Solitary chicken - need advice

[nutterly_uts]

While I've got my eglu cube fund on the go, I'm wondering if it would be a good idea to save for a bit longer and add a regular eglu to the van, to use as a quarantine pen/broody house/for chicks off heat before they go into the main cube house. (This also appeals as I think eglus come in boxes, and so store fairly small if nec?)

 

Has anyone got one for this purpose?

Is the step into the house too high for newly hatched chicks with mum? I can add a ramp bit no problem, and as there are no foxes here in Jersey, I could leave the door open, but would they then get cold if under mum? Chicks from off the heat would be big enough to negotiate it I think and should be able to stay warm enough??

From a rat point of view, I could put the eglu on the patio while it had chicks in,so would be rodent proof I think.

 

If the breed/s matter in deciding, I have decided on silkies, light sussex and maybe a pekin bantam or two

 

Carla

[Egluntyne]

Quite a few have used Eglus for the purpose you describe.

 

I used one for some 8 week old chicks and they got on very well in it.

[nutterly_uts]

I'm glad you said that - on a diff forum I got told to use a rabbit hutch (no offense to them, but wood is so boring!)

 

Have you used them with a broody? Are newly hatched chicks able to enter and exist ok?

[The Dogmother]

I have used broodies to hatch in the rablu - it's ideal. You need to put a wooden step outside the door to help them to get in and out. Very small chicks will also need some non-slip matting inside the rablu. If you are using an eglu, then I'd recommend that you remove the roosting bars until they are old enough to perch.

[Egluntyne]

I haven't used a broody...my babies came as 8 week chicks.

 

I know others have, successfully.

 

You might need to make a little ramp for them to get into the Eglu at first, and put something non slip down if you take the roosting bars out....which I did.

[Lesley]

I've had a couple of broodies hatch chicks in an Eglu.

 

We make a solid wooden ramp and we don't take the roosting bars out - we just fill the whole base to the top of the roosting bars (plus a bit because it settles) with Aubiose . They've all been fine....and we leave the door open as well.

[TAJ]

My little ones went in a rablu at just over 5 weeks.

 

Tracy

[nutterly_uts]

Awesome thanks fund begins!!!!!

[ubereglu]

Good luck with your funding! Also keep an eye out on ebay for rabbit eglus if you want one for hatching. These tend to go for a lot less than the chicken eglus!