Does anyone keep chickens in an EGLU?

moanymoany

N9eav wrote: »

Don't bank on getting too many eggs in the winter. chicken lay eggs based on the amount of light available. Winter time they slow up something awfull.

The little b*gg*rs! They haven't even started laying yet and they're already slacking off!

The woman said that this happened, but that Warrens will lay more than thoroughbred hens.

Poet_2

just been in touch with our local BH rescue centre and we pick up 3 hens next month!

Anyone know where we can get ORGANIC layers mash on-line, we don't seem to have a stockist near us so will need to order some on-line. The rescue centre said that's what we should feed them as that's what they're used to but we'll supplement it with other nice things...

N9eav

moanymoany wrote: »

The little b*gg*rs! They haven't even started laying yet and they're already slacking off!

The woman said that this happened, but that Warrens will lay more than thoroughbred hens.

I have warrens and they do lay well. Marans lay a nice egg, but can be a bit slow. I always cheat in the winter. I have a light in the chicken house and have it on auto timer so that they get 4-5 hours extra light. It works and they lay through the winter. Still free range as well.

Muppet81

Hi Poet,

I don't know what part of the world you live in but I am in the NW.

I tried very hard to find organic layers mash when I got my ex batt girls but had no success. Had to settle for either organic pellets or non-organic layers mash. As one of my girls had no top beak due to horrific de-beaking, I had to stay with non-organic mash.

Not what I had hoped for but still, i get enormous pleasure from having rescued them and giving them a happy retirement.

Good luck and a million thanks to those of you who are planning to rescue some girls. :A
It is a wonderful thing to do .... and the eggs are gorgeous :j

dannahaz

Hi Furball

There are loads of people who are upgrading to the cube, so there's been a lot of Eglus on Ebay recently.

The other thing to do would be to place a request in Omlet's Club website, they have sections for Eglus For Sale and Eglus Wanted
http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/index.php?c=11&sid=275c89b250522f6d573a0a62767a9a07

Eglus and Cubes are fab. Yes, they are expensive if you compare them to home made coops, but not when you compare to premium wood arks etc.

I'm getting a Cube and chooks in March next year, can't wait!

Yategirl

Can I pick brains about keeping chickens pls? We have a typcial terraced house in a town and the back garden is yarded (complete patio).. (we have a front garden which is my veggie plot but I wouldn't risk keeping any chickens there)... could you keep chickens on a patio - they would still get weeds and grubs, I could let them out to run for a bit of each day as well as them having a run but I can't have grass - would this hurt their feet? what could I put in the actual run area? If this was you... would you say a complete no to having chickens??

Be honest ok? I'd love chickens (just 2-3-4 max) and have wanted some since I was a child.... but have always thought because of our yard that it wouldn't work... I have read somewhere that if I put something in the run then I could keep them BUT.. I wouldn't have them if this isn't good (iyswim) so no fear that I am running out to get chickens or anything!! I want to be 100% sure about it all first!!!

dannahaz

Hi Yategirl

You could do it if you sectioned off a run area and put down a deep base of wood chips or bark. Have a look at the Omlet Forum for ideas about what people do- you don't have to have an Eglu to make use of the info. The people over there are very friendly and will happily help with your queries too
http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/

DebtphobicDeirdre

I am reading an excellent book from the library
"Choosing and keeping chikens" by Chris Graham. It seems to think that you can also use a gravel area, but that the gravel would need to be changed each year to keep it "sweet". I have not got any hens yet but am very tempted to get a cube and put it in the area my daughter used to have her trampoline which already has bark chips laid. Would the chickens be at risk from my laburnam tree does anyone know?

Poet_2

if anyone wants brill advice about chickens, get yourself to the omlet forum, they're really helpful and I've been picking their brains for the last few days- here's a useful site for toxic plants by the way
http://www.poultryhelp.com/toxic1.html

we get our girls on the 14th October, just bought a coop, feeders, some organic mash, diatom powder, poultry shield, grit, oyster shell, poultry spice (sounds like perfume for hens!) and found a farm that will sell us small bales of straw- phew! Hope they like their new home

~Chameleon~

Poet wrote: »

I just bought this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=220150562360&ssPageName=STRK:MEDW:IT&ih=012 from e-bay for £119 + £48 p&p, once we've got it, we're getting 2 or 3 ex battery hens, so excited!!!! The link isn't to the one I bought but it's exactly the same as it.

Hi, can you tell me what the quality of this coop/run is like please? I've been considering buying one but I don't like spending so much money on something I can't physically see/check out myself.

Thanks