speckled hen Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 Hi everyone I have been checking out some of your fantastic runs and notice that some of the cubes are in the runs and some outside. I am about to order a cube and am looking at buying a run (avaries 4 u is top favourite at mo) Im not sure what size run to go for, hopefully 12ft x 6ft. If you where planning a run where would you place the cube? Also what do you all put on the floor of the run, it is going on blocked paving. Thank you in advance Speckled Hen Soon to be Cube Owner! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katieandnick Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 Hiya, we've got one of Tony's runs, and it's absolutely the best thing we've bought for the girls since the Cube and the Eglus! We use Hemcore for their bedding - easy to put in, easy to empty out, easy to keep clean. They're on part soil, part concrete slabs, but we're soon to put in a few more slabs because the ground has settled in part since the run was put in, and we'd like it more even to allow for easier cleaning. I would imagine all-slabs would be fine entirely. Our Cube is near the big door we had put in to allow for it to be taken out - we jetwash it regularly so it's important for us to get the cube out so the Hemcore in the run doesn't get wet. Tony can suggest a way of doing this for your circumstances. He's really a great expert in this area! You'll really love your run once it's built. It's the best investment we've made in our chickens (we love Omlet, but the runs for the Eglu and Cubes are not great once you've had chickens for a while and are a bit loathe to bend yourself in a style of an Olympic yoga gold medal winner!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisa33 Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 We have the cube outside the run to allow for easy access for cleaning. We didn't have enough room to have a run built around a cube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 We have the cube outside the run to allow for easy access for cleaning. We didn't have enough room to have a run built around a cube. ditto, on both counts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaggieMcHen Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 My new run has the cube outside for ease of access - pics when it is finished Rain stops play at present Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadMitch Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 I couldn't decide when I built my run but ended up putting it inside in the end. I'm really glad I did as we have had such bad weather this summer it has meant that I can clean them out daily without getting soaked all the time. So definately inside for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Ditto. Mine is 9' x 18'......I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen&Lee Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 It does depend on the size of the run I think. We started off with it inside and quickly realised it just wouldn't work. You need to be able to pull the poo trays out at the back, get to the nesting box on one side and on the other side is the pull out handle for open and closing the cube door. In our run which is about 16ft x8ft, we found it needed to be slap bang in the middle. For us, its so much easier on the outside Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chooklady Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 I have a 12 x 6 run. When the cube arrived we put it on the inside until the first weekend. OH wanted to have the cube there before he decided how he was going to do the hole for the ladder etc. It is much better on a hard surface when it was inside there wasn't enough room to remove the poo trays etc. and it was hard to move on the woodchips so I would say put it on the outside and you will find it much easier to look after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Can I ask how you fastened the cube to the run? I'm thinking of bringing mine outside but don't want to loose the safety factor. Plus I was looking at the 2 blue eglu's one is lovely and clean thanks to the rain, and the other is really dusty thanks to being inside the run Karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speckled hen Posted September 30, 2008 Author Share Posted September 30, 2008 I am interested to know how the cube would be attached, has anyone had a run made by Tony at avaries4u with the run on the outside. I really want to get this right, I don't think my pocket money will stretch to another!! (or dh will put up with my constant chatter about chicken runs!). Thanks x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chooklady Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Mine isn't physically attached to the run. Just the shear weight of it keeps it in place and the ladder. Have a look at the photos below. We didn't want to alter/damage the cube in any way just incase we ever needed to sell it, not very likely but you never know what's round the corner sometimes. OH has made another smaller frame to fit inside the hole and has put the mesh he cut away on that frame , not that he's finished it yet but he is going to hinge it and put a hook up so we can drop the door down so the run is secure should we need to move the cube for some reason. There is a slight gap around the ladder area but I pretty sure it's not big enough for anything to get in, a mouse probably could but I don't think it would last very long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speckled hen Posted October 2, 2008 Author Share Posted October 2, 2008 Great pics, thanks very much. I think we are leaning towards putting it on the outside, I will need to contact averies4u and see what they think. I notice you have a schenauzer, can i ask how it gets on with the chickens? We have a standard and she has gone into "kill" mode since we got the chooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
