challenges in the year ahead.
Winter
Depending on your location, winter can be one of the most challenging seasons for all outdoor animals. No matter where you live, there’s a lot working against both humans and chickens when cold weather sets in – but thankfully chickens are naturally equipped to endure lower temperatures. Because of this, chicken-keeping in the winter isn’t much different from the rest of the year, but a few preparations can go a long way in helping your hens thrive in the cold.
Cold-weather chicken considerations
- Although chickens cope well with the cold, they’ll need some help when it’s both cold and wet. Keeping hens in an insulated Eglu Chicken Coop is a good place to start, with the option to add extra chicken coop weather protection to both the run and the coop. This is especially helpful if you live in an area that receives heavy snowfall.
- Perches in the run enable chickens to cuddle up when it’s cold – which is essential in the winter months. The Omlet Chicken Perch, being composed of eucalyptus, a strong, untreated wood, prevents chickens’ feet from becoming too cold. Offering perches above the frozen ground of the run gives your hens’ toes a break from the chill.
- In sustained sub-zero temperatures, rubbing Vaseline on your hens’ combs and wattles will help prevent them from becoming frostbitten.
- Keep your hens’ feet dry in wet weather by lining the run with wood chippings, straw, or hay.
Winter daylight hours
- Chickens usually return to the coop to roost at dusk. But in the winter, you may find your birds trying to get more time outside on the short days. If your hens are prone to wandering around in the dark, a high visibility hen coat will help you locate them – and also ensure they’re visible to anyone else, should they stray from your garden.
- Installing an automatic chicken coop door with a coop light will help your hens adhere to bedtime. The door can open and close automatically based on the amount of daylight, a specified time, or manually. The coop light will help beckon wandering birds to bed when darkness falls, as chickens will naturally gravitate toward a light source.
Your chickens’ health during colder months
Keep an eye out for coughing, sneezing, lethargy, or other signs of chicken illness. Older or weaker chickens can become more vulnerable to illness when the cold weather sets in.
- Egg production will decrease – but this doesn’t mean no eggs for breakfast. While your hens may not lay as frequently, and some may stop altogether throughout the colder months, a flock of 4 or more chickens should still provide an adequate supply of eggs for your family during the winter.
- Make sure your hens’ diet consists of high-quality feed and scratch, and consider adding some extra chicken vitamins and minerals to boost their immune systems. Offer hay or greens in a chicken treat holder to provide a nutritional activity on cold days.
- Their water will freeze, so be prepared to break the ice, and have some spare water dispensers ready in case the waterers freeze solid. Pour hot water over any icy water sources throughout the day to help keep things thawed. Consider placing submersible bird bath heaters in your chickens’ waterers to keep them thawed.
- On the upside, winter might kill off any lingering flies, mites, and other pests your chickens encounter during the warmer months.
Spring
As the days lengthen, your hens will start laying more eggs. Vegetation comes back to life, and chickens find insects, plants, and other findings worth scratching around for. Your chickens will likely be wanting to spend more time outside in the warmer temperatures and longer days, but predators also spend more waking hours roaming in the spring.
Protect your chickens from awakening predators
Predatory animals such as foxes, wolves, and badgers will also be on the prowl after a lean winter. Keeping your chickens in a secure, covered run is vitally important during early spring when nature’s predators are also taking advantage of the changing seasons. Automatic chicken coop doors will ensure the hens are in and out at the right times, and will prevent predators from gaining access after-hours. The door will also let your chickens out in the morning, so that you can enjoy weekend mornings in bed as the days get longer.
Take proactive steps to reduce chicken coop pests
It’s also important to note that mites and parasites make their debut in the spring, so if you don’t have an easy-to-clean plastic chicken coop, be sure to treat your coops and runs to get ahead of the pests. Mites thrive in wooden surfaces, so housing your hens in a plastic coop is a first line in defence to eliminate pests. Change bedding daily, and clean the interior of your coop frequently to keep your chickens healthy and happy when mites threaten to emerge.
Summer
It’s amazing to see the transformation in your chickens as the seasons change. Gone are the downy, fluffy winter and early spring jackets your hens sported mere months ago. Instead, you may now notice your hens’ feathers slowly becoming more dull, and they are spending more and more time under shaded areas.
For many flock-raisers, summer poses the largest threat to chickens. The main risks that flocks face in the summer months are heat and too much sunlight. Be sure to have plenty of shaded areas where your chickens frequent, and keep fresh, cool water available at all times. A chicken coop that provides shade itself, like the space under the Eglu Cube or the Eglu Go Up, is ideal for the summer months.
The Eglu Cube chicken coop is designed to reduce moisture and increase airflow through its ingenious ventilation design. Twin-wall insulation and vents along the back allow for cool air to circulate while keeping the warm air out. Plastic doesn’t hold onto moisture the way that wood does, so your chickens can find relief from the damp, humid air. The Eglu Cube also offers a shaded area beneath the coop, with the option to add heavy-duty run covers to the sides and top of the run for additional protection from the sun. And, with added handles and wheels, the Eglu Cube can be moved to shadier, cooler spots as summer progresses.
Here are some other methods to alleviate heat-related stress in your flock during the summer months:
- Keep the water supply full, as hens drink more in warm weather. Add ice cubes to waterers if possible throughout the day to keep the water temperature at a refreshing level.
- Provide a dust bath – either a dry area of ground in the garden, or in a container in the chicken run. Cat litter trays, kiddie pools, and even old tires with the rims removed make great basins for dust baths.
- Offer treats like frozen corn or other chicken-safe veggies in a chicken treat dispenser or chicken peck toy.
- Look for any signs of heat stress in your hens. Open-mouth breathing (panting), lethargy, agitation, increased saliva production, or any other concerning symptoms should be reported to your veterinarian. Bring any chicken exhibiting heat stress into an air-conditioned space, but refrain from employing any other cooling measures until hearing from your veterinarian. It can be dangerous for an overheated chicken to have their body temperature brought down too quickly.
Fortunately, the “dog days of summer” usually yield to lower temperatures at night. You may want to offer more space outside of the coop for your chickens to roost overnight in the warmer months, as they will need extra space away from each other’s body heat during this season. A Freestanding Chicken Perch or PoleTree will give your hens aerial space to roost if they need to spread out at night. Just be sure that all of their enclosures are predator-resistant.
Autumn
Autumn is a favourite season for both flocks and their keepers. Bugs are still abundant, the temperatures are comfortable, and gardens offer hen-friendly snacking opportunities when gardeners rotate crops.
Hens will often moult this time of year in preparation for colder temperatures, so they need a good diet to help them stay healthy and grow new feathers. Extra vitamins and minerals will boost feather growth, and a little apple cider vinegar in their water will help them grow healthy and glossy plumage. Egg production will cease or drastically reduce while hens are moulting, but once they’ve completed their transformation, your hens will resume their laying schedule. The shorter days will prompt chickens to lay less frequently, but good layers will continue to produce eggs during the fall and winter.
Year-round chicken care with Omlet
At Omlet, we’re here to support chicken keepers all year round. By keeping your hens in an Eglu Chicken Coop and Walk In Chicken Run that are both easy to maintain and clean, you’ll create an environment that is enjoyable for both you and your flock no matter the season. These, along with Walk In Run Covers, make seasonal preparation quick and easy so that the changes in weather, amount of daylight, and looming predators don’t detract from the wondrous connection you’ve created with your chickens. So here’s to another year of chicken-keeping, the Omlet way.
This entry was posted in Chickens
In winter, one of the biggest concerns we see from our customers is: “how well is the Eglu going to keep my chickens warm?”. In this blog, we explain the science behind the Eglu’s carefully designed features, which ensure your chickens are kept nice and toasty in the colder months.
Insulation
Air is an amazing thermal insulator. Heat is conducted between an area of more heat to an area of less heat. The warmer molecules vibrate rapidly and collide with others, passing on energy. If the material the heat (in this case the body heat from the chickens inside the coop) is trying to pass through has few molecules in it then it will be harder for the heat to transfer through it. This is the case with air, and that is why it’s commonly used as an insulator in everything from walls and windows to cooking utensils and drinking flasks – and chicken coops!
The Eglus’ unique twin wall system captures air in a pocket between the inner and outer wall, taking full advantage of air’s great insulating properties. This solution stops the cold air from moving into the coop, and retains the warm air in the coop. The same process also keeps the chickens cool in summer by stopping the warm air from entering the coop and making it too warm.
Ventilation
Perhaps even more important than the coop’s insulating properties, is how well ventilated it is. If the coop doesn’t have good ventilation, you run the risk of either having a nasty draft if the coop has badly positioned vents or large holes and openings, or a build up of moisture if the coop is too tightly insulated. Both will prevent the chickens from staying warm on chilly winter nights, and can cause unpleasant respiratory illnesses.
The Eglu coops are designed to let air flow through the coop, but without creating an uncomfortable draft for the chickens. The vents are positioned in such a way that your pets won’t notice the fresh air flowing through the coop, but the warm air evaporating from the animals and their droppings will move through the vents and prevent any moisture.
How chickens keep themselves warm
Chickens, like many other non-migrating birds, have a layer of downy feathers under their visible plumage that they can fluff up to create air pockets close to their bodies. This will retain the heat, and will keep them warm during winter.
Chickens also have a high metabolic rate that will speed up even more during winter, helping to keep their bodies warm. This is why you might have to feed your chickens a little extra during the winter months.
