My eco solution to rat problems

[Janty]

At the moment I have three pekins and a buff orp miniature in the eglu. I have just bought a converter and a run. We may be getting two Rhode Island red bantams at the weekend and I was hoping to house these with the other bantams in the eglu with extensions.

 

My girls do free range as much as possible but I was wondering if people think that the girls would have enough room in this set up.

 

Please excuse me...I feel guilty enough leaving the four bantams in the eglu when I go to work.

[Egluntyne]

You could comfortably get 5 or 6 in the Eglu itself......The run size is really the clincher, ad with an extension it should be OK as they will have the opportunity to free range.

[The Dogmother]

I'm the wrong person to ask Janty - I have 10 bantam babes in an eglu with an extension on the run . I have to add that they freerange all day, and on the very odd occasion that they need to stay in the run for a bit, they are fine and have plenty of things to play with in there.

 

I have an RIR bantam and she is the friendliest bird I've ever had, follows me around, joined at the hip and handbag and is a brilliant layer. Wonderful nature too and very bright... good choice Janty!

 

can we have some photos?

[Janty]

Photos will be posted. Kop boy has got all the books out so that he can do his research.

[The Dogmother]

Good for him!

 

That encyclopaedia of poultry bu the Dutch people (sorry, can't remember the right name) is brilliant for advice etc. And has good pictures too, a sort of mail order catalogue for chooks!

[bronze]

Claret I can see why you do it. I could easily have all 7 of mine in the egly and double the amount. In fact when I finally build the run I am going to get more without feeling bad about the hous espace.

[The Dogmother]

They all sleep in the smallest possible space at night and there' sstill room for more, but I shan't increase my numbers - 10 is enough for the housing and the garden.

[Tina C]

My 4 all pile in the nest box at night so I can see that 10 would easily fit in to the eglu.

 

But there must be a limit to the number you need? What a lot of beaks to feed. My bantams eat more than my big girls when they are not broody. I notice that 3 are piled up in the nest box today

 

Better get out these with the ice pack...

[bronze]

Three of your ones friends are broody here too. they have eggs but I dont think theyre going to hatch. when I check theres often an egg left out. Bad parenting.

[The Dogmother]

Bad parenting.

 

'Vikki Pollard Mums'!

[Tina C]

Bron - do you still have a cockerel or did you acquire the eggs?

 

These girls' mums and aunties were forever hatching chicks - that is why there was so many of them in that barn.

 

All gone now though

[bronze]

I bought a cheap batch of 6 assorted bantam eggs. I thought the odds on all six hatching being low and I have space for a few more anyway. I tried candling them a couple of days ago. Two were maybes but will have to see. I dont hold ou tmuch hope.

[Tina C]

Fingers crossed you will get one and it'll be a girl...

 

If I had known you wanted to hatch I could have grabbed you some eggs before the others went off to the farm...mind you it was still a bit cold then (they had already hatched one lot, but lost them - our man did not exercise any control over them)

[Janty]

 

But there must be a limit to the number you need? What a lot of beaks to feed.

 

 

I know what you mean. We get through 4 bags of layers mash with bokashi in just under a month plus pellets, etc. I don't mind though. The chickens have become part of the family and although we have 15, the ex-batts don't really lay and the rest give us about 6 eggs a day on average. However, it was our choice to go with pure breeds and the hens have been the best pets for teaching son about responsibility, etc.