Author Topic: Keeping birds in the greenhouse (Read 7879 times)

Mrs Ava · « **on:** January 18, 2005, 18:28:39 »

Has anyone ever done this? When I was a wee lass, friends of my parents kept quail in the bottom of their greenhouse. They used chicken wire as a gate to prevent them running out, and used the greenhouse as usual. I don't know what happened in the end, but they had them in there for ages and ages. Just a thought really, would love to have chooks in the garden but don't think it is at all practical plus tis the financial aspect.

growmore · « **Reply #1 on:** January 18, 2005, 19:21:59 »

Hi Ej,
I used to keep a trio of quail in the aviary to clean up all seeds etc other birds used to drop on floor.
The hen birds used to lay quite a few eggs too about as big as a pigeon's egg.
I have never heard of any one keeping them in a greenhouse
there would be 2 probs to this I think .1. would be the high temps .2 would be Quail like partridge if startled fly straight up in air sort of .So You would have to put a false roof of material inside greenhouse to stop them banging into glass.
Half a dozen chooks in garden would be a lot easier .
Financially it aint too much they only need a little coup which can be easily built .Feeding is next to nothing if you use table scraps mixed with a little layers meal and a scattering of corn for them to go to bed with.
You would prob average about 2 dozen eggs a week from them .Plus best manure bar none for onion beds..Cheers .Jim

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #2 on:** January 18, 2005, 22:28:39 »

Tis a nice idea Jim, but number one daughter is seriously allergic to eggs so we really don't use many. If I am not cake baking, then a dozen could last a month! :-\ Oh well, was just a thought.

Chaz Hunter · « **Reply #3 on:** February 05, 2005, 09:54:43 »

I used to keep Chinese Painted Quail on the floor of my aviary, they were prolific layers, mind you it needed 17 eggs to make a decent fried egg sandwich. I'd advise anyone keeping them to keep them on gravel rather than soil as their feet can quickly become set in balls of mud and its not an easy job trying to get it off.

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #4 on:** February 08, 2005, 23:51:04 »

Interesting Chaz. Do you think the heat of the greenhouse would be a problem for them? We have gravel on our floor so...so far so good! ;D

Chaz Hunter · « **Reply #5 on:** February 18, 2005, 12:45:30 »

As long as you ventilate the greenhouse in the summer they'll be ok, they are remarkedly resilient birds as they can withstand extremely hot/cold conditions. You should provide some sort of cover for them, about the size of a shoebox, so they can hide up if disturbed and also (hopefully) make a nest.

ruud · « **Reply #6 on:** February 18, 2005, 19:48:08 »

E.J,here in my hometown there is a prof. sweet pepper grower who uses birds as a naturel bug remedy.He also has snakes inside his greenhouse to get ride of mice and other four legged creatures.

jaggythistle · « **Reply #7 on:** June 15, 2005, 02:42:09 »

I don't know if you ever did get your quail....... one thing to consider also is
this they may be small but boy what a bloody racket they make !!! secondly
they feed on chicrumbs and the is like putting a sign out for mice and last but
least pound to a penny rats will follow .

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #8 on:** June 15, 2005, 11:46:00 »

Never did Jaggy, and to be honest, we have enough meeces, and the passing rat me thinks, so it has become a no-no...for now anyhow. Still think chooks might be a possibility. ;D

Aussie Chick · « **Reply #9 on:** June 15, 2005, 12:10:20 »

EJ,
I use to keep quails at home ( Brisbane) and of course being Australia it gets really hot. 30/35 degrees. I can't imagine your GH getting hotter than this as you'll be damping down and ventilation.

I have two chooks in the back yard at the moment but the plan is they eat the slugs here during the summer and then I'll take them to the lottie to scratch and manure my beds over the winter when not much is growing. a very basic frame will keep them in. I also thought they could go in the GH over winter to eat any bugs left. I wouldn't put chooks in the GH now as they would get eat or trample all the plants.

don't know if this is of help, but a few more ideas to consider!

AC

jaggythistle · « **Reply #10 on:** June 15, 2005, 12:50:55 »

Bear in mind chooks feed on grain and as sure as night comes after day
you will end up with vermin (I lost a full trio of dutch bantams in 1 night
to mr rat) but got my revenge shot the bugger with a high powered air
rifle ;D ;D thing is am rather sedate and laid back but it really got my
gander up !!!!!!

Aussie Chick · « **Reply #11 on:** June 15, 2005, 13:17:35 »

Yeh, I put the feed away at night. ;D Don't like rats. Think I would like an airrifle for the magpies!

portway farm · « **Reply #12 on:** June 15, 2005, 14:45:03 »

We were thinking about wintering the chickens in the poly tunnels. Hugh F. Whittingstall in Riverside Cottage puts his in there as a house to eat slugs and feeds them pellets from a hopper. Do have reservations though, mainly the fact that our chickens devour all vegetation in sight. If the slugs do not eat the plants we reckon the chickens will!!! ;D Oh yeh our old girl used to sleep on the horses backs and the liveries used to feed her mackie d's and she used to pinch our home made chips!!! They do have their funny little ways.

Shoyu · « **Reply #13 on:** June 15, 2005, 21:27:12 »

I used to keep chickens in the garden at home. My dad built them a most impressive house and they lived to rather ripe old ages. Clarice, who was rather a precocious young lady would follow my dad around the garden when he was digging and pinch worms off the fork! Mind you we never had a slug problem and we always had to save her the last piece of cream cake (she liked to stick her head in the cream).

jaggythistle · « **Reply #14 on:** June 21, 2005, 12:55:49 »

By the way EJ roumer has it you were never a wee lass ya always been that
age :o :o :P ;D ;D

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #15 on:** June 22, 2005, 23:51:15 »

21? ;)

jaggythistle · « **Reply #16 on:** June 23, 2005, 12:34:59 »

N then some !!!!! :o :o :o :o :o :o ;D ;D ;D ;D

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #17 on:** June 23, 2005, 13:50:37 »

>:(

jaggythistle · « **Reply #18 on:** June 23, 2005, 16:47:39 »

I better go lookin fer band aids me thinks ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

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Author Topic: Keeping birds in the greenhouse (Read 7879 times)