My eco solution to rat problems

[miffy]

Thank you all especially ANH and Andrew. I have been following this thread for a while, just showing OH bits and pieces but your 2 posts have ALMOST convinced OH that WIR would be a good idea (he thinks buying a cube is a bad idea ) we have identified a potential area and got a quote from Tony. the money will come off the bathroom budget.

If we have an eglu and 12ft x 6ft x 6ft run with eglu raised inside, how many girls could we realisicly have. I would really like 6 - 8. They would getfree range time but not for very long some days.

[mostin]

just when they were settled into the eglus, you built them the Ritz!

 

exactly, spoilt girls.

 

Exactly same thing is happening here although, two orps pacing the WIR looking at the Eglu. Well they will have to keep staring as that is where th newbies live for now.

 

Two orps in a cube do look a bit lost

 

I know what you mean palmer 07, I have to admit, that after we had moved them into the big WIR and we came back down the garden and shut the empty eglus for the last time, I nearly shed a tear. I thought OH would rip me to shreds, but he looked a me and said "It feels like the end of an era doesn't it?". So I kind of understand how my chookies must be feeling now .

 

I can't wait to clean the eglus and send the orange one back to laurmurf so she can fill it with newbies. And I am on the waiting list with Hen Rehomers UK for 4 ex-batts to fill my green one. It's not right it sat there all sad and empty.

 

You are right, two orpies in a cube need company soon , what do you have in mind?

[Cooks]

oooh Orp talk *pulls chair chose*

[mostin]

Thank you all especially ANH and Andrew. I have been following this thread for a while, just showing OH bits and pieces but your 2 posts have ALMOST convinced OH that WIR would be a good idea (he thinks buying a cube is a bad idea ) we have identified a potential area and got a quote from Tony. the money will come off the bathroom budget.

If we have an eglu and 12ft x 6ft x 6ft run with eglu raised inside, how many girls could we realisicly have. I would really like 6 - 8. They would getfree range time but not for very long some days.

 

The minimum requirement in a run is one square metre per chook, I'm lucky and have a big garden so I like to work with with 2 per chook. Your run will give you 8 square metres so maximum 8 chooks, but if you still only have 1 eglu and no cube, then you can only comfortably house 4.

 

Glad you enjoyed reading this thread so much, keep working on your OH

[HENthusiastic]

Wow, well done, thats HUGE! I can't believe how quickly you've got that done. Your girls are lucky to have that lovely new home, and Daffodils to munch at too, they will enjoy them.

Well done both of you! Looking forward to seeing it in the flesh.

[laurmurf]

I am on the waiting list with Hen Rehomers UK for 4 ex-batts to fill my green one. It's not right it sat there all sad and empty.

 

 

If that's the April rescue then I'm helping out at that one - imagine I'll be part of getting your new girls for you, mostin!

 

I couldn't rehome any ex-bats so I contacted Hen Rehomers and offered my services: they've contacted me and asked to help out with a rescue on 29 April.... I can't wait (am a bit nervous too though )

 

Ellie has all sorts of plans for the pumpkin, mostin, I think it'll be safer at your house!

[Falkor]

l

[Falkor]

I know what you mean palmer 07, I have to admit, that after we had moved them into the big WIR and we came back down the garden and shut the empty eglus for the last time, I nearly shed a tear. I thought OH would rip me to shreds, but he looked a me and said "It feels like the end of an era doesn't it?". So I kind of understand how my chookies must be feeling now .

 

I can't wait to clean the eglus and send the orange one back to laurmurf so she can fill it with newbies. And I am on the waiting list with Hen Rehomers UK for 4 ex-batts to fill my green one. It's not right it sat there all sad and empty.

 

You are right, two orpies in a cube need company soon , what do you have in mind?

 

Brought home a bluebelle and amber star at the weekend. They are in the Eglu

[Cooks]

and what a lovely Bluebelle and Amber Star they are too

[mostin]

Brought home a bluebelle and amber star at the weekend. They are in the Eglu

 

I've seen pictures of your new girls on the other thread, they look gorgeous . You could always wait and see which looks to be the most dominant pair, and then put that pair into the eglu before introduction time, so it gives the shyer coupler the upper hand in "owning" the cube. Play it by ear and see how it goes. Good luck. I always let my girls decide for me when it's time to introduce each other and I've never had any fights.

 

 

If that's the April rescue then I'm helping out at that one - imagine I'll be part of getting your new girls for you, mostin!

 

Hopefully it will be that one , how exciting is that . I've told them we have a trailer and depending on the sixe of the containers we may be able to store a few of them between rescues for them, as they said they had no storage space. They said they would let me know, so I may be involved in a future rescue too . Very nervous about getting them, but very, very excited.

 

I'm so happy you'll be there with my new girls 1st , you know we'll have the pumpkin back to you in a week so you'll have room for some ex-batts yourself .

[atsw]

Thank you all especially ANH and Andrew. I have been following this thread for a while, just showing OH bits and pieces but your 2 posts have ALMOST convinced OH that WIR would be a good idea (he thinks buying a cube is a bad idea ) we have identified a potential area and got a quote from Tony. the money will come off the bathroom budget.

