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Jules.

Following on from "Record for hens in an eglu."...

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This has got me thinking.

I am due to pick up two new girls at the end of May - a SLW & cream legbar to go with my two GNR.

Now I have my run convertor I'm tempted to get another one, making 3 new girls in total, & 5 in an eglu with a convertor.

They will have lots of free ranging time down at the bottom of the garden behind the Omlet netting.....

 

Any thoughts?

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I'm not sure what size the converter is, but the general consensus seems to be one hen per 1sqm of run, and the standard run is only about 2sqm, so you might be pushing it with 5 hens. Free-ranging time is good, but you have to allow for bad weather, holidays, etc, when that might be severely limited.

 

Perhaps someone with a converter and extension will let us know how many hens they have?

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I have 4 per eglu with extension and converter.

 

If they were going to be confined for any length of tme I wouldn't put another hen in. They need to be able to fully stretch their wings and take more than a couple of steps.

 

When I got my Eglus the received wisdon was one 1 metre piece of run per hen.

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My 11 have both eglu and cube in a big run and are not confined to the omlet run in any way. It was their choice to pack all 11 of them into the eglu (silly things). They were all beak to tail and not a feather space between them......

 

It reminded me of the party game "sardines" we used to play as children!

 

Helen

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I have 5 chooks in eglu run + converter + extension.

Although 2 of my chooks are bantams and not that big.

 

I've just popped outside and here's a picture - excuse all the various covers - it's from the snow at the weekend!

 

DSCF1107.jpg

 

Also couldn't resist a quick pic of the girls (and henry!) enjoying the sunshine!

 

 

DSCF1108.jpg

 

Does that look like enough space? Mine free range most if the week - but when they are in the run they seem OK.....

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Farrowy, I think yours is just right - you have a converter plus extension, so double the run length, plus two of yours are banties, so you have the equivalent of 4 big hens in yours.

 

I think more will often squash into the eglus together (I know, I had 7 in an eglu one evening!) but it isn't ideal all the time, and it is better if they have an option to spread out. It is more important in summer when ventilation and over heating might be bigger problems.

 

I have a cube and a large walk in run - last night I noticed two of them in the main run roosting in the branches! :roll: Just remind me why I bought them a state of the art orange cube will you? :?:lol:

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I think more will often squash into the eglus together (I know, I had 7 in an eglu one evening!) but it isn't ideal all the time, and it is better if they have an option to spread out. It is more important in summer when ventilation and over heating might be bigger problems.

 

 

I've notice that on the milder nights they spread out and have their own space but on the very cold nights they all seem to sleep on top of one another!

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I've notice that on the milder nights they spread out and have their own space but on the very cold nights they all seem to sleep on top of one another!

 

 

Yes I think that is true as well. In the summer they sometimes even petch on the rungs of the ladder and sleep there but in the winter they just pile on top of each other.

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I tried 5 hens in an eglu run with converter, but it really was very squashed. Fine while I was around and they could freerange but not if I was out. Also, when I covered the run in the wet weather it was a bit like a polytunnel and not very accessible. It was easy for the old hens to bully the new ones and keep them away from the food as they daren't go past them in the tunnel. We ended up building a big covered run and they are much happier.

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