How can I find my old pictures?

[Budgies]

Some of you will have read that we very sadly had to have both our little ladies put to sleep last week, both suffering with different problems.

 

I'm still reeling in all honesty, but cannot imagine my garden without chickens any more!

 

We've been advised by our vet to follow DEFRA guidelines and to assume that maybe one of them had an infectious illness (she suspected infectious bronchitis caught from a wild bird in one of my girls) so we have to disinfect everything and not get more chickens for a month.

 

In many ways it gives us a good chance to prepare ourselves for our second lot of girls.

 

We only had two in the regular Omlet run and they were always great friends and got on famously. I'd love three (if one gets sick there are still two to keep each other company) but am wondering if pecking and bullying is more likely with three.

 

Can you tell me your experiences please to help me decide what to do next?

 

Many thanks in advance

 

Budgie xx

[Patricia W]

We have 3 bantams, but they free range most of the time. If we had to keep them in, I'd put the extension on- which we have but have never used.

 

I'd certainly get 3 on the basis that if one goes, you don't have a lonely singleton.

 

Tricia

[Chickvic]

I had 3 in the standard run, they were fine. They did free range every day for a couple of hours at least and we never had a pecking or bullying problem. I'm glad we had 3 because Pearl died in January and Opal and Ruby still have each other.

[Jules.]

3

[katieadams]

We have 3 in but we were advised to give them an extension as we were going to keep them in there all the time - that didn't last long and they're freeranging and eating my veg beds every day now I just follow them round every two minutes with a shovel so my two daughters don't step in anything I wish they hadn't!!!

[southernchicken]

I also have 3 girls in my , they do free range late afternoon though.

 

I must confess .......... I have just collected an extension so they can have more space during pen time, but they do seem happy in their standard run

 

have you considered getting 3 of smaller breeds ?

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I had 3 in an eglu with run plus extension. They seemed happy enough even on days they didn't get out to freerange and I never had any problems with pecking or bullying .

[alih]

I had 3 in a run with converter (or extension) and they wre happy as anything

[Egluntyne]

I'd go for three too. If there is plenty of free ranging, they should be fine.

 

I had 3 ex-batts in a Mark 1 Eglu for a few months before they were integrated into the flock, and they were fine.

[TAJ]

I have had three happy hens in an Eglu with a standard run, but lots of free ranging.

 

Tracy

[Budgies]

Wow, thanks you lovely lot!!

 

I think we're being swayed by the prospect of three, but probably with the converter.

 

I always let them out to free range for some period of time each day whenever I could (which was most days) but realistically in the winter that's not so much fun for them or me!

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences, it's all very helpful.

[tania]

3 beautiful girls and an Eglu. We do have the Eglu in a large electrified fenced run as well as free ranging. 3's not a crowd with ours and they are all great friends.