If we have an eglu and 12ft x 6ft x 6ft run with eglu raised inside, how many girls could we realistically have. I would really like 6 - 8. They would get free range time but not for very long some days.

Thanks miffy, I'm glad you've enjoyed following my exploits and those of mostin, ANH and the others who have been building WiR's these last few weeks. From my prospective, it's wonderful reading everyone's comments and feedback, it's been great to feel everyone is so involved in my project!

 

To the question of chicken numbers, mostin has hit the nail on the head in her post, once you have a large WiR, the limiting factor on the number of chooks you can keep moves from the run size to the sleeping quarters. If you're sticking with an Eglu (like me), then it's a maximum of hour hens, perhaps a couple more if you're getting bantams.

 

I'd love at least a couple more chooks, but that would bring me up to five with my current girls, and with two big Orps in the flock, the head count will have to stay at three for now. OH did suggest upgrading to a cube at the weekend (without any prompting from me, I was quite taken aback), but I'd have to part with the Eglu to finance such an 'upgrade', and I'm not sure I want to part with the Eglu.

 

Andrew

[Cooks]

yes Andrew I know what you mean, I had to part with my to fund my it was horrible seeing it go.

[Falkor]

yes Andrew I know what you mean, I had to part with my to fund my it was horrible seeing it go.

 

And now Cookie is thinking Orps, you will need another

[Cooks]

I wish I could, but I think I will end up sticking with the 4 girls and lovling yours from afar.

[Falkor]

Pics of my WIR

 

 

 

The water butt was meant to go on the outside but I had gotten my measurments a bit wrong and wouldn`t of been able to get at the egg port.

 

The wooden ladder is only temp as I thought the Orps might prefer starting from ground level rather than having to get onto the cube ladder. However I have just spotted OSH putting herself to bed by flapping/hopping onto the ladder at cube height so NO excuses now.

 

There is a bit of painting to do and FIL is making frames for the grubs etc. I think I will add mesh to the Cube hole and just cut out a section for the door although the cube does sit flush.

 

It is two thirds slabbed inside and then just bare earth. Will see how this goes for a while and then may slab the rest. As they are out to free range all day everyday I think I will leave it as is but we shall see.

 

Just wanted to say a BIG THANKS to FIL and OH for all their work and for only arguing and swearing a tiny bit. And also a big thanks to ANH for starting this thread, It has really jollied my build on

[Cooks]

oh wow Em, That's looking great, so perfect for that bit of unused space

[mostin]

That looks fantastic Palmer 07 , your girls have a palace now

[Seagazer]

Lovely run Palmer 07

[Chickvic]

That's fab! Can't wait to get started on ours!

[RosemarysBaby]

Your WIR is looking brilliant well done you x

 

My WIR arrived today in panel form waiting for my brother to put it together for me so probably saturday but thought i would decorate it a bit with some home made plastic decorations had to cut a trug down to make it a bit more shallow and used the excess plastic to make some lovely love hearts for decoration my fingers hurt by time i had finished cutting them out. Picking up my girls pretty soon eeeeeeeeep so excited xxx

[Ain't Nobody Here]

That run looks fabulous . Love the water butt too .

 

I'm secretly hoping to fix my plastic roof and guttering on by myself (these men have all been very helpful putting my run up, but I want to do some of it all by myself ). Changed my mind on the direction and position of it all but itching to get going once the wind's died down .

 

I've been building an eglu table and a ladder out of an old pallet and old Omlet roosting bars. I shall report progress in a few days .

[Guest]

Palmer was wondering with all the nice weather when your Wir was imminently to be finished

It looks really nice and big and congratulations to the Team...

I like your big door and I am interested how you butted the cube up as thats what i had in mind..Lisa one of the other omleters I have seen some pics of her cube similarly parked up to the run. Exactly as i hope to do mine.

 

The rest of my wood arrived today (typical off most of sunny last week now its going to rain and I have got to work) SO will try to crack on with it end of this week prior to

 

I am debating whether its off to cambridge poultry or Thornes now for two more to join my when they turn up..but am reading your info on the introductions of new stock. So many locals here v pleased with Thornes..

 

Bet u are glad to have it all finished

 

indie

[Cooks]

the water butt is one thing I have to work as at the moment the rain water is going into the bush at the side I have to either remove the bush and replace with a waterbutt, which hubby doesn't want to do, or stick with it as it is and waste all that lovely rain water!

 

Indie if you want pictues step by step on how to do the butting up of cube just let me know I have some

[atsw]

On the Water Butt issue, I've just added some extra pictures here (scroll down a bit). I've tried to show how you can use the different joints, pipes, bends and connectors to get the water from your roof to the water butt. As you'll see in my pictures, the gutter on my run is at the rear, but the water butt is round the front and some way away from the itself run. It all seems to work well, as it rained yesterday (first time since construction) and I now have water in the water butt .

 

 

I got all the guttering bits from Wickes. It's their "Mini Fit" rage, which comes in either brown (what I used) or light grey.

 

Hope this helps

 

Andrew

[wiblick]

Hen run panels being delivered tomorrow, but OH says he's not assembling it until Easter weekend! has he no compassion for my nerves!? Anyway yay for the man in the shed company who took on the project.