Chickens are also able to decrease the blood flow to their bare legs to minimise loss of body heat. The overlapping scales on their feet and legs trap some warm air, so walking on snow and ice rarely causes chickens any discomfort. When roosting in the cold, the feet and legs are tucked in under the warm feather blanket, and the chicken might also tuck its head under a wing to get some extra body heat.
This entry was posted in Chickens
…make it this one.
From the latest smartphone to super clever hairdryers, we often hear and read about the top new gadgets that we need in our lives, and more recently we are beginning to see amazing tech products for our pets! But what about chickens? Yep, even our feathered friends are getting a look into the future, and this is not something to be missed.
If you buy one thing for yourself or your chickens this week, make it this.
The Autodoor.
This one simple addition to your chickens’ coop, can make a hugely significant difference to your life as a chicken keeper, and many users swear by it.
Secure the Autodoor to your chickens’ enclosure; this can be the Eglu Cube house, Eglu run, any wooden chicken coop or chicken wire, and use the control panel to set when the door opens and closes, based on a specific time or a percentage of light.
In the morning, the Autodoor will open with no fuss, allowing your chickens out of their coop or run to explore, graze and stretch their wings, especially useful in summer, when your chickens are wanting to get going far earlier than you. There’s no need to get up at 5am when you have an Autodoor.
In the evening, as the sun sets, the Autodoor can be programmed to close at a time when you know all your chickens will have gone into their coop to roost, so they can be secured and safe from predators. In winter, when it can be dark before you get home, you won’t have to worry about having to hurry back in time to shut them in. The Autodoor can do it for you.
Here’s 5 other reasons, you need the Autodoor…
- Battery-powered. No need to keep your coop close to a power source.
- Reliable in all weather conditions. This is a gadget that will take you from winter to summer, and back again.
- Built in safety sensors ensure no chicken is harmed when investigating their new gadget.
- Improves coop security and insulation. The horizontal door is far safer than it’s vertical, guillotine style competitors which can be easily lifted by predators.
- Low maintenance and easy to install. Everything you need to get started is in one box!
This entry was posted in Chickens
Winter brings unique challenges for chicken keeping, and avoiding common pitfalls can help keep your flock healthy and thriving. In this guide, we’ll discuss the 10 things to avoid as a winter chicken keeper, helping you navigate the season with confidence and care. From managing coop conditions to understanding your hens’ needs, these insights will ensure you’re prepared for the cold months ahead.
What to avoid this winter
Knowing what to avoid is as important as knowing the right things to do when caring for your chickens. Preparing for winter is a necessary task when tending to your flock, but there are some things that may be overlooked or misunderstood about winter chicken-keeping. Here’s what not to do this season.
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Don’t coop your chickens up
Chickens are built to be outside, and they’re known for withstanding cold temperatures. In fact, a hens’ normal temperature runs around 40.5°c, so enduring the cold is much easier for them than the heat. And, underneath a chicken’s shiny plumage lies dense, downy feathers to insulate them — courtesy of your flock’s annual moult that takes place in the fall.
While it may be tempting to keep your chickens fully enclosed in their coop, they’ll quickly become bored and agitated. Instead of keeping a lock and key on their coop, open their coop door after the sun has been up for a couple of hours to help warm their environment, or program your Smart Autodoor to open at a specified time. Invest in chicken run covers to prevent snow and ice from accumulating, and offer plenty of chicken perches to help warm their feet up off of the frozen ground. With these provisions in place, your flock will be well supported outside of their coop.
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Don’t make their coop airtight
Another common mistake chicken keepers make is trying to seal their chicken coops. Your flock needs fresh air to circulate throughout their coop to prevent moisture buildup and respiratory illness. Insulated chicken coops keep the harsh elements out while still allowing for the right amount of air circulation to prevent these issues.
Drafts are a valid concern in the winter, but well-designed ventilation will not allow for cold drafts to permeate the coop. Even with extreme temperature chicken coop jackets, Omlet’s Eglu Chicken Coops allow just the right amount of fresh air to circulate without creating dangerous drafts. Now that’s a breath of fresh air for winter chicken-keeping.
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Don’t offer supplemental heat
Chickens are hardy and will adapt to the lower temperatures as they gradually decline. If their coop is heated, they will miss out on this natural process, and will be shocked — quite literally — if they stride out into freezing temperatures from a balmy coop. This sudden, extreme change in temperature can cause a chicken to go into shock and can result in the death of your flock.
Heat sources are also a fire hazard, and should not be used without being closely supervised. Brooder plates, heat lamps, or heating pads are appropriate for sick flock members or young chicks, but should be used only in dire situations for healthy hens. Extra insulating bedding like straw or hay can be added to nesting boxes and roosting areas to provide additional warmth in lieu of electric heat sources.
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Don’t leave eggs in the coop
While it may be easy to remember to gather eggs in the dog days of summer before they spoil, it’s important to gather eggs quickly when the temperatures reach freezing. Eggs shouldn’t be left in the coop for more than a couple of hours if the temperatures are below freezing. A frozen egg isn’t ruined, but the contents will expand the longer it’s allowed to freeze, which will crack the shell. Once the shell is compromised, bacteria can enter the egg freely, making it inedible.
Get into the habit of looking for and collecting eggs each time you visit the coop. This is a good rule in any season, but especially during periods of extreme temperatures.
Chicken waterers can quickly turn to popsicles when the temperatures reach freezing. You’ll need to break the ice in a very literal way throughout the day for your flock to maintain their water source. Pouring warm water over frozen waterers can also thaw them, or consider using electric bird bath heaters or other types of submersible heaters in their waterers. Be sure to keep cords and components out of your flock’s reach.
Putting a floating object in their water like a tennis ball can also help prevent ice from forming. The constant movement will break up the ice formation so it won’t be able to freeze solid. This has mixed results based on the size of the object, amount of wind, and other factors, but it’s a safe method to experiment with.
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Don’t put off cleaning the coop
Before the temperatures plummet, give your chicken coop a deep clean. This will allow you to use a pressure washer without the threat of ice one last time before the freeze sets in. Refresh the bedding with thick, warm bedding like shavings or straw, and check to make sure runs covers are adjusted and secure.
Once it’s impractical to clean with water, you can keep your coop clean with a rag or stiff bristled brush. Empty the droppings trays as usual, and brush off any debris from their roosting and nesting areas. Keeping your chickens’ coop fresh and clean will promote good respiratory health over the winter.
Your chickens may not venture as far from their coop as before, largely because of the lack of insects or vegetation to pique their interest. If your property becomes covered with snow or ice, it can put an even bigger damper on their fun. To combat this potential for boredom, make sure your hens have plenty to do to occupy their days.
Chicken perches, peck toys, treat holders, or a Chicken Swing are all elements that transform winter days from dull to delightful. Use them in their run, or out in their free-ranging space to create pockets of fun in an otherwise frozen world. It’ll cheer your heart along with your hens.
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Don’t go easy on the feed
Your chickens will be hungrier during the winter months. The increased demand for body heat requires their already-fast metabolisms to work harder. With these larger appetites, you can expect to fill their chicken feeders more often.
Your flock will also appreciate extra treats and nutrition during this time. Add dried mealworms or soldier fly larvae to their scratch grains, offer alfalfa hay, or make them a warm chicken mash to help satisfy their cravings.
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Don’t forget combs and wattles
Any chickens can fall victim to frostbite, but hens with large combs and wattles are especially at risk. Signs of frostbite on a chicken’s comb or wattles include:
- Pale or white appearance
- Black spots or sections
- Misshapen edges
Petroleum jelly applied to these parts will help prevent frostbite from forming. Frostbite isn’t deadly to chickens, but it is uncomfortable, and once the areas have become discolored, they’ll likely fall off, leaving hens with misshapen combs or wattles.
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Don’t forget chicken self-care
Sunbathing and chicken dust baths are favorite pastimes for hens in the warmer months, but when given the opportunity, your flock will enjoy this indulgence during the winter. Dust baths will help keep your hens’ feathers in good condition, keeping them fit for the task of keeping them warm. Clear run covers allow warm sun to permeate through to your flock, creating spots of warmth without the brisk chill of the wind.
Omlet and your flock
Prepare your flock for the winter with our products, designed with you and your hens in mind. Our chicken coops, run covers, and smart automatic chicken coop doors make winter chicken-keeping a breeze — not a harsh, freezing gale. This winter, work smarter, not harder, when you choose Omlet’s chicken products to support you and your flock throughout the season.
This entry was posted in Chickens
If you have a chicken keeping loved one who’s notoriously difficult to buy for, something for their chickens will probably be very well received. Take a look at our gift guide below and find something for every budget.
Eglu Cube – For someone very close to you this is an amazing gift that will surely go down a treat on Christmas morning. Whether they’ve been wanting to start keeping chickens for as long as you can remember, or perhaps already have a wooden coop which they can often be heard complaining about; the Eglu Cube is the dream upgrade for any chicken keeper. Suitable for up to 6 medium-sized chickens, the Eglu Cube is super quick and easy to clean. The house features twin wall insulation to keep inside the coop warm in winter and cool in summer, and draft-free ventilation to keep fresh air moving through the coop without exposing your chickens to a cool breeze. The secure run is predator resistant and gives chickens a safe place to scratch about when they aren’t able to free-range, and can be accessorised with run covers, perches, hanging feeders and more! Choose from a purple or leaf green house, available from £549.
