Barry fessel Omar (deceased) and Wadj, after characters in the film 'four lions' I've a female guinea pig named Elvis, Colin the canary and Walter the Senegal parrot. Names that just come into my head and stick. I'm chief pet namer in this house. The bobbleheads (my new poland bantams) are called pe...

Gutted for you, we've lost 3 cats in the last 15 months, it doesn't get any easier

Aubiose or similar in the coop, sharp sand in the run, just use a cat litter scoop with the sand, barely any waste and they can dust bath where they like

Not a cricketer as such, but a commentator, Dickie Bird

Mine have been refusing to go in the coop for a couple of months now, for a few weeks I went out at dusk and posted them through the pop hole. theres no red mite, but it was a little mouldy due to poor ventilation (now rectified) I now just let them do as they please. My run is fox proof by the way....

silverback wrote:Duck tape!! ....................................

Chicken tape

Diatom, good for chooks, good for ants

Also, don't be ashamed to claim tax credits.

Start looking at supermarket home brands. We save at least a million quid a week Biscuits 45p for a large packet instead of nearly a quid. Sainsberrys choccy digestives - 50p Have you seen the price of breakfast cereals? Home brands are just as good for a lot less. We don't drink alcohol in our hous...

Eco shower head reduces water usage by simply reducing the water flow. I was sent one free by my energy supplier. It took ten seconds to fit and another 11 seconds to remove and file under B1N

Steve wrote: The run is fox proof (on slabs, 16g mesh including under the roof panels and three bolts on the door, framing for the run is 2"x2") so I've decided to let them do as they please. You forgot to mention the machine gun tower and search lights! And the escape tunnels

Mine have started camping out, no red mites but I didn't notice a bit of mould - inadequate ventilation. I can't get them out of the habit of staying out now, I put them in the coop at dusk every night for two weeks and they still won't do as they are told The run is fox proof (on slabs, 16g mesh in...

Once my other hens have laid, I remove the broodys from the coop and close the pophole for the day. My broody tends to snap out of it in a week or so.

The thing that makes me worry about its health benefits, it claims its good for diabetics but you need half a cup of sugar?

My current walk-in run cost around £240. The coop cost me just under £50 to make. If you add up the cost of all the walk in runs and coops that came before it, it'll add up to a pretty penny If you were to buy a walk in run of the same size and build quality as mine, you'd be looking at easily £800 ...