Single hen

[fog_horn_leghorn]

Hello to everyone.

I've been on a poultry forum and said I'm getting an Eglu (NOT CUBE) and that I would like 3 Gingernut rangers to house. Someone has suggested that the Eglu is a bit small for 3 Gingernuts.

 

Can someone put my mind at rest one way or another please?

 

Thanks

Phil.

[Busybird]

Welcome to the forum!

 

I got my Eglu and run with extension 14 months ago along with three Gingernut Rangers from Omlet.

 

There is plenty of room in the Eglu for at least three girls. They like to snuggle up together at night so have loads of room.

 

The run with extension gives them a square metre each which I believe is the minimum recommended for free range chickens. I let them out to roam the garden for a couple of hours most days but I don't believe this is necessary although obviously the girls enjoy the freedom.

 

Are you getting your chickens with the Eglu? You must be so excited - good luck and enjoy

[cluckbok]

Welcome to the forum

 

Oh they are probably anti-eglu! I wouldn't take any notice. You can actually comfortably get 4 hybrids (gingernuts etc) in an eglu. There's also less chance of red mite too. We have 3 in ours with no problems. 3 chooks is a nice number.

[fog_horn_leghorn]

Yep, sorry I didnt make it clear. I'm getting the run with it also!!

 

My main reason for an Eglu was ease of cleaning/moving around the garden and they are less prone to pests, if they do get pests they have less nooks and crannys to hide from a powerhose and specific treatments required. Plus a wooden coop needs treating with preservative every other year. IMO (in my opinion) it's a great design which has a longer potential life due to it being plastic. Plus a better potentail for resale in years to come maybe. In the long run I fell the Eglu is better TCO (total cost of ownership).

 

Big thumbs up to the designer. It's opened up keeping chickens for people who otherwise wouldnt be able to.

 

Thanks for putting my mind at rest regarding if 3 Gingernuts were to much for an Eglu with run. I cant wait to get them on Friday ..... I've even asked the breader if she has other Hybrids for sale, maybe 1 gingernut and 2 other types ... if they get on with each other ....

 

Cheers

Phil.

[Omletina Kyckling]

They will be fine - a lot of people on here have two Eglus and 7 or 8 chickens and they often find 7 in one Eglu and one in the other. I have 9 girls in a cube and 6 sleep in the nesting box!! There is an Eglu available for them also, but they choose to snuggle up together (good news for me because it means I am going to buy another 3 next month!!)

 

Welcome to the mad world of chickens by the way!!!

[tania]

Hi there. We have 3 chooks in our Eglu. 2 Gingernuts and 1 Miss Pepperpot. There's lots of room and they all seem to sleep on top of each other anyway. I've also had negative comments from someone about the space but everyone else has been 100% positive. There's alway one!

 

Good luck and have fun.

[Willow]

I kept 5 in one eglu for a long time (they free range daily) and there was still plenty of space in there. The main limitation on how many you can keep together in an eglu is the run size if they are not let out to free range.

[Egluntyne]

Plenty of room in the Eglu for three Gingernuts, which are averaged sized hens. You might eventually want to add to the run. Easily done. IF they free range for long periods there might be no need though.

 

Big thumbs up to the designer. It's opened up keeping chickens for people who otherwise wouldn't be able to.

 

Hear hear.

[Guest]

Hi

Yes I am gathering information prior to my cube arriving and I have found that external to this forum there are the traditionalists who sell birds and housing who do not like Omlet products. I had a forsham wooden house previously for 5 years(burnt at 10 with rat holes etc) and it was covered in woodworm and soaked up whatever was produced etc etc..It was ok to clean no probs but I am glad I am going for the plastic fantastic this time round...am looking forward to it not rotting as well. I would still recommend Forsham as it was v well built.

 

I was even told by one poultry supplier to cancel my which will put me off going to him in future(sour grapes)!!

 

I would imagine some wooden companies have lost a lot of business to omlet

 

Go for it...most of the feedback on here is superb and I am longing for my to turn up..

 

good luck u will get some good advice on this forum from experienced keepers

indie

[The Dogmother]

They'll fit, no problem.