Do they already have a Cube? These accessories are a great addition to their coop.
The Automatic Chicken Coop Door makes life just that little bit easier, especially in winter, and will go down a treat with tech lovers! The door can be programmed to open and close automatically by a certain time of day, so that chicken keepers can relax in the knowledge that their chickens are roosting in the safety of their coop even if the owners are stuck at work. With the light setting the door can be set to open at dawn and close at dusk, so the humans can have a well deserved lie in while the chickens start their busy day. The Autodoor can also be fitted to any wooden coop or run so makes a great gift for any proud chicken owner.
As if that wasn’t flashy enough, you can now get the Autodoor with Omlet’s new Coop Light. The light comes on shortly before the door closes and encourages the chickens to return to the run or the coop. It is also useful for checking on the chickens at night, carrying out daily chicken keeping tasks after dark, or for those early morning egg runs!
Save when you buy the Autodoor & Coop Light bundle, was £162.99, now £154.99.
The Eglu wheels are a practical present for Omlet chicken keepers who want to easily move their Eglu around the garden. If they already have wheels, run handles can make it easier to grip the run for moving, especially during the colder temperatures.
Unfortunately the end of the year doesn’t mean the end of winter, and all chicken keepers will appreciate some covers to put on the run, in preparation for the rainy months ahead. Not only will covers keep the girls dry and out of the draft, they will also prevent the lawn from turning into a mud bath. Choose the heavy duty covers for ultimate protection from wet weather, the clear covers to allow for sunlight and shelter, or the Combi covers for the best of both worlds.
Little gifts for any chicken keeper
The Ultimate Hentertainment Bundle, made up of a 1m Chicken Perch, Poppy Peck Toy, Caddi Treat Holder and Chicken Swing, contains absolutely everything a new chicken keeper would need to keep their chickens from getting bored. This eggcellent hentertainment package is now only £49.95 (RRP £59.95) in our Christmas Star Buys!
The new Limited Edition Hivis Chicken Jacket, designed to look like a traditional Christmas Jumper, will ensure chickens are safe and seen when crossing the road this December, while keeping hens super cosy – perfect for the festive season.
Treats – Boredom busting treats are perfect stocking fillers for all chicken keepers. Our favourites include the Feldy Chicken Treat Balls, perfect for the Caddi Treat Holder, the Nature’s Grub Garlic, Herb and Vegetable Mix and the super cute Naturals Strawberry Hearts.
Egg skelter – For chicken keepers and keen bakers, this lovely kitchen eggcessory will go down a treat. As well as looking good, it is also incredibly practical and will help ensure eggs are used in date order! Shop the colour range here.
This entry was posted in Chickens
Caramel Quin and her children keep backyard hens in east London. This is their diary of introducing ex-battery hens to their older girl.
We started out with two hens and an Eglu Cube. A friend who had kept chickens for eight years needed her garden back and we’d been thinking about henkeeping, so she kindly passed them on to us. We named them Buffy and Britney (I make no apologies for brainwashing my tween kids to love late nineties pop culture).
That was just over a year ago. Buffy’s still going strong, Britney only lasted a few months. By then, we loved the girls and were already on the waiting list to collect ex-battery rescue hens from the British Hen Welfare Trust. We went as soon as possible: Buffy needed more chickens for company, or at least we did.
We drove to a nearby rehoming day and collected six birds, bringing them home in a couple of cardboard boxes. They looked sorry for themselves, skeletal, anaemic. Their crests were pale and floppy. The dog, shut inside the house, pressed himself against the glass door and salivated like a cartoon hungry dog, even though they didn’t have much meat on them. The hen with fewest feathers was nicknamed Necky and looked more dinosaur than bird. The boldest was nicknamed Dora the Explorer as she sought out every nook and cranny in the garden.
A garden! It was hard to imagine that these birds had never been outdoors before. Everything was new as they exhibited natural behaviours for the first time, like scratching and pecking at the soil for bugs. We let them explore while Buffy looked on from the chicken run. Then we swapped them and they ate while she was free range. Later we put them together in the run and watched excited as the first made it to the top of the ladder and found the Eglu.
On the first night, they didn’t all find their way upstairs to bed. A couple roosted under the Eglu Cube, so I went into the run and put them in by hand in the night. From then on, they knew where home was and made it into bed before the Autodoor closed to keep them warm and safe.
We gave them plenty of free range time. We also doubled up on feeders and drinkers, so nobody got bullied away from dinner. The hanging feeder proved best because all seven birds could get around it at once. I swapped layers pellets for smaller layers mash for a couple of weeks because the birds were used to smaller food when they were commercially laying.
On their second day we found eggs laid randomly all over the garden, cutest was the one in the hollow of a dust bath. But within a week they had all figured out where the nest box was. Having never had more than two eggs in a day, it was a thrill to get five or six (and on one remarkable day, seven). Ex-battery hens tend to be good layers, they were bred for it after all.
On day two, I remember them freaking out when it rained: they had never experienced these tiny water bullets from the sky. Then there was a brilliant moment when I threw a handful of cherry tomatoes into the run and they dived away as if I’d lobbed a grenade into the trenches.
Bullying wasn’t as bad as I’d feared though. Buffy was outnumbered 6:1 by the newly named Willow, Betty, Mercury, Dora, Chirpy da Hen and Mango Buckbeak. (Listed in order of the age of the family member who named them… youngest last, as you can tell.) We added coloured rings on their ankles early, before it was hard to tell them apart as their feathers grew back, though the feathers came in slowly because we adopted them in April. Apparently if you adopt in the winter they get feathers faster because they need them for warmth.
Chirpy and Mango were the least feathered and most picked on, sometimes bullied away from food, but we gave them plenty of free range time so the bigger ones got out in the garden while the smaller ones ate. Gradually the bullying pecks gave way to polite pecks between all the girls, preening each other after a dust bath and freeing new feathers from their protective sheaths.
Seven months on, we still have Buffy and four of the new girls. Willow and Mercury didn’t make it: one died suddenly the other was unwell for a few days first. But we’ve also nursed others back to health: my signature banana porridge is now famous for bringing ill chickens back from death’s door.*
The star of the show is Chirpy da Hen, who I swear will live longest. She might outlive me. She gave us a scare a few months ago with a backside protrusion of epic proportions. We cleaned and examined it and were convinced it was a tumour not just a prolapse. We separated her in a pet crate so her sore bum wouldn’t get pecked by the others. We fed her banana porridge and gave her painkillers. Over a week, her bad butt gradually improved until we could miraculously pop it back in again and reintegrate her with the others. She’s fine now. No, she’s more than fine. She’s badass.
BHWT is careful to manage expectations: the lifespan of ex-batts is hard to predict. Instead they say “your hen has at least experienced kindness outside of the commercial system which is more than she could have ever hoped for”. If you think pets are a good way for children to learn about mortality, try ex-battery hens. They’re fun, their eggs are yummy and it’s easy to feel positive about the good life you give them, no matter how long or short it is.
Ours have a great life with free range time every day. They eat well, even jump up to eat roses and fuchsias from the bushes and I don’t mind. The dog is used to them now and can go out at the same time without him acting like a cartoon hungry dog.
My luxury is upgrading to a Walk-in chicken run with rain cover, which is as much for me as it is for the birds. I got it mostly so I can muck out the run without kneeling down. It also gives the girls plenty of space and lets the children and guests visit them any time.
We’ve gone full circle as Buffy is going through her first hard moult, she’s half bald in cold weather, while the ex-batts are nearly fully feathered. Next year we’ll probably add more ex-batts to our brood. I guess we initially got them thinking of the eggs but now it’s more than that: they’re part of the family… who just happen to lay delicious eggs.
For more information on battery hens and maybe opening up your home to some check out the ‘British Hen Welfare Trust’ for upcoming rehoming dates.
*We recommend only feeding your chickens treats occasionally. Always make their food outside of your kitchen to avoid cross contamination of food.
This entry was posted in Chickens
The Eglu Go which we launched in September 2009 is the new version of the Eglu Classic MK 2 which was launched in 2005.
The Classic and the Eglu Go are made of the same secure weld mesh, are the same size and are both easy to clean.
With the Eglu Go:
Possibility of changing this into the Eglu Go Up;
Lighter Rear Panel which gives access to the inside;
Droppings tray, roosting bars and nest box all slide out.
With the Eglu Classic:
You can open the side eggport door and collect your eggs.
It is the only chicken house in the permanent collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum because of it’s cool design!
This entry was posted in Chickens
It is very difficult in the first instance to tell or diagnose when a chicken reaches maturity if it is going to have any internal issues a sometimes can be somewhat of a surprise to new chicken keepers when chickens fall ill, but judging from your conversation it seems that something is protruding from the vent area, which as you suspect is likely to be a prolapse, this is where the oviduct or egg laying tube has been pushed out of the body in an effort to lay an egg. It is vitally important to separate her from any other hens you might have as they will be attracted to the redness and peck at it causing your hen distress and serious injury.
