My eco solution to rat problems

[Phosphorus]

Question for those of you with cubes and non-omlet runs. We are in process of constructing a fixed run with weldmesh 1" x 1". We have the space to put the cube inside as run is going to be 4m by 2.7m, however DH was wondering how the cubes are sometimes fixed on the outside.

 

Can anyone who fixes their cube on the outside of a fixed run let me know how they have attached the cube to the run (minimising fox risk in mind here!).

 

Another query DH had as well was does the ladder move up and down (i.e is it on a hinge or fixed at a set angle) and if fixed how high off the ground is the bottom of the ladder? It doesn't seem to touch the ground in all the pictures I have seen.

 

Sorry for all the queries but run is being built before arrival of cube

 

Thanks

 

Andrea

[Cinnamon]

Hang on a mo - I will take a few piccys & try to explain what Hubby has done

[Cinnamon]

Right,

He has cut a hole in the wire the size of the cube door,then built a wooden box around it the depth of which is enough for the cube roof to slide forward fully & touch the wire.

So I don't need to move the Cube to slide the roof forward.

The ladder is attatched to the wooden frame inside,so its not attatched to the Cube itself in any way.

The Cube is just butted up to the box & the wheels are up, so it can't be moved.

 

Looking at it,it works really well.

The only downside is that the bottom of the wooden box bit gets a bit pooey,but I can s"Ooops, word censored!"e that off or treat it with Plastidip if needs be.

 

Hope that makes sense!

 

 

[Phosphorus]

Wow thanks for that Sarah, I love your set up. I will show DH.

 

Andrea

[redfrock]

we have wired ours in. It has a gap, which is battoned across the top to make it secure, but which still allows me to push the roof forward (very impressed as that was my idea and I am usually a numpty when it comes to such things!). By wiring it in, the cube is totally secure. Hope these photos help explain it better

 

 

 

 

 

oops big sizes again! Oh and typical - you buy two cubes and what do they do - all sleep in one, and use the other one for laying

[Phosphorus]

Thanks Claire,

Great ideas and brilliant pictures. Will show DH.

Andrea

[BeckyBoo]

Hi we did it another way, we left half the run attatched so we could put the grub and glug in that area without having to provide support for them on chickenwire, like this....

 

 

It was also relatively easy to tie it in as well as it was wire to wire

 

Happy run building!

 

Mrs Bertie

[Phosphorus]

Thanks Mrs Bertie - unfortunately no run as we are buying the Cube as a standalone and building our own fixed run. Lovely pictures though.

[WitchHazel]

 

We cut a section of the cube run and permanently fixed it to the fixed run, by bending the wired over with clippers.

 

Here's a close-up

 

 

And here's what it looks like (before we attach the run and cube to it) from a bit further away

 

We didn't fancy using clips to join them up, simply because of the hassle of undoing them each time we wanted to clean the area. i was happy to use cable ties, but DH came up with some curly brackets which wind through the two parts and leep the run secure.

 

We then took the front of the Omlet run, the bit with the door in, and put that at the back of the Cube so that we could open it and let the chickens have access to the garden that way,

 

We left the support bit across the top front of the Omlet run on the bit of the run that gets moved. This was becasue we thought it would strengthen it and hekp it keep its shape if a fox (or our cats!) jumped on the top.

 

Finally, we cut a hole in our purpose built run, same size as Omlets door, so the chickens can get from one bit to the other. (You can see it in the curly bracket picture).

 

The whole thing is great. The chooks get an extra couple of square metres, they can sit under the house if its raining (even though there is a roof on our run!), and they have an extra area to go out and free range in (when we let them).

[chelsea]

I love your set up witchhazel. Your OH is very clever.

 

and I'll say it again the orange cubes are just fabulous....wish I had orange now.

[bellekatz]

Weren't those twirly clips on the Mark 1 Eglu before they changed to the horrid plastic things??

[WitchHazel]

no run as we are buying the Cube as a standalone and building our own fixed run. Lovely pictures though.

 

We were going to do that, but then realised that it would be much easier (and neater) to connect the Omlet run to our run, rather than trying to connect our run to the actual cube (although have noe seen Cinnamon's and think that looks fine!).

 

It meant it cost more, of course, but I'm pleased we did it, as that way we also go the mesh to go around the bottom of the Cube (it's not included if you buy just the Cube). We would have had to either put our own mesh on somehow, or not made use of the space under the Cube.

[Phosphorus]

Wow Hazel, thanks for all the piccies. Your run looks suberb. Love the chooks - what is the goldy brown one with the black bits around the neck - she looks gorgeous.

 

Unfortunately not getting the Omlet run so will have to fix the cube somehow to the outside without the run Going to put it in the run to start with we think now anyway - just to save hassle and time

[WitchHazel]

. Love the chooks - what is the goldy brown one with the black bits around the neck - she looks gorgeous.

 

She's a Buff Sussex.