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

[bideford14]

I have two adult chickens(bought from Omlet) in a small Eglu.

one is broody and I would like to put some fertile eggs under her.

 

Do I need to separate her from her companion. If so when, and how as I do not want another Eglu at this stage?

 

I plan to use the small bird kit in the eglu eventually, but what about the other adult?

[Lewis]

You will need to separate her from the other hen, yes.

Maybe you could use a rabbit hutch, or a large cardboard box/dog crate?

 

If it were me I'd buy another chicken to introduce to the new chicken so that she has a friend, but that would possibly mean getting another 2 and another temporary cage.

 

You will have to think about what you will do with the chicks and cockerels too, as they will need a place to live once hatched and grown up.

[bideford14]

Thanks for the advice.

 

When do I separate the adults as they are getting on fine at the moment, and the non-broody one spends most of the day roaming the garden?

[Tara.F]

when you set her on the eggs, you do so in a separate broody coop.

As mentioned though, this would leave your one remaining hen alone and desperately lonely It will take three weeks to hatch the eggs and a further five or six for the broody to raise them. Then it'll be quite a few more weeks before the chicks are big enough to go in with the big girls!

So you'll need separate accommodation for the chicks for about four or five months, a friend for the lonely chook for two and a half months and homes for the cockerels (or the capability to neck them).

[bideford14]

Thankyou Tara.

 

That makes it very clear that this is a huge undertaking even with an Eglu for four and a broody hen!

 

I have a home for the cockerels as the local free range poultry farm who supply fertile eggs will take cockerels back.

 

My neighbour may take my solitary hen with his flock for a few months, if they would accept her ( they are battery rescue hens) which would leave my garden and the Eglu ,complete with small bird adaptation, free for mum and chicks.

 

Has anyone else raised chicks who bought the original starter kit of Eglu and two hens?

 

I would love to hear of their experiences and how they have coped.