To treat the prolapse, first wash the prolapsed area with warm water with some antiseptic in it. Dettol or Savlon will be perfect. You may see that there is an egg in the prolapse and you’ll need to carefully try to remove this without breaking it. If you do happen to break it, make sure that you remove any pieces of shell as they may lead to an abdominal infection. Once the prolapse is clean, tuck the hen under your arm with her head covered to keep her calm and gently push the prolapse back into the vent cavity with clean hands or wear clean rubber gloves or even use a clean wet cloth to help you push it back. Keep the hen in a darkened room or box to recover and allow the prolapse to settle back into her body. Many people recommend smearing honey onto the prolapse as this has antiseptic and healing properties. Applying haemorrhoid cream to the vent afterwards can also help. You will need to stop her laying for a while to stop the prolapse from just popping back out again so keep her off her layers meal for a couple of days and only give a very bland diet such as wheat (weetabix mixed with water or Growers Pellets) and if she’s kept in a darkened room for a few days, this will also stop her body from being stimulated into laying. She may need veterinary treatment if it keeps happening and if it does, I’m afraid that the prognosis isn’t good.
Making sure that she has a good intake of calcium may help as this strengthens the muscles in the oviduct and will help her to pass the egg. Limestone Flour mixed with her layers meal will help boost her calcium levels and you can get this from animal feed suppliers in the equestrian section, you add a heaped teaspoon of this to a feeder of pellets or mash a couple of times a week.
Also giving lots of leafy green vegetables can help with the absorption of calcium into the body so would be a good treat for her, cod liver oil given in moderation can also help with the absorption of calcium. If you give a a tablespoon of cod liver oil over a week, this may also help. Don’t overfeed your hen with other treats though as prolapses are more common in overweight hens.
Also have a look at this topic on our forum with advice from the BHWT – https://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=62511
This entry was posted in Chickens
How do I get my chickens to use The Chicken Swing?
Chickens being birds are a bit quirky. Nonetheless, they are extremely habitual and love a routine. It seems the older they get, the slower they are to take on new habits. They are pretty low on the food chain which makes it nice for us because their production rate is high – lots of eggs! However, this makes them cautious and wary of new things. It also makes them group or flock up. They prefer another bird to try new things first. They also remember things surprisingly well. Do you know they will always remember and bond with their hatch mates? They also remember things that scare them and things that reward them with food or pleasure. There are also basic instincts I call “Chicken Things”. One of them is roosting up high in trees. If they perch on moving narrow branches a lot of predators are unable to get them. A moving perch is natural to them.
So, with all that being said, how do we get chickens to get on The Chicken Swing?
Place the swing above the heads of the other fowl in your coop, if you can. You don’t want the swing spooking or hitting other birds (the light – weight design and smooth edges will not injure them.) They are quite able to jump up to four feet or more. A good starting point for full grown/ teenage chickens is twenty inches, or about your knee – height. If you have a small coop and cannot raise the swing that much, don’t worry. Swinging birds will not be able to get the big swing gliding motion or as hard of a kick off as with a full – height set up. But, they will still enjoy the gentler swinging movement of a smaller backyard coop set up. Other fowl will learn to stay clear. They tend to naturally stay out of the way of its movement.
Place The Chicken Swing™ free of obstructions as it swings. For a full swing installation, try to keep it about 18 – 24” away from walls or objects in the swing plane. Smaller coop set – ups have less swing so you can get away with having closer objects. Once they trust the swing, chickens grow more tolerant of kickoffs banging against the coop. (I think that is the goal for some of my hens.) If you have more than one Swing, be sure they can’t collide.
If you have a trusting hen, you can try placing her up on the swing and immediately rewarding her with meal worm treats. Once she is used to that, gently give the swing a pull to get it swinging. Give her a treat eachtime it swings toward you. Soon she will jump up on the swing and start swinging when she hears the bag shake. However, if you try to force her, this method can backfire on you. If the hen gets scared or feels forced, she will relate this to the swing and the other hens might follow her lead of fear. This will set you back. I recommend you do not try this with all your flock, but choose only a few, be very gentle, remain calm, and have rewards ready. Of my 30 hens, only 4 or 5 were taught using treats. Generally, if you get one swinging others will give it a try. I note that in my flock, hens that use the swing most often are not necessarily those trained using treats. Chickens tend to choose their own time. Some are very habitual while others are whimsical. Some are morning swingers. Some swing after their daily egg. Some hop on at odd times. Chickens are chickens, I guess.
One other thing you can use is youth. Young chickens have a lot more free time and are more willing to take risks. Introduce the Swing soon after bringing them home, or at least before they start laying. Not only is it an irresistible adventure for them, it is just too dang cute to watch them carry on and practice moves. I have had older chickens take up swinging. But results are quicker with younger fowl.
Start your chicks out swinging
Whether your chicks are bought from a hatchery or hatched in your coop, chicks will take naturally to The Chicken Swing™ in most cases. The design of our swing allows for chicks just days old to hop up and start trying it out. Its design is lightweight and will not injure them if they are bumped when a hatch mate or fowl of similar size is using it. You may set it up right in your brooder by using the “small coop installation” procedure. Hang the swing from the cross-member using some extra S-Hooks, or by re threading the rope. You can also use a broom stick or shower rod on top of your brooder box and install it similar to full swing method. Just lower the Cross-Member support knot (or untie it) and let the Cross-Member rest on the Side Tie Knot.
For the first few days, set the swing height about two inches above the floor. You may gently place the chick on the swing perch. If they jump off right away, that is just fine. Don’t try to force a chicken to swing. They will get on by themselves after your initial placement if you have been gentle. (No treat is needed with very young chicks.)
After they all seem to have gotten comfortable jumping up on it in this low stage, begin raising it bit by bit as they grow. It is amazing how high those little fluffs can jump! If you have different – sized chicks, you may set a stump or something similar under one side of the swing to help the smaller ones get on. Be prepared to spend way too much time watching them play!
A final point: my flock gets excited when they hear me coming. They stop doing whatever they were doing anticipating garden scraps or treats. This makes it hard to get photos of them swinging. I see them swinging the most when I look out the window out of sight. I had to stop fussing over them every time I went out there so they would just keep swinging when I wanted to take a picture or show them off to a friend. And remember peafowl and turkeys also enjoy The Chicken Swing™!
Fowl Play Products® hopes this information helps to get your backyard flock swinging. If you have older fowl, it might be tricky and take some time to get it going. The saying “Can’t teach an old dog new tricks” is sometimes true. In the end it is up to individual chickens. Not all fowl like to Swing, but we found a whole lot of them do. If you are unable to get your older Chickens to take up swinging, you may want to get a few chicks and introduce The Chicken Swing™ to them. Their example might set the mood for other fowl in your coop.
This entry was posted in Chickens
Wondering how to make a dust bath for your chickens? Most hens are perfectly content to dig up their own patch of earth to roll around and fluff their feathers in – but by making your own dust bath from chicken-safe ingredients, you’ll elevate your hens’ bathing from a metaphorical bucket of cold water, to a luxurious bubble (well, dust) bath.
Why do chickens need dust baths?
Dust baths are an important part of overall chicken health. Like humans, chickens bathe to get impurities off of themselves and to feel better in general. It may seem counterintuitive to roll in the dirt to get clean, but the right dust bathing spot can absorb moisture and oils on the skin, and can rid birds of mites and lice. Hens aren’t the only birds that enjoy a good roll in the dirt – many wild avian species can be observed taking dust baths.
Chickens will find a soft, dusty or sandy spot and scratch around in order to create a shallow well to plop down into. Once they’ve laid down, hens will wiggle back and forth while flapping their wings in a shoulder-shrugging motion. They will lay on each side and repeat the process until they are sufficiently coated in dust or sand. When they’re done, they’ll hop up and shake vigorously – just like a dog after a bath. After a quick feather preening they’ll be done and dusted (literally).
Bathing this way benefits chickens mentally as well as physically. Just like we may take a warm bath to unwind at the end of the day, dust bathing helps hens relax and feel better. Hens may also hit the dust when they feel like socializing – much like humans in a sauna or hot tub. You may notice hens taking a dust bath with 2 or 3 of their closest flock friends.
Making a dust bathing area for your chickens
Giving your hens a designated dust bathing spot will deter them from creating their own – potentially in your favorite flower bed or another less-than-desirable location. You can use cat litter pans, the tray from a small animal cage or the bottom part of an enclosed dog kennel. But, if you have larger hens or a large flock, they may need more space than these shallow basins have to offer.
Use your imagination to create a dust bathing spot for your hens. Here are some ideas for inspiration:
- An old tire
- Flexible storage tote
- Livestock feeding pans
- Plastic toddler pools
You can also create a permanent dust bathing area by digging out a shape in the ground and edging it with pavers or stones.
Dust bathing areas or containers should have an edge at least 12 inches above the “dust fill line” to avoid hens tossing all of the contents out during their vigorous cleaning sessions. Make sure that the edge is high enough to contain the dust, but also low enough to accommodate your smallest flock members.
Place your flock’s bathing area in a sunny spot. Chickens will seek out sunny areas to bathe in – especially during the winter months. Be sure to keep their bath in an area where it can stay dry. Wet dust bath contents will dry eventually if they get rained on – but depending on the amount it could take several days. Chickens will bathe daily, so try to keep it as dry as possible. A large, elevated chicken coop can provide the perfect spot underneath with just enough sunlight and protection from the rain.
5 things to add to a chicken dust bath
You can make your flock a nutrient-packing dust bath from simple ingredients – many of which you may already have at home.
1. Wood ash
One of the most beneficial ingredients to a good chicken dust bath is something you can find in your own home or backyard. Wood ash from fireplaces or outdoor fire pits are great additions to your hens’ bath. Ash contains vitamin K, calcium, and magnesium, and helps absorb toxins from the skin of chickens. You may see your hens eat some ash, which can also benefit them.
