4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[*mummy_hen*]

I am trying to decide whether to add to my chicken flock! I now only have one girl left along with my 2 ducks. The plan was to originally integrate the ducks and chicken but this has failed...they are ok out freeranging together to a degree but i could never keep them enclosed together and ocassionally resort to segregating the garden should Florence be in one of her bullying moods.

 

The plan was always to integrate them and then get more girls...now it looks like they may never live in total harmony. My current situation is the ducks are in the massive WIR and Florence is in the eglu and run on her own. OH is going to extend the WIR and split in two so that Florence can move back into the WIR with her eglu. (are you still with me)

 

I am considering buying a cube with run and setting this up as it's own accomodation and getting some more girls. I could then introduce Florence to them whilst free ranging but it would be no big deal if she chose to stay in her own run/house permanently. If she did mix with the new hens they could all live in the cube and i would have the eglu spare.

 

My other problem is....my 4 girls used to holiday at my mums in the eglu...Florence can still do this and i can even transport the ducks. If i add more girls am i going to mess up my holiday arrangements? Worst case scenario could i dismantle the cube? My mum has the house but not the run so not sure how feasible this would be....it would only be once or twice a year so not very often.

 

My question omleteers is....should i do it, or am i asking for more trouble? Our garden isn't massive and i don't want to have to resort to having no garden left as i have 3 seperate areas!!

[Plum]

You definately need some more chickens but why not just get two so they can still holiday at your mum's in the eglu. I suppose you can dismantle a cube, but it will take an hour or more to reassemble. You are making me feel tired thinking of it.

 

There's lots of good advice I'm sure you have seen about integrating chickens and have confidence you could do it. (says she who has never tried )

[chelsea]

mmm,

 

I think if it were me I would get 2 more hens and stick with the eglu. You can transport the eglu easily in the car. For holiday reasons we bought a spare reconditioned run direct from Omlet - kept the run over my sisters and just took the eglu there when she had the chooks.

 

The cube can be dismantled but it is big and I think I would get fed up doing it after a while every holiday.

 

Decisions decisions!!

[Redwing]

I hate to say it but if it was me I would move the Eglu in to the WIR add two chickens and ether build the Ducks a small run of their own or re-home them

 

After all you bought the ducks as company for the chicken while you couldnt have any more, this has not proved to be sucessful so I would let the chicken and her new friends take priority and have their run back as is

[tom123]

I hate to say it but if it was me I would move the Eglu in to the WIR add two chickens and ether build the Ducks a small run of their own or re-home them

 

After all you bought the ducks as company for the chicken while you couldnt have any more, this has not proved to be sucessful so I would let the chicken and her new friends take priority and have their run back as is

 

Sorry to say, but I agree. They were a short term fix. I am sure you love them but you would probably rather have your lovely WIR back and more hens with the eglu.

 

I would happily have your ducks if you were going to rehome them

 

Good Luck

Tom

[*mummy_hen*]

I couldn't get rid of my duckies...they have currently snuck into the kitchen and are pecking about....i don't know what it is with my animals but they all seem to prefer to be in the house than outside

They can tolerate each other....it just didn't end as well as it could have! I think the ducks are just too small to be honest!

 

Will keep thinking about more girls....