Routine

The chooks have been less work and effort than I had expected.

This is how the routine has panned out so far:

Daily (2 mins)
Morning

• put feed containers in run
• Open pop hole to let chickens out
• Check for eggs

Evening

• shut pop hole
• bring feed containers in and top up ready for the next day
• Check for eggs
  

Three times a week (5 mins)

• Brush roosting bars, and then empty poop trays into compost
• Fresh newspaper and Aubiose in poo trays, top up Aubiose in nesting box
• Dust bars and corners with Diatom powder (to prevent Red Mites)
• Top up water if necessary
  

Once a week (10 mins - or more if I stop to play with the chooks as part of it)

• Rake Aubiose from Run floor into the centre of the run, picking out dead vegetation and any obvious poos (if any)
• Sprinke Stalosan (disinfectant) powder on Run floor
• Rake back down the Aubiose
• Dust perches with Diatom
• Check over dustbath, top up if necessary, mix in some Stalosan and Diatom
• Empty water container, rinse out, put fresh water and cider apple vinegar in

Once a month (don't know how long yet)

• Detatch Cube from run
• Rake area underneath, put down Stalosan
• Wash inside of Cube with hose
• Dry with old towel
• Wash roosting bars, and put in shed to dry; replace with second set of roosting bars
• Dust Cube iwth Stalosan and Diatom
• Puff birds with Red MIte powder
  

Of course, I also spend about 15 mins a day in the run giving thew chooks treats and getting them used to being handled.

And I pop out and hang up something for them to peck at, plus put out a stuffed swingball.

And, if I see Delilah emerge from the nest box, I run down and see if she's laid; warm eggs are just wonderful!