It’s important to only use wood ash if you’re sure of its source. Do not use any ash from treated wood or lumber, as it contains toxic chemicals that can harm your hens.
2. Food-grade Diatomaceous Earth (DE)
This all-natural, silica-rich powder is a powerful anti-parasitic both on your hens and around their coop. DE destroys the exoskeletons of parasites like red mites, lice, fleas, and ticks. In fact, DE can also be added to your hens’ diet for additional parasite prevention. In addition to your flock’s bath, sprinkle some DE around the edge of your chickens’ run and coop to keep pests at bay.
3. Sand
Sand makes a great base for dust baths, but be sure to get the right kind. There are many types of sand available, but steer clear of children’s play sand, as it’s usually treated with chemicals. Aim for a coarse variety like contractor’s or multipurpose sand. Don’t use fine sand on its own – if ingested, fine sand can lead to crop impaction in hens.
The main purpose of sand is to ensure that the rest of your chicken dust bath ingredients don’t clump together, and to add weight to the mixture. If you’re using fine sand, make sure to mix it thoroughly with soil.
4. Top soil or peat moss
If you don’t want to dig up your own dirt, a bag of top soil or peat moss can be used instead. Widely available and inexpensive, bags of top soil and peat moss offer the benefits of natural soil without the hassle of digging it up.
5. Dried herbs
If you’re a chicken keeper that also gardens, you’ll likely have herbs available to add to your hens’ dust bath. Herbs help attract hens to bathing spots in addition to being beneficial for their skin and immune systems. Some herbs to add to your flock’s dust bath include:
- Lavender
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Mint
- Oregano
- Sage
- Parsley
Don’t forget to save some herbs for your hens’ feed as well as their bath. All of these herbs help to support a healthy hen diet and lifestyle – both inside and out.
Maintaining your chickens’ dust bath
For dust-bath maintenance, simply clean out any droppings that find their way in and refill the contents of the bath when needed. Some hens may bathe multiple times a day, while others may bathe every other day. Depending on how heavy the dust bath usage is, you may want to keep an air-tight container of pre-mixed chicken dust bath for easy refills.
While chicken perches are flock favorites, be sure not to place your hens’ dust bathing area directly below their perching areas to avoid accumulation of droppings. If you have a walk in chicken run, cover the portion of the run that has the bathing area with clear weather protection covers both on the top and sides to prevent the contents from getting wet. This will allow for sunshine to warm their dust bath without the risk of it turning into mud.
Omlet and your hens’ health
Keeping chickens healthy and happy doesn’t have to be a chore. With thoughtfully designed chicken products like the Eglu Cube Chicken Coop, Walk In Chicken Run, and Weather Protection Covers, taking care of your chickens has never been easier. A homemade chicken dust bath is the perfect addition to these purposefully crafted products.
This entry was posted in Chickens
Finding eggs in the nest box is one of the joys of being a chicken keeper!
Most people decide to keep chickens because of the prospect of being supplied with fresh and delicious eggs! So when your hens don’t deliver the goods or stop laying completely, it can be worrying, baffling, and frustrating. There are several reasons to explain this behaviour, and fortunately, in many circumstances, this is no cause for concern. Here are the most common reasons as to why your chickens have stopped laying eggs:
The Age of Your Hens
When raising chickens, you’ll notice that they have a laying cycle, or how their age affects their egg production. Backyard hens typically live to around six to eight years old, but will only lay eggs for a certain number of these.
Many hens will not produce eggs until they are six months old and thereabouts, but the exact timing depends on the breed. Some breeds, such as Australorps, Golden Comets, and Leghorns, begin laying early, in fact as early as between 16 and 18 weeks. Some larger breeds such as Orpingtons, Plymouth Rocks, and Wyandottes, however, could have you waiting up to eight months for their first egg to appear!
Whilst egg production will gradually decrease every year, your hens will eventually stop laying eggs approximately around the six-year mark. Again, this is dependent on the breed and some hens can stop a lot earlier or later than this.
If you’re unsure of how old your chickens are, have a read of our previous blog: How to Tell the Age of a Chicken.
Time of the Year
Another complicating factor as to why your chickens have stopped or are not laying eggs anymore, is the time of year, which is the most common answer to the “why are my hens not laying?” question.
For most breeds, hens tend to stop producing eggs, or drastically reduce their output, in the colder months. This is due to the reduced daylight hours during the winter. When summer ends, there is of course less daylight, which triggers a hormonal response in hens. For egg production, hens typically need between 12-14 hours of daylight each day and 16 for optimum egg laying, which is why they can struggle over winter. Furthermore, hens that reach egg-laying maturity in the autumn or winter may not lay again until spring.
Moulting
Moulting is an annual (or sometimes biannual) occurrence, whereby chickens shed their old feathers and grow new ones. The process usually lasts between 1 and 2 months and whilst it can happen at any time of the year, in the UK, this is usually in late summer or the beginning of autumn.
When chickens moult, most hens will take ‘time off’ from laying eggs with their physical efforts now concentrated on growing new feathers. During this time, you should continue to provide your chickens with a healthy diet, along with adding a bit of extra protein to their diet and ensuring they have plenty of vitamins and minerals. You can also add some apple cider vinegar to their water to help with a healthy, glossy, new plumage.
Poor Nutrition
This underlines another important point – a nutritious diet is vital all year round. Whilst it’s a great idea to help get your chickens some extra nutrients whilst they’re moulting, it’s also important to provide them with what they need to keep healthy and laying eggs whatever time of year it is!
Put simply, if hens are malnourished, egg production will drop, with hens either laying fewer eggs or none at all. Whilst chickens naturally forage for food, to keep producing eggs, hens need a balanced diet of enough protein and carbohydrates. A steady supply of a good quality feed and access to grit will ensure that your chickens get everything they need.
You’ve Got a Broody Hen
Sometimes a chicken will decide to sit tight and wait for her egg to hatch. This is known as a broody hen, and while she’s broody, she’ll stop producing eggs. This is handy if you want to hatch chicks, as the hen will happily sit there for the three weeks it takes to hatch an egg. It’s less handy if you want her to produce more eggs, though!
A hen can either be left for three weeks, after which she will resume normal service. Alternatively, you can gently discourage her, should your hen be nesting in an unsuitable environment (or if you find yourself in dire need of eggs!). Breaking a broody hen can be difficult, but placing a bag of ice cubes or frozen peas underneath her can do the trick. Some chicken keepers also recommend placing the hen in a wire cage or dog crate with food and water for a few days. This can be a little uncomfortable but will usually break the brooding habit.
Chickens need plenty of room to roost in their coop
Sick Chickens Stop Laying Eggs
If your chicken stops laying eggs and you have ruled out that your hen is neither too young nor too old, not moulting, not brooding, and not hunkering down for a cold winter, then the reason for the drop in eggs could be illness. In particular, parasites such as lice, mites, fleas, and internal worms can be causing bodily stress, which has a significant impact on laying. For a bit more information on illness in chickens, check out our pages on chicken health for advice on diagnosing and – where possible – treating problems.
As well as illness being a cause of stress, it can also be brought on by other factors such as bullying, too much handling, injury, noisy children and pets in the garden, or a poor environment. Making sure the hens have a space where they can stay happy and healthy is vital. A setup such as the Eglu chicken coop and run, along with suitable perches, feeders and other essential accessories can help with this.
Something Else to Consider…
It’s also very possible that your hens are in fact laying eggs, but they’re going missing before you even have the chance to collect them! However, rest assured, the mystery behind ‘vanishing eggs’ can usually be explained with two main reasons.
The first of which is that free-ranging chickens often ‘go native’ and begin laying eggs in a spot in the undergrowth, rather than in the coop. You should check under shrubs, in long grass, and any secluded corner of your plot of land. If the AWOL laying has been going on for a long time, there may be a few eggs out there in the wilderness. Check their freshness by placing them in a bowl of water. If the eggs lie on their sides, they are fresh. If they are more upright (between 45 and 90 degrees), but still resting on the bottom of the bowl, they are not fresh, but still usable. Any that float have passed their sell-by date!
Eggs may also disappear if a hen acquires a taste for them. Egg-eating amongst chickens can be a sign of overcrowding or poor diet. Once she has acquired the taste, it can be difficult to stop a hen from eating eggs, and she may need isolating to stop her pecking at her neighbours’ eggs. The isolation may also induce slight stress, just enough to interrupt her own laying, which may, in turn, break the habit.
Normal Egg Service Resumed
Don’t worry – unless a hen is very old or very ill, her egg-laying should soon resume. Owners can aid the process by making sure they’re giving the birds everything they need. The key to a good egg supply is good food, a good space – and patience!
Backyard chickens produce tasty eggs!
This entry was posted in Chickens
We can learn a lot from chickens — they go to bed early, and know how to snuggle up together to get warm on a cold winter’s night, ready to seize the next day when the sun comes up. But, once we’re down for our long winter’s nap, it’s hard for humans to rise and shine when it means having to trudge out to the coop in the cold. Discover how the Smart Autodoor makes winter easier for you and your chickens when you employ this chicken-life changing piece of technology to be your personal coop concierge.
A Smart Autodoor for any coop
The Smart Autodoor is the perfect solution for all chicken keepers. It attaches to any chicken coop or run, and can be controlled via the control panel or through a mobile app. When connected to WiFi, the Smart Autodoor can be customized, opened, closed, and updated anytime, from anywhere in the world.
