Author Topic: moving and Mowing around a hen house/run (Read 3775 times)

southernskye · « **on:** August 10, 2012, 08:09:19 pm »

Evening,

I have never found a written answer to the following so, I thought what better place to as than here?
Scenario-to-be: A number of hens in a large, but mobile, enclosed run (including hen house) that will be sited on the croft-land behind my house. The land around will need to be maintained, mowed. Would not a petrol mower/tractor and topper frighten the living daylights out of the hens?
How do others maintain grassland around the hens home?

Secondly, said accommodation would be moved at intervals to give a fresh area for the hens and allow the previous site to be rested. How does one go about this? The run would be carried by two people and the hen-house also (or simply attached to the front-loader and moved). But what about the hens? They need be caught and caged and moved into the house and run once it is re-sited?

I will, at this time, offer a big S O R R Y for all the odd questions which will be generated by this laptop, web connection and I over the forthcoming months

.

Sskye

Moleskins · « **Reply #1 on:** August 10, 2012, 08:20:13 pm »

We picked up 5 hens on Sunday, today is Friday and I mowed the back lawn with the petrol mower today.
Didn't seem to bother them.

Womble · « **Reply #2 on:** August 10, 2012, 08:54:08 pm »

The mower won't bother them. Actually, your biggest problem might be that they get too close for your comfort!

As for getting them back into the 'new' run, just leave off feeding them before you move it, then throw their favourite treat down in the new run, leaving the door open until they're all inside. Simples!

Mammyshaz · « **Reply #3 on:** August 10, 2012, 08:58:55 pm »

Our hens stayed around the coop the first couple of times of restarting mowing in spring, but accustomed to the noise pretty quickly and now run along the run just in case there is a treat for them as we pass.

I would worry more about freerangers getting too close if they are as tame as ours

Sorry cannot help with how best to move them as our run is a large, permanent fixture.

Beewyched · « **Reply #4 on:** August 10, 2012, 10:22:38 pm »

Hiya Sskye

Our's don't seem bothered by the mower & often follow around behind me trying to see if I've uncovered a tasty morsel or 2.
Can you leave your hens shut-in & move them inside their house?

bloomer · « **Reply #5 on:** August 10, 2012, 10:33:00 pm »

when i had mine the mower never bothered them and my nearest to harming one in the garden was when they were free ranging and i was digging the borders they always wanted to help and several times i had near misses with the garden fork and a chicken!!!

hughesy · « **Reply #6 on:** August 10, 2012, 10:57:41 pm »

I've been round ours with the tractor and topper today. The ones that were out managed to jump out of the way quite successfully the ones inside their pens paid no attention at all. As for moving them, I just let them out into the field, move their house and run then if they aren't already in their new pen checking it out a handfull of corn will sort them out.

southernskye · « **Reply #7 on:** August 11, 2012, 09:51:55 am »

Morning all.

Many thanks indeed. that answers those questions

. Will pop the answers into my word.doc as I have decided to compile my own reference so, when i finish my overseas work and start "peoper" at home in 2013 I will have a wee ref.book of the things I need to know

.

Best wishes
Sskye

chrismahon · « **Reply #8 on:** August 11, 2012, 08:40:49 pm »

Hi SouthernSkye. All ours are absolutely terrified of the mower, even though it is quiet. Think it may be more to do with the bright red colour than the noise. 6 coops all suffer the same and hide inside.

Bionic · « **Reply #9 on:** August 12, 2012, 07:53:19 am »

We use a petrol strimmer around them all the time. They don't seem to mind the noise or the fumes. In fact they follow OH around to root amongst the bits he has just cut.
Sally