Storms and chickens

[Luthien]

Hi there sorry to be a complete pain up the vent ....but I'm trying to decide what to get. At first I thought Eglu cube as its big, has a big run and you could add some chickens on if you only start with four to being with.....but then ARGH! I'm such a worrier! Its alot of money for keeping chickens for the first time, would an Eglu be better to begin with? but then if I wanted to get more say by the summer....would the cube be better?! I just don't know

 

I could afford the Eglu by end of march/April but maybe a little bit longer for the cube...As I've said a few times we are moving in August to Norwich...we are wanting 2-3 ex battery hens (and some ones that lay different egg colours i.e. blue, brown, white) and if they have no feathers and we get them before we move their feathers would of grown back to a certain extent before the cold weather hits in, if we wait till after we've move well they will be a bit frozen.

 

Also (sorry for all the Q's) what is needed for keeping chickens? I've heard about some powder that you put on the chickens and also powder for the inside of the eglu/cube not quite sure about that still...

 

Thanks for reading this from the Madness within.

Alix

[chelsea]

I think its something you really have to decide yourself Both the eglu and cube are fantastic but its really a personal decision. The eglu is an ideal starter, we are really pleased with ours and we wouldnt want a cube as we like that the eglu's are easily transportable in the car (when we go on hols).

 

If you get an eglu now and then want a cube in the summer do you really want the hassle of selling your eglu or would you keep it? You would get a good price if you sold it. But maybe saving up and buying the cube if you really want it might be a better solution for you.

 

A lot of people start out with eglus, get the chicken bug and then buy the cube!

 

I would maybe weigh up the pro's and cons of both eglu and cube and then decide.

 

Dont worry about your questions - we always like to try and help if we can

[Tara.F]

calm down....it's all going to be fine

 

eglu or cube? entirely up to you, I can't help I'm afraid. I have an eglu, can't afford a cube.

 

As for powders etc, you don't actually need anything other than what comes with your eglu (or whatever) and that is food, an information leaflet and a sense of excitement

 

As time goes on you may decide to get some sort of tonic...you may need some mite powder at some point....you may choose to get some mixed corn as treats but at first you don't need any of those things and when you do, there will always be folk on here to advise you

[chelsea]

forgot about the powder question.

 

If you have extra pennies to spare I would suggest the essential "starting out " powder/health supplement would be Poultry Spice (in yellow tub) which is added to the pellets for good health, its very cheap and a tub lasts for ages. Omlet shop sells it.

 

You can add all you other bits and pieces as you go along.

[Egluntyne]

The Cube/Eglu question is one that can't really be answered until you have had chicken keeping experience.

 

I'd start off with the Eglu and see how you get on. They hold their price very wll, so if you decide to get more chooks ( I did after 3 months ) you can sell it and upgrade to the cube.

 

On the other hand, if you are sure you might want more chooks later, go for the cube. They also hold their price well, so if you find its not for you, you won't lose too much money.

 

Not that that is likely to happen.

[Luthien]

Thanks guys sorry I'm such a worrier. I know spending the cube money will make me feel sick...but I'll try to find out which is best for me and mum.

Again thank you

 

P.S. I can't see myself with just 3-4 chickens... hummm I will have to add a few on without mum seeing so she forgets which how many we had to begin with

[Olly]

why not go and visit a Cube and/or an Eglu to help you decide?

 

Eglus are brilliant, and a great way to start keeping chickens, but if you think you are going to want more than 3 or 4, I'd go for the Cube. You can add extensions to the Eglu but it starts to look like a polytunnel!

 

I had never held a chicken until mine arrived just over a year ago, had no idea what they were really going to be like, and would never have imagined that I'd want more than two. Within about a month I realised my mistake!

 

Eglus do hold their value, but you'll lose out on the delivery cost etc. and have to go through the hassle of selling if you wanted to 'upgrade' to a Cube. On the other hand, Eglus fit in a car easily, don't take up much room in the garden - only you can decide!

[CatsCube]

I think cube is the way to go. I was originally going to get an eglu, but knew that I would end up wanting more chickens so it would have been a waste. I very quickly ended up with 3 times my origional intended number of girls. If it didnt work out for you, they do hold their value imensly well, and tend to sell on ebay for almost what they did new.

[Ziggy]

Tough decision isn't it...

I got the eglu, and two chickens, and then like most people decided I want more chooks... so now got a cube... so to be honest, I'd say that if you hesitate, and sound so keen, going for the cube might be the most sensible option... even if you decide you don't want more chooks after the initial three or four, they'll still love all the space the cube offers... I have my 2 chooks in there at the moment and they are in heaven!!!

Also, although yes the cube is very expensive, the eglu is not particularly cheap either... maybe better make a 'slightly' higher investment from the start, than regretting things later and end up buying both, like I did...

[BeckyBoo]

We started off as first time chicken keepers as I thought keeping 5 wouldn't be much different to keeping two and within two days OH had bought two more, now we have 14. You will never lose money with an Eglu OR a cube apart from the delivery. The only thing I would say is that you can't put ex-batts straight in with anything else, they need time to find their feet so whichever you decide to get you'll probably need seperate temporary housing for the new girls whichever you get second. We're just about to integrate our ex-batts after a month or so into our cube and run.

It's hard to decide as it is a LOT of money but as I say, whichever you get you should ave no trouble selling it for almost what you paid if you decided to trade it in.

 

And I'd second the suggestion that you try and visit both - cubes are much bigger in the flesh than they look in the pictures. (Also, waffling on, an Eglu would be MUCH easier to move with than a cube so you might want to wait until you moved if you went for a cube. But we got our ex-batts in January so don't worry about cold weather etc, they and you find a way to manage)

 

Mrs Bertie

[baby bears mum]

I've just ordered the Eglu because I figured that if we don't get on with keeping chooks (yeah right!) or we decide to get more (more than likely) then we won't really lose all that much on a resale. They go really well on ebay.

 

Good luck.

 

x

[alih]

Mrs Bertie will you let me know how you get on with your merger? I have 2 chicks and an eglu and want to get ex batts, put them in the eglu temporarily adn get a cube for everyone once they are together....have yours been free-ranging together peacefully???? Do tell!