Like many ingenious inventions — think wind-up radios, compasses, or steam engines — Omlet’s Smart Autodoor is simple, but effective. This hands-free device has several customizable settings, making it perfect for any schedule, be it human or chicken.
The Smart Autdoor’s open and close schedules can be based on the sun or the clock. The daylight setting adheres to a schedule based on how much daylight is available, keeping your flock in their routine even when the time changes in preparation for winter. If you prefer to have more control over your coop, the time setting can be programmed to open and close the coop door at the times of your choosing. The manual setting enables you to open and close the door at the push of a button on the app or control panel, or by speaking a request to your Alexa or Google Home device.
Attaching the Smart Autodoor
The Smart Autodoor was made to be the perfect companion to our larger chicken coops. If your flock already lives in an Eglu Cube or Eglu Pro, installation is quick and simple. But, fitting the Smart Autodoor to traditional chicken wire, Omlet’s chicken run wire, or wooden chicken coops is also simple thanks to the corresponding attachment kits.
Once installed, the control panel is powered with batteries or through the direct wire connection. The integrated light censors of the control panel are intuitive, ensuring that passing headlights or sudden cloud coverage doesn’t trigger the Smart Autodoor to open or close when using the daylight setting. Positioning your control panel on the side of the coop with a mounting bracket will allow constant access to ambient lighting.
The optional coop light helps your hens head to bed on time. By installing the light around the roosting area of your coop, your flock will have a night light to beckon them to bed. The coop light will come on 5 minutes before the Smart Autodoor closes by default, but this time can be adjusted through the app to accommodate hens that may tend to stay out past their roost-time.
Why is the Smart Autodoor better in the winter?
Aside from the warmer mornings in bed, or sparing yourself a chilly trek to the coop with a few taps on your mobile device, the Smart Autodoor offers practical benefits for your flock in the winter. The seal of the Smart Autodoor further insulates our chicken coops by maintaining a draft-free environment. And, the control panel and Smart Autodoor mechanism has been tested and proven to perform in temperatures below 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
The horizontally-opening mechanism of the Smart Autodoor is strong, designed to reliably perform in all weather conditions and to protect against predators. Instead of a string and pulley system, the components of the Smart Autodoor are nearly impossible for predators to pry open. But even with its strength, our automatic coop door has a delicate door sensor that ensures that no part of a hen is closed in the door. If the sensors detect an obstruction, the door will stop and reverse its path, and will try again after a few minutes.
Between holiday travels and the fluctuating daylight hours, keeping your flock safe and on schedule has never been easier. Like a true coop concierge, the Smart Autodoor eliminates the need for you to brave the cold outside of your cozy bed to let your flock out of their coop, or venture out in the freezing temperatures to close your hens in their house for the night.
Omlet and your flock
We’re here to make winter a more enjoyable experience for you and your flock. From our Smart Autodoor to our insulated chicken coops and chicken coop and run weather protection, we have everything you need to keep your chickens safe, warm, and covered throughout the entire season. Enjoy the warmer hours of the day with your flock, while our ingenious products take care of them during the cold. So snuggle up with your loved ones this winter, knowing Omlet is helping your flock do the same in their setup.
This entry was posted in Chickens
Save 31% on Omlet Chicken Perches this Halloween!
Calling all wicked Witches! We know October has been a very busy month for you all, which is why we are offering 31% off when you upgrade your witch’s broomstick this Halloween, to the Omlet Chicken Perch. This spooktacular offer will fly past, so don’t miss out!
Use discount code WITCHES until midnight on the 31st of October!
Give your chickens a brilliant new way to play in their chicken run with Omlet’s Chicken Perch, available in 2 lengths to suit your flock. The naturally weather resistant perch not only features an innovative bracket design – allowing it to be placed anywhere on any chicken run – but is also suitable for use by all breeds of chicken, making it the new must-have DIY chicken coop accessory!
Upgrade your chicken’s playtime with this fun accessory, and use code WITCHES to save 31% until midnight tomorrow.
Terms and conditions
This promotion is only valid from 30/10/19 – midnight on 31/10/19. Use code WITCHES to claim 31% off Chicken Perches. This offer is available on the Omlet Chicken Perch 1 metre and 2 metre only. Subject to availability. Omlet ltd. reserves the right to withdraw the offer at any point. Offer cannot be used on delivery, existing discounts or in conjunction with any other offer.
This entry was posted in Chickens
Cold weather can be a worry for chicken keepers but there are ways to prepare your chicken coop for winter. Preparations such as:
- Moving you coop closer to your house
- Upgrading to a plastic coop
- Installing an automatic chicken coop door
- Adding a chicken run cover
- Adding an extreme temperature jacket
Get your chickens’ coop ready for the colder months and you will be able to and rest easy knowing that your girls are warm and healthy throughout winter. Take a look at some of our top tips for getting your chicken coop winter-ready.
Move Your Coop Closer to the House
Moving your chicken coop closer to the house is a simple step for making it easier for you to look after your girls and give them their daily health checks, which are even more important in the colder months. Choose a lightweight coop with wheels, like the Eglu, to make it even easier to move it around your garden.
Upgrade Your Wooden Coop to a plastic chicken coop
Upgrading your wooden chicken coop to a plastic coop has many benefits. The main benefit of a plastic Eglu Cube Chicken Coop for chicken keepers in winter is the twin wall insulation found in the design of the plastic house. This works in a similar way to double glazing, by creating a barrier between the cold air outside the coop, and the air in side. The air between the two walls conducts poorly, which means inside the house stays at a consistent and warm temperature throughout winter, whatever the weather is doing outside. Chickens are very efficient at keeping themselves warm, all you will need to do is make sure the coop door is shut at night time.
Install an automatic chicken coop door
Installing an Automatic Chicken Coop Door is a convenient solution for plastic or wooden chicken coops allowing you to shut your chicken coop’s door at dusk even if you are not yet home.
You can set the Autodoor to close at a specific time or light percentage to suit when all your girls have gone up to bed and the sun has set. The Autodoor runs off batteries and has been tested to work down to -10 degrees celcius so there is no worry, however cold it gets outside!
The other benefit to the Autodoor is that it will open again at dawn so you can head off to work early before the sun rises and your girls need to be let out, or you can stay in bed for even longer at the weekends without going out in the freezing cold to let your chickens out of their coop!
The NEW Coop Light also makes it easier for you to check on your girls and carry out daily chicken keeping duties if you don’t get home until after dark. This plugs directly into your Autodoor control panel, and can even be programmed to automatically turn on 5 minutes before your Autodoor closes to encourage your chickens up to the coop.
“The nights are drawing in and I couldn’t be happier knowing that my girls are safely tucked up in bed with their Omlet Autodoor closed behind them. The Autodoor has given me peace of mind, flexibility and a well needed lie in! Couldn’t recommend it enough!” – Hayley’s Lottie Haven
Add a chicken run cover
Chickens are very good at coping in cold temperatures, but don’t like getting wet, adding a run cover allows them to be protected from the elements when outside in their run. Covers are available in a variety of sizes to suit your run length, the clear run covers protect your girls from wind and rain so they can continue to play whatever the weather, whilst still allowing light into the run.
Add an extreme temperature jacket
When the temperature drops below freezing for multiple days in a row during the very depths of winter, it might be wise to give your chickens extra warmth with an extreme temperature jacket. Filled with a heat trapping recycled material that is breathable, the jackets keep your pets warm and protected from the worst that the weather can throw at them. Preparing your chicken coop for the winter will definitely benefit poorly or older chickens.
Provide Hentertainment
Prevent chickens getting bored when rain stops play with a variety of fun and interactive toys that can keep them entertained in all weathers. The Chicken Perch provides an easy outdoor perch which can be installed in their run (and protected by the run covers) for when your chickens can’t perch in their usual spots around your garden. The Chicken Swing provides hours of fun and again, can be easily installed in any run. While the Peck Toys and Caddi Treat Holder offer enriching entertainment as well as a rewarding flow of treats.
Water Heaters & Chicken Treats
Prevent your chickens’ water from freezing with a water heater to ensure they have access to flowing water at all times. It is also recommended to provide extra layers pellets and treats during winter, as chickens will need more energy to keep themselves warm and lay their eggs in the colder months.
This entry was posted in Chickens
No one wants rats hanging around — much less around areas that you frequent. One of the most common questions we receive from people who are thinking about getting chickens is: will keeping chickens attract rats? The short answer is most likely, yes. But thankfully there are several things you can do to prevent unwanted visitors in the form of rodents – here’s our best tips on how to keep rats away from your chickens.
Risks that rats pose
You don’t have to have musophobia (the fear of mice and rats) to want to avoid seeing them. Wild rats aren’t a fun surprise to happen upon anywhere, but especially not when they can wreak havoc on your flock and their belongings. In addition to being generally unappealing and startling for both you and your flock, rats can:
- Carry diseases
- Gnaw their way through wood and plastic
- Raid nesting boxes for eggs
Rats will even go after young chicks for an easy meal. But, it’s important to note that rats aren’t attracted to your chickens — it’s their feed they’re really after. With this is in mind, here’s how to prevent attracting the attention of these ravenous rodents.