 

On the mites front... I spoke to a lady the other evening who had endless battles with red mite and lice and was keeping her flock in various sheds. The problem being that although she treated her birds, the lice and mites remained in the wooden coops however carefully she cleaned them, and then re-infested the birds.

 

She now plans to buy two cubes and torch the sheds

[Nicola O]

I kept 5 in one eglu for a long time (they free range daily) and there was still plenty of space in there. The main limitation on how many you can keep together in an eglu is the run size if they are not let out to free range.

 

Me too. Had five in together for a while and there was more than enough room. They love to snuggle up so they take up a lot less room than you'd think .

 

Nicola

[fog_horn_leghorn]

It's great to get good feedback re numbers in an Eglu with run. Claret you've hit the nail on the head with your commnets about mites in the woodwork. Thats half the reason I'm going for an Eglu. I just dont want the hassle of mite after mite infestation and always wondering "did I get them all". The more you wash a wooden coop the less lifetime it has etc.

 

I had worried about the Eglu having condensation issues but then read it was double walled. So no worries of that.

 

Plastic fantastic all the way!

 

Thanks Everyone. Now I may just get 4

[BarbaraJ]

i've had a wooden coop and now have a cbe, no comparason. My coop was home made so not that easy to clean and got damp in it (in all that awful wet weather we had)so was not sorry to see it go they are expensive and hubby nearly had a fit when i told him how much but he has 4 motorbikes with all the expense that goes with that so hasn't got a leg to stand on lol

the only dissadvantage is the cube has 5 chickens in and theres loads of room but i'm not allowed more!!!

 

 

 

at the moment lol!!

[Helly Welly]

Welcome to the mad world of chickens!! You will get people who are anti-Eglu but ignore them. It's a brilliant product and i can't imagine it ever needing replacing. There are no condensation worries. We started out with three gingernuts in a red eglu with the standard run and they were perfectly happy. Be warned, this chicken malarky is highly contagious, i was up to ten chickens within 2 years!!

[muzzie]

If your hens will free range that will be fine if they are confined to the standard run all day it is to small for 4 hens it is the run size not the eglu where you will have a problem. Fights start when they are to close and get bored. I love my eglus and have just ordered a cube as well they are great to keep clean. I wouldn't have chickens without them. Good Luck and enjoy them, they are a lot of fun.

 

 

 

It's great to get good feedback re numbers in an Eglu with run. Claret you've hit the nail on the head with your commnets about mites in the woodwork. Thats half the reason I'm going for an Eglu. I just dont want the hassle of mite after mite infestation and always wondering "did I get them all". The more you wash a wooden coop the less lifetime it has etc.

 

I had worried about the Eglu having condensation issues but then read it was double walled. So no worries of that.

 

Plastic fantastic all the way!

 

Thanks Everyone. Now I may just get 4

[Hen Watch]

Thanks Everyone. Now I may just get 4

 

I have 4 hybrids in an eglu - absolutely no problem at all.

 

But for 4 you do need to order the converter to add an extra 1m to the standard run.

 

Never had mites (touch wood) and never had condensation or any problem at all with my and I've had it 2 yrs now.

[Angels4]

It's great to get good feedback re numbers in an Eglu with run. Claret you've hit the nail on the head with your commnets about mites in the woodwork. Thats half the reason I'm going for an Eglu. I just dont want the hassle of mite after mite infestation and always wondering "did I get them all". The more you wash a wooden coop the less lifetime it has etc.

 

I had worried about the Eglu having condensation issues but then read it was double walled. So no worries of that.

 

Plastic fantastic all the way!

 

Thanks Everyone. Now I may just get 4

 

I've had four in my Eglu for almost a year with just the standard run, the girls were allowed to free range a majority of the time during the summer and into early winter (BS=before snow) with NO problems or ill effect, with the amount of snow we had this winter the girls were hardly ever let out of the run, and I have felt terrible, I think they now have a combination of a moult and some serious feather picking due to "cabin fever" luckily they haven't drawn blood, but they do look a mess. I'm glad the warmer weather has arrived and they will have the opportunity to free range on a more regular basis.

[fog_horn_leghorn]

Once again thanks for everyones comments! The Eglu arrived to day while I was at work. Picking up 3 chooks tomorrow eveing. Cant wait

 

Phil.