Single hen

[ebaygirl]

Hi All

 

It's a difficult thing this chicken addiction...

 

I currently have 5 girls in a (this was a twist of fate, search back, you'll see what happened!) These 5 girls have a walk-in run of approx 15 x 8 feet with lots of branches, logs and other goodies to play on.

 

I am thinking of getting another eglu and having both of them raised on a platform within the run so that all of the floor space would be available.

 

I would like to get another 3 girls, probably in the spring, to add to the mix - am heavily tempted by blue eggs.

 

The problem is that my girls don't free-range. Our garden is actually quite small with lots of beautiful plants and vegetables and a pond. The original 2 girls didn't do too much damage when they were out and about, but 5, let alone 8, would decimate the place!

 

Is the run large enough for more - it is palatial for 5 - or should Prudence be listened to and should I let nature take it's course and only add to my flock when space has been, er, made??

 

I'm grateful for the advice and wisdom of the far more exprienced chicken owners out there

 

Many thanks

 

Sarah x

[AJuff]

Well I would say you'd have room for two more chooks, I know others would disagree. From personal experience I would think about a cube rather than another eglu though. You see I had six chooks in an eglu and then bought another one, however they all decided to sleep together! I then had one eglu with 10 hens squashed in and an empty eglu sat next to it. So I got a cube and they all sleep together with lots of space. Another sdvantage is I have clean eggs as no chook has to sleep in the nest box!!!

[Egluntyne]

I would say you have room. I have 14 at the mo in an 18' x9' run and there is plenty of room. There are a couple of branches for them to perch on and a dust bath. They do free range most days though.

[BeckyBoo]

Hi there, if you look on my gallery you can see our run, we've got 13 hens in there at the minute and one more busy being broody who also normally lives there and there is plenty of room. Give them plenty of things to keep occupied with, we have hay bales to climb on and under, branches, their first floor loft apartment (!) we hang seed blocks, they've got a big log to jump on and I move things around and rake the floor for them so they have stuff to be getting on with. Ours do free range but not all day and not every day either. I would think 7 or even 8 hens (providing they weren't all Brahmas or Orpingtons!) would have room, even sleeping in one Eglu although I agree that they will probably all want to cram in together so you might be better off selling the Eglu and buying a cube!

 

Mrs B

[AJuff]

No I'd buy a cube and keep the eglu, it's good for introducing new hens or for keeping a sick hen in.

[ebaygirl]

Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately, I feel that to fund a cube I'd have to sell the , so having another eglu would mean that I could partition the run during the introductions.

 

I'm glad that you think that there is enough room. Mrs Bertie - I love the ideas for even more chicken entertainment!

 

Please keep posting the positive replies - it all helps with convincing my DH!

 

Sarah x