Store and dispense feed properly
Keeping your flock’s feed in airtight containers is the first step in preventing rats. Rats are clever and have an excellent sense of smell, so it’s vital that any feed containers have a good seal and made from thick material. They’re also patient and can learn routines quickly, so if you have rats that monitor your daily activity with your flock, they may learn where the feed is stored. Metal containers prevent rats from gnawing through to the feed they may have observed being stored there.
When you feed your chickens, make sure that your chicken feeders are elevated and deep enough that your hens don’t make a mess when they eat. Feeders with leftover food should be removed from the run each night to prevent opportunistic midnight snackers. Sweep or scoop up any dropped feed from the run floor, and store feeders in airtight containers.
Take care with treats
When you treat your chickens with scratch or other offerings, only toss what you’re confident they will eat by sundown. To avoid waste, feed scratch grains in chicken peck toys, and kitchen scraps in a Caddi Chicken Treat Holder. These can be removed easily at the end of the day, and help keep food from being scratched into the ground. Plus, eating treats this way provides an interesting and engaging angle for snack time that your hens will appreciate.
Collect eggs daily
Eggs are a tempting meal for rats, and if they aren’t collected regularly, they can draw rodents in. To prevent piquing rats’ interest, you’ll need to collect eggs every day. This is a good practice to maintain for several reasons, but if you’re worried about rats it’s a necessity. If for some reason you can’t collect eggs for the day, outfit your chicken coop with an automatic chicken coop door that will close at night when rats are the most active.
Employ deterrents
There are a few other things you can do to keep rats away from your chickens. Along with collecting their feed and eggs daily, you can take external measures to deter rodents. From other animals to 90s nostalgia, here are some recommendations for keeping rats at bay:
- Keep an outdoor cat around your chickens’ set up
- Hang reflective tape or CDs from strings around the run to catch the light and deter rats and other predators
- Wrap ¼ inch hardware cloth around the bottom of your chickens’ run, and bury it a couple of inches below the ground
- Set motion lights at ground level to be triggered by overnight rat raids
What not to do
When trying to avoid rats in the chicken run, there are a few things to avoid. Some of these measures can pose a risk to your flock, so be sure to never use these around your hens:
- Rat poison
- Sprays meant to deter rodents
- Mouse or rat traps (even humane traps)
Electric fencing can be placed around the perimeter of your chickens’ area to deter rats and other predators, but extreme caution should be exercised so that your chickens, other pets, or children don’t come into contact with it.
Omlet and your flock
Keeping chickens doesn’t have to come along with the potential for rodents. By keeping your flock in a strong hen house with an Autodoor, you’ll prevent rats from being tempted to infiltrate their coop. And, by serving treats in elevated chicken treat holders, you’ll reduce waste in the run for rats to feast on later. With these measures in place, you can enjoy tending to your flock without fear of rodents laying in wait.
This entry was posted in Chickens
So, you’ve decided keeping chickens is a good fit for your lifestyle, but have you decided on what kind of chickens to keep? Chickens come in a variety of sizes and colours, with different breeds offering unique traits. Dive into the world of chickens, and discover how to choose the right chickens for you.
Which chickens are best for me?
Different breeds of chickens offer different advantages, so choosing the right chickens for you depends largely on your family and lifestyle, along with your climate and amount of space available. There’s not a one-size-fits-all option, but many types of chickens can be kept by anyone just about anywhere. And, no matter which type of chickens you choose, remember that all flocks need a weather-proof chicken coop and a space to call their own – whether it be in a chicken run, chicken fencing, or safe area to free-range.
Best breeds for children
Some breeds of chickens are known for their sweet and docile dispositions, which make them a favourite among children. Each chicken’s personality isn’t guaranteed no matter their breed, but some are known to be easier to tame and handle than others. Here are the most common chicken breeds for children:
Best breeds for small spaces
Size may be of concern for some people, but some chickens are found in miniature form. The breeds listed are “true bantams”, meaning they don’t have a full-size counterpart, but some full-size breeds have bantam versions. These compact breeds are perfect for smaller spaces, but still have big personalities to share with their keepers:
Best breeds for free-ranging
Some chickens are more voracious foragers than others. These breeds can do well in a large chicken run, but they need plenty of space to satisfy their wanderlust. They’re also large and nimble enough to evade several chicken predators, making these a good choice for open spaces:
Best breeds for egg production
Good egg laying breeds can produce upwards of 250 eggs per year. These breeds are known to produce eggs year round, and well into their older years. If you’re looking to supply your family with fresh eggs, look no further than these egg-laying superstars:
Best breeds for egg colour
All hens lay eggs, but some can diversify your egg basket in beautiful ways. White and brown eggs are still beautiful, but if you’re looking for pops of colour, you may be interested in adding a breed that lays pigmented eggs. From blue and green, to shades of cream and pink, here are the breeds that lay colourful eggs.
Blue eggs:
Green eggs:
- Easter Egger
- Favaucana
- Swedish Isbar
- Olive Egger (Maran/Ameraucana crosses)
- Whiting True Green
Cream or pink eggs
Brown eggs:
White eggs:
Best breeds for warm climates
Not all chickens can withstand the heat. In fact, most breeds fare better in the cold than in the heat, but some have natural traits that help them cope with scorching summers better than others. Large combs and light body weights are characteristics that help hens in the hot weather, which are standard features in these breeds:
Best breeds for cold climates
Most chickens fare just fine in the cold, but just as some breeds are better equipped to handle the heat, some are more cold-hardy. Small combs aren’t as subject to frostbite, heavier builds add insulation, and feathered legs offer extra protection from the cold air. These are some breeds that are built for the cold:
Chickens that require a little extra care
Generally speaking, chickens are easy to take care of. They won’t overeat, so their feed can be left out at all times, and as long as they have access to fresh water, they’ll slake their thirst when the need arises. But some breeds may require a little extra attention than others.
Ornamental chickens have feathers that can get muddy or caked in debris. These breeds include:
The feathering of these breeds can also make them more susceptible to extreme temperatures, which is especially true for Frizzles and Silkies. This is because their fluffy feathers don’t help them regulate their body temperature as well as their sleek-feathered friends. If you live in a climate that experiences extreme temperatures, or if your property has a tendency to get extremely muddy, you might want to consider other breeds.
Omlet and your chickens
No matter which chickens you choose, they’ll be fortunate to have an owner that puts in the research to give them the best possible home. By housing your hens in safe chicken coops, spacious chicken runs, and providing them with one-of-a-kind chicken toys and accessories, you’ll be your flock’s favourite person. By providing for their basic needs, and then some, you’ll build a bond with your birds that will span a lifetime.
This entry was posted in Chickens
Ever heard the expression ‘cooped up’? It means being stuck indoors with nothing to do, resulting in frustration and boredom. We tend to lock hens in a chicken coop, and that’s where the saying comes from.
A hen kept in a shed with nothing to do will soon start to show all the signs of boredom, just like a human. She may start pecking at her neighbours, or plucking out her own feathers. If blood is drawn, the other hens will often join in the beak-attack, and hens can actually be killed in a frustrated frenzy of pecking.
With nothing better to peck and scratch at, chickens may also start to eat their own and other hens’ eggs. Once a chicken becomes an egg-eater, it’s very hard to make her kick the habit.
Bored birds will also tend to sit in the egg box all day, and may become weak through lack of exercise. Boredom also causes stress, and stress can bring egg production to a temporary halt.
Bidding Bye-Bye to Bantam Boredom
As usual, prevention is the best cure, and there are many ways of stopping boredom from becoming a problem in the chicken run. The general rule is simple enough – don’t keep hens cooped up!
- Room to Roam – Give your chickens as much outdoor space as possible. If they have a garden or meadow to peck and scratch in, that’s ideal. You don’t have to worry about rounding the birds up in the evening – as soon as the sun dips in the west, hens instinctively head for the safety and security of the coop. All you have to do is close the door behind them.
- Weather the Storm – A day spent indoors is a day of boredom for a chicken. They should only be confined to the coop if the weather is particularly bad. A bit of rain, snow and wind will not harm them, no matter how unpleasantly muddy the run may look to you.
- Fowl Play – Chickens need stimulation, like most animals. Provide plenty of perches for roosting and resting, along with ladders, and a few pots, tree stumps or ornaments of different heights for them to clamber on and off. Many hens enjoy a chicken swing, too, as if they were parrots in a previous life.
- Treats to Eat – Concealing a few tasty treats in the undergrowth or on ledges is a great way to keep hens entertained. Pack tasty titbits into a wicker ball, place it on the ground, and watch your hens enjoy a game of football as they eat. Alternatively, hang greens or a veg-filled Caddi just out of reach, so that the birds have to jump to get a beakful. Shop-bought or homemade suet-and-seed pecking blocks keep them coming back for more, too. The treats should not be overdone, though, as healthy diet is an essential part of good chicken care.
- Making Hay – A pile of hay, straw, leaves or garden compost will give your hens something to scratch and rummage through, and they will find probably a few tasty worms and beetles to eat during the fun. Piles of vegetation will be levelled in no time at all – chickens remove piles, you could say!
- Novelty Value – Chickens will be fascinated by anything new in their runs, even something as simple as a box or tray of straw, or an old brush. They are also fascinated by their own reflections, so an old mirror can be a good distraction. An old alarm clock or large watch with a reflective glass surface and a loud tick will intrigue them, too.
- Dust to Dust – A dust bath goes down a treat at any time of year, not just in the hot summer months. If the weather is wet, you could provide a dry earth bath in a sheltered part of the run or coop.
