kayandrob Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Hi Everyone Haven't posted on here for a while, but been keeping up with the posts and reading as much as possible. I was after some advice please on ex batts. Birthday coming up and hubby has agreed to me having another coop for some ex batts (can't afford another Eglu, boooo!) so he is either buying or making me one, there is a rescue coming up end of Feb in Coventry so I am going to reserve our spot on monday, but I would like some advice on whats best to do. At the moment we have 3 pekins (lost our Silkie a few days ago, totally gutted) so I am wondering if I should move the Pekins into the new coop as the run will probably not be as big as the eglu run as we currently have a converter and extension on it. Do you think this is the best thing to do or should we put the ex batts in the new coop for a while (only thing that annoys me with the Eglu is the run is so difficult to get into) as hubby said he will make / get one with a door so we can actually try and get in it a bit more? Also after general advice on ex batts, I have been following the thread from blackgold which has just made me more adament I want ex batts, I wanted ex batts since we ordered the eglu but hubby wasn't keen, he has finally come round to the idea and have read the website : http://www.bhwt.org.uk/ several times over and over again, hehe. Anyway I am waffling on now, so look forwards to reading everyones views / advice. Thanks Kay xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Hi Kay, I think it all depends on how many ex batts you get, and how big a run your new coop will have. I have 4 ex batts, and I think that is the maximum number I would put in an eglu with the extended run. Good luck - you will love having ex batts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy chickens! Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Have had my 6 girls just over a month now, and can't believe how much I have enjoyed having them! Some had more feathers than others, but they have been growing them back really fast - a couple are unrecognisable already. Only 2 are laying - the biggest, fattest, most feathered ones, but one girl's comb is going redder, her feathers have grown back and I have great expectations! They come running out to greet me and take food from my hands, especially corn which they love, they make happy chook chook sounds, almost a purr at times. They love free ranging and this has made life much easier on the girls lower in the pecking order. When we first put them in the run, they just stood there, they weren't used to being able to move. But within 24 hours they were pecking around it. All in all, it's not just my chickens that are happy, it's me too!! Can't advise you on sleeping arrangements, but am sure someone else can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Hi Kay! Sorry for the loss of your little chook, but congrats on the big girls plans (and DH for his DIY skills too!) Please can I hijack your thread a bit & add a question which occurred to me in one of my overexcited explanation moments (to anyone who was within shouting distance ) during the week!!! I have 4 ex-batt ladies arriving 2 weeks today (should be 1 wk today but the farmer has changed the date ), and as they have limited muscle tone in their legs, should I leave the roosting bars in the Eglu or just put a thick layer of shredding/hemcore in the poo-tray so they don't have to climb over or grip the bars for the first week or two? Or maybe leave the long bars in and take out the small one, with the thick layer in the tray as before? May be a slightly daft question, but I don't think I've seen the answer anywhere during my many ramblings on this forum and the BHWT. Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayandrob Posted January 18, 2009 Author Share Posted January 18, 2009 Thanks for the advice everyone, Sha I bet your are soooo excited, I am already and I have what feels like ages to wait! I was going to ask the same question about the eglu and the roosting bars so hopefully someone can tell us what they did. Have you got the Eglu run and extender on yours? I think hubby might say no to 4 but I would like 4 aswell. K xxxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen&Rog Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 Hi - I've had a 9 ex-batts over the years, and personally I'd keep the roosting bars in so they don't skid around and potentially strain their legs. None of mine has ever had any trouble gripping the bars, and if they were used to cages before, I reckon bars are easier than flat surfaces. I had a couple of 'jippy' legs only when they jumped up and down from things, but after a week they were already getting stronger. In terms of numbers - I'd agree no more than 4 in an extended eglu. Sometimes you get problems with bullying/pecking (although this has only happened for me in one out of 3 'intakes'), so its good that they can have a bit of space to themselves. In terms of which hutch to put them in - I'd put the ex-batts in whatever is easiest for them. They'll be very confused to start with - going indoors at night is a complete novelty and they'll need some encouragement (e.g. pop a torch inside). The Eglu has always been easy, they get used to laying in the nest, no issues whatsoever. Good luck and hope your lucky chooks have many happy free-ranging years! Jennie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moomin Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 I think hubby might say no to 4 but I would like 4 aswell. You just need to smuggle another one in, or stick one under your coat - he won't notice Mine's agreed to 2 more - but I'm chipping away for a third!! Watch this space Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 (edited) Hi Kay, I am very excited & have been yabbering away to anyone who'll listen about my new girls & the state they may be in etc! I started off asking for 3, but said the Eglu would take 4, and somehow the lady started saying 4 rather than 3, so I think that's what I'm signed up for now I have one eglu with a homemade extension which now measures about 3 metres (and is a pig to move and clean because it's so long!!)...will try & find the pics on here & post them in a while.....and we have a standard one, but DH is suggesting big new things for a walkin run and maybe the possibility of a cube too, although we'll wait & see about that, the plan has changed several times just this weekend Jennie, thank you for your thoughts on the roosting bars, I could see the benefits of either suggestion, but wanted to clear the matter in my head with the help of experienced ex-batt Mums or Dads! Off to find my pics.... Sha x Found them on this link viewtopic.php?f=5&t=27830&p=455424&hilit=+eglu+extension#p455424 It now has 6 sheets of corrugated plastic over the run, so it's really quite heavy and not at all easy to move on my own! Edited January 18, 2009 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayandrob Posted January 18, 2009 Author Share Posted January 18, 2009 thats for the replies, I did wonder whether 4 would be to much in the eglu but this afternoon hubby was out with me in garden and we moved eglu around and bought some more wood chips for it and talked about the new henhouse thats prebuilt and keep both sets of girls separate and then in the summer expand the run like the ones on here, if the girls all want to live together then they can but otherwise will just keep them all separate I am so excited about the new girls already just hope Feb flys by xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayandrob Posted January 18, 2009 Author Share Posted January 18, 2009 Think I must have been writing my post at the same time, hehe. I am the same soooo excited hubby is hearing of nothing else, I even woke up in the night thinking of them, poor girlies, I try not to think of what state they are in right now and just hope the next month flys by! I will be asking all your advice when you get yours xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
