Eglu cube or go up with 2m run

[Debby Tutton]

I have an Eglu Mk2 but I have 4 hens and an overcrowding problem.

 

It appears that there is a point when 2 hens need to lay at the same time. This has resulted in one of the girls being forced into "doing her duty" in the grass (after first digging a huge hole). It seems that she has then broken the egg (by mistake or otherwise) and eaten the contents. I have found one hole with what looks like solidified egg yolk and a broken shell in the nesting box from another day.

 

I was thinking of cleaning the droppings tray and taking out the long roosting bar and replacing it with straw when I get them up in the morning but then putting things back after I get all the eggs.

 

Does anyone else have this problem and has anyone tried this ?

 

Does anyone know if a second girl will enter the Eglu while one is laying or is this taboo in chook world ?

 

I realise that the egg eating issue will need to be addressed quickly and I plan to check every 30 mins for the next few days. If a girl is laying I will have to get a good book, wait and pounce when I think the time is right. I think I may be in for a whole lotta waiting.

 

Any advice on either issue would be gratefully received.

[Patricia W]

I have a cube and an eglu and in both cases, the nest box is not shared. I sometimes have a queue for the cube nestbox ( where there is room for two) and there is a lot of shouting " hurry up- I'm crossing my legs" type shouting. Luckily apart from that they seem to take it in turns.

 

You could try a cat carrier or even a cardboard box in the eglu run and see if that works.

 

Tricia

[Margaret]

I now use a pet carrier as well,

Only problem is.......

They all now lay in the pet carrier

Lovely clean Eglu though

[Debby Tutton]

Mmm, Pet carrier ...

 

Do you mean the wicker basket type providing lots of privacy ? The ones I have are like metal wire cubes with lots of ventilation and visibility.

 

I could try to get my hands on something wicker and bucket shaped ?

 

A wicker rubbish bin perhaps ?

[bronze]

As its dry in the run I use the cardboard box beer comes in. Then just chuck and replace

[Margaret]

Wicker might get a bit pooey,

Plastic from pets at home or similar about £15.00,

Put some news paper and Auboise in the bottom, easy to clean and happy hens.

Well until they change their minds and only want to lay in the shed but thats another story

[Debby Tutton]

Just emptied "ever patient hubbys" beer box and prepared it for the run first thing tomorrow Not sure if he'll notice.

 

I'll keep an eye out for plastic pet carriers but Pets at Home is rather a long way off and it would probably work out cheaper to buy a new cube from Omlet.fr

 

Fingers crossed for the next few days.

 

Any idea how long I should be on Patrol over the egg eating issue ? Are we talking days, weeks or months ?

[Lewis]

You can get plastic carriers on ebay + online, if they'll deliver to you?

[Debby Tutton]

Good thinking - I'll give it a go.

 

Cheers

[Tutti Frutti]

Argos is cheaper at £9.99 but you might find other places cheaper still... Oh just found another for £9.99 in Tescos, £5 delivery (I think) to your home or free delivery to your local Tesco Direct collection store.

[JS1]

One of my ex-batts goes through phases of egg-eating. I've tackled it by putting a china egg in the nesting box (so she pecks it and it hurts) and by checking for eggs more frequently so they aren't hanging around and to break the habit. I know roughly when my girls lay so it's a matter of popping out when I reckon there'll be eggs! It's working at the moment (touch wood) but I think there are probably threads which have more info on things like making mustard eggs etc to put them off. Someone wrote on one thread that they're more likely to do it if they can see the eggs, so hopefully an extra (and dark!) nesting box will do the trick for you.

[Lulabellx1]

Never tried this but I've heard that it works...

 

Hollow out an egg and fill it with mustard. When she pecks at it and goes to eat it she will get a very unpleasant taste and hopefully it will put her off.

 

Good luck, hope it works x

[bridgy chooks]

Never tried the mustard either but my friend has and she said it worked - think it took a couple of attempts to stop her though!

 

Just a thought on the nest box front, I'm thinking about getting one of these when I get my new girls in a few weeks:

http://www.chicken-house.co.uk/acatalog/Single_rollway_plastic_nest_box.html

 

Not sure if they're any good though

 

(sorry if they've been mentioned before)

[Debby Tutton]

They look really good.

 

I am trying the beer box at the moment and checking them every 30 mins.

 

If they use the beer box I think they will adjust to the separate nesting box. I will let you know how I get on.

 

In the meantime - let's hope they like Kronenburg

[Debby Tutton]

Had to give up on the beer box - they were terrified of it.

 

I currently have 3 hens crammed in the nest getting very hot and bothered.

 

Perhaps I should start working on my dearly beloved for an upgrade to a cube ? For the sake of the girls of course

[Cinnamon]

Thats one solution.......

It works really well actually,the dual sized nest box in the Cube

[Toots]

Thats one solution.......

It works really well actually,the dual sized nest box in the Cube

 

the only problem is that you fill it with more girls and the overcrowding happens again! chicken maths will get you eventually!

[Debby Tutton]

I am travelling to England in July and may arrange to get one then. Taking a HUGE trailer so hubby can cut back on his toys (sorry tools). I understand the cubes are fairly flat pack and so won't take up much space.

 

Good news though - got 4 healthy eggs today and all in one piece

 

Felt a bit like a cell guard watching them, bit of an invasion of privacy I feel

 

Will start on hubby tonight - his fave dinner.