- Quality Time – Don’t underestimate the importance of interaction with your hens. Once they come to trust you they will relish your company, like any other friendly pet. Admittedly this can sometimes get a little out of hand, when hens start to flap onto the garden table to see what you’re eating, drinking or reading!
Boredom really doesn’t have to be a problem in the chicken run. As long as your hens can satisfy their strong scratching and perching instincts, and have a little fun along the way, they will remain healthy and happy.
This entry was posted in Chickens
Most flocks of chickens have a routine that their keepers can expect each day. Morning rise and shine, maybe a quick breakfast and romp around the yard, and back to the coop to lay eggs in the nesting box. But what happens when you suddenly don’t find eggs in the nesting box around or after their usual time? Or worse – several days go by with fewer eggs where they should be? There are many reasons why chickens hide their eggs, but we’ll show you how to stop them from doing it.
Why do chickens hide their eggs?
There may be an obvious reason your hens are hiding their eggs, or it may be a combination of external factors. Usually, it’s a problem with the chickens’ nesting box. If conditions are not favourable, hens will seek out alternative locations that may make them feel more comfortable – leading you on an egg hunt each day. Here are the most common qualms hens have about their nesting areas that may cause your chickens to hide their eggs.
Short on space
Each flock is different, but the safest nesting box-to-hen ratio is 1:4. Some hens may be happy to share the same nesting space as 6 or 7 other chickens though, so keep an eye on your numbers. If you notice your hens avoiding the nesting area shortly after adding new flockmates to the mix, it’s probably time for an additional nesting box.
Feeling vulnerable
Nesting areas should be quiet, secluded, and comfortable. If there’s too much commotion around the coop, your hens are more likely to go off in search of a more private area to deposit their eggs. Elevated coops with secluded nesting areas are ideal for making hens feel safe and at ease.
Unfavorable bedding
Bedding that hens can manipulate into a nest shape is a favourite among flocks. Thin straw, shavings, or wood fibre make great nesting box bedding. Hens will shift the bedding around to make a doughnut shape to keep a clutch of eggs safely contained. Stiff substrates like rubber pads, thick straw with little to give to it, or artificial turf are not ideal for creating a welcoming nesting area.
Broody hens
If you have a broody hen in the coop, it’s likely to affect all of your layers. A broody hen will fiercely protect their nesting area and the eggs they’re sitting on, which will deter any other chickens from laying there. And, if a broody hen is occupying the sole nesting box for the flock, other hens will be forced to seek alternative options. Breaking a broody hen is essential to getting the entire flock back into their regular routine.
New layers
Pullets (young hens under a year old) that are new to laying might not catch on right away that the nesting box is where they should lay their eggs. It’s not uncommon for young hens to lay their first few eggs in random locations – in fact, the urge to lay an egg might sneak up on a pullet so quickly that they’ll simply lay an egg wherever they are and continue on with whatever they were doing.
Mites
They may not be visible to the naked eye, but if all of the other conditions are right and your hens are still avoiding the nesting box, it may be due to mites. Mites irritate chickens that come into contact with them, causing intense itching and discomfort. Make sure that your nesting boxes are made of materials that are not favourable to mites and can be cleaned thoroughly. Plastic chicken coops and nesting boxes are the easiest to thoroughly clean, and do a great job of preventing mites in the first place.
Ways to get your hens laying in their nest box
Once you’ve identified and corrected any issues with the nesting box, it’s time to redirect your hens back to their designated laying area. You’ll need to seek out where they’ve been laying their eggs in the meantime. Under the chicken coop, in or under other structures like barns or sheds, between hay bales, and in areas with thick grass or bushes are common places hens will use as alternative nesting spots. If your flock free ranges, you’ll want to keep them inside of their run for a few days to reacquaint them with their new and recently improved nesting box.
Clean the nesting area out at least once a week
Keeping the nesting area clean will help encourage hens to continue laying eggs there. If you have an Omlet chicken coop, simply slide out the droppings tray and pressure wash or wipe it clean, and refresh the bedding for a clean coop in seconds. However, it’s not normal to find droppings in the nesting area itself unless hens are roosting there overnight. If you find droppings in the nesting box regularly, it’s time to add more roosting space.
Decoy eggs
Wooden or rubber eggs can be placed in the nesting box for pullets to get an idea of where to lay their eggs. It can also serve as a reminder to more seasoned hens that the nesting box is where eggs should be laid. You can also place a fresh egg that your flock previously laid in the nesting box to serve as a decoy. Be sure to only use one decoy egg, as a full nest can serve as a deterrent to hens rather than motivation.
Collect eggs regularly
While fresh eggs can be left in the coop for several days and still be edible, it’s good practice to collect eggs every day or two, depending on your flock’s laying frequency. Too many eggs lead to a crowded nesting area, which can deter hens from laying there. Gathering eggs regularly helps reduce the chance of them getting stepped on and broken by other chickens, decreases interest from predators, and ensures optimum freshness.
Your hens and Omlet
Keeping your hens on task with their nesting routine doesn’t have to be difficult. With our large, innovative Eglu Cube Chicken Coop, your flock will have plenty of room to roost without encroaching on the nesting area, an elevated station to feel more protected, and privacy while laying thanks to a dividing partition. Our chicken products foster the natural urges and patterns that drive hens to lay their eggs – taking all the guesswork out of keeping your flock healthy and happy.
This entry was posted in Chickens
Read this account from a British Hen Welfare Trust volunteer and Omlet customer who recently rescued two ex battery hens. If you want to volunteer or rehome hens, please visit the BHWT website.
As I watched my flock potter about in my garden leading the blissful life and giving me so much in return, from their glorious eggs to laughter at their non-stop antics, I knew I wanted to give back something to these wonderful creatures.
That evening I registered my interest at the British Hen Welfare Trust to become a volunteer. I’d heard stories and seen posts online about ex-battery hens but I don’t think I really had any idea what I was going to face, and the life I was about to see thousands of beautiful ladies live day in and day out.
Picking up my new hens
Volunteer day saw an early rise at 6:30am to get to the farm. The first sight I had was a row of massive windowless barns and I could hear the faint whisper of thousands of voices inside.
I rallied off with the other volunteers who were already carrying out bewildered little faces and loading them into the crates that would be taking them onto their forever homes, where they would finally be loved and get a name.
Upon entering the reality was far worse than I could’ve imagined. So many cramped bald fragile bodies lined in cages five high, as far as the eye could see. Dust and ammonia filled the air, andall I wanted was to get them all out from the dark, away from the bare wires cages as quickly as I could.
Working with other like-minded volunteers was an inspiration, everyone worked so hard. I knew I had to be strong so that I could get some of the girls out of there; that day we got two thousand out of their prisons, all who’d seen nothing but that life for 18 months. At this young age their bodies are nutritional depleted causing them to no long produce eggs to the standard or frequency the industry wants, therefore they are not deemed commercially viable. The harsh reality is that they are then sent for slaughter. Yes, the sad truth is we had to leave some girls behind and really we only make a small drop in the ocean but for those few that do go on to a loving family its means the world.
I personally carried out my two hens, and they happened to be two of the baldest of the lot. One girl, who I called Tess, only had a few feathers on her entire body. I cuddled her in my arms as we drove home, where she shut her little eyes after such a long day realising she could now finally rest.
First few days at home
Once I got Tess and Gloria (named after the song ‘I will survive’) home I let them settle in the cat carrier until the evening with some food and water. They were terrified of me as the only human touch they’d ever previously had was never filled with love.
Even though I have a large walk in run for my flock I knew the girls needed to adjust to every day life at their own pace. They’d never even seen daylight before, instead having 20 hours of artificial light and four hours of darkness to get them to lay as many eggs as possible.
I treated them to their own luxury apartment with a view – a lovely new Eglu Go UP with a 2 meter run and wheels so I could easily move it around the garden and they could snack on as much fresh grass as they wanted. The Eglu is so easy to clean, and another main factor was to keep the dreaded red mite at bay as I did not want anything hindering my precious girls recovery whilst so weak. Looks trendy in the garden too.
Later that evening I gently placed them into the Eglu coop with the door closed so that they could get used to it and get a good night’s sleep. It’s important to allow them time to imprint on their sleeping area, as this will encourage them to go to bed at night on their own.
In the morning I let them out and even though not the most gracious of the descents both came out to explore and dive straight into the Glug and Grub containers. And so began my bonding, greatly helped by their appetite for yummy grapes.
I think my favourite sight in the first few days was them laying in the sun completely at ease and finally acting out natural behaviours like having a dust bath.
They both adapted better each day and I marvel at their ability to take on new situations. It took a little while to understand the concept of a ladder, more so due to the fact they had to build up the strength in their fragile legs, but now that they understand night and day they run up and I find them both snuggled in the coop before lock up when I say sleep tight.
Getting better
Now six weeks on in their freedom journey they are flourishing. They have massive personalities which continue to shine each day: Tess is bold and Gloria is cheeky. Both are growing lots of feathers each day and they fill my heart with such love that I know they feel back.
As I write this both are running around enjoying summer with my other girls in the garden, casually going back to their Eglu run for a bite to eat and a drink before stepping out and having more adventures, because they know thats their forever home.
I want to thank Omlet for giving my girls such an amazing coop to grow old in and enjoy retirement – they love it!
For more information on battery hens and maybe opening up your home to some check out the ‘British Hen Welfare Trust’ for upcoming rehoming dates.
This entry was posted in Chickens
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