scared little bantams

[karminski]

this morning i have layed the membrane down in thier section of the run ready for the tree surgeon to drop of the wood chips tuesday and omg are they scared senseless of this stuff they wont tred on it even to get some corn but one did brave it and the others stood there as if to say i aint walking on that thier faces was a picture , well its put up with that tell tuesday or have thier feet washed everyday to keep the mud balls down and they dont like that being done .

 

[Sue]

They just don't like anything new! They'll be fine in a day or so!

 

[Marigold]

They will love it once the clean woodchip goes down, and meanwhile it's a lovely clean, dry surface for them. i've got membrane under my rubber chippings and it's a real godsend at keeping the mud out of the chippings, but you must be very careful to fasten it down well all round the edges, tuck in a big overlap at the cut ends, and pay attention to where the lengths overlap along the length of the run. Otherwise they will get in there and peck at the edges and produce long black strands of frayed membrane, not good for them! Bits of broken paving slab are good, but I've mainly used metal tent pegs, especially along the length of the overlap, to avoid tripping over hidden bits of slab.

Try sprinkling some treats over the membrane - i bet that will change their little minds about it!

 

[VALBURNHAM]

mine were the same when I put Aubiose down in their covered run they would not come out of he house for ages. Now they love it digging around and dust bathing in it. I think they just dont like new things.

 

[karminski]

i have pegged it down well and used slabs in some areas to hold it down so it wont blew up ethier , when i went back in i sprinkled some pellets down and that didnt work :lol: this extension is built onto the main run but before it was built i put the L shaped wire out about 2 foot which has railway sleepers on top to stop the foxes digging in and then i put a mini 7 inch high border long those as i did once have raised beds there but i never took this down and one of the little b's was trying her hardest to lean of this wood without falling onto the membrane it really was funny to watch but they have to touch it at some point or esle they will go hungry as there feeder is on the other side :lol: i cant wait for the chips to go down they will love it and no more lumpy muddy feet to deal with .

 

[bantiekeeper]

I sometimes top up the woodchip with a scattering of aubiose while they are out free ranging. When they return to the run they always hesitate for a few moments before venturing in! :roll:

 

[tygrysek75]

Do you remember my tread about RIR not wanting to perch?One day insted wood shawings I had put newspapers down and non of my chickens steped on it either and that day my RIR learn to perch without any problems,ha,ha,ha.In the morning they all flew out of the cop without even tauching the floor,ha,ha,ha.
I had also read that when snow fell they acting exackly the same-they hate any change :lol:

 

[karminski]

they had to touch it this anfternoon think hunger got the better of them :lol: :lol: but they are disgusted with me i know it .

i put paper in my coop not that long ago as i had run out of shavings and all hell broke lose you would think it was going to bite thier heads of or something :?