2009 Omlet cube and run for sale

[Chuckov]

Can anyone please answer some questions for me about using the Eglu for the actual hatching?

 

Bought the small bird conversion kit, but now see it's only suitable from 10 days onwards. Have a happy broody sat on her eggs in the Eglu nesting box so had assumed there wouldn't be any problem with them being in there.

 

We've moved out the other chuck and put her in a temporary rabbit hutch inside the pen as the broody was getting very anxious about her being in there - but outside the Eglu run - so broody has some space and peace and quiet.

 

Reluctant to move her out now she's sitting, and tbh have nowhere to move her to unless I hatch the chicks out in the rabbit hutch and put the other chucks back in the Eglu! but v worried about splayed legs - what should I do for the best? If I put some non slip matting down on top of the conversion kit, would that work? What about the slopes up the side of the nesting box?

 

Has anyone hatched out in the Eglu before - do you have any advice? Thanks

[Redwing]

I'd fit the kit, put a good layer of bedding over it and move the broody and chicks from the nestbox to the main part of the Eglu that way the chicks dont have to negotiate the nest box lip

 

If you hook her off to eat and drink once a day move the eggs during that time, she will find them when she returns to the Eglu and should settle down on them, if she doesnt then shut her in the Eglu with the eggs for ten mins or so

 

or move the whole broody and eggs all in one go at night

 

she should be fine there

 

Good luck

[Chuckov]

Thanks Tasha - sounds like it'd work in principle - haven't fitted the kit yet so not sure how iit goes in exacxtly but based on the instructions it looks like there's nothing to stop the eggs rolling out the Eglu door, so perhaps need to look at making some kind of lip to go across the entrance?

[Redwing]

if you have bedding in there the eggs shouldnt roll away, put the eggs in a shallow dip - but a small lip wont do any harm if you are really worried

[Egluntyne]

I've used the Eglu for hatching. The chicks managed well. I removed the roosting bars and put plenty of Aubiose in, and used a brick as a doostep.

[Lewis]

I've used the Eglu for hatching. The chicks managed well. I removed the roosting bars and put plenty of Aubiose in, and used a brick as a doostep.

Ditto

 

Blocked off the nest box with the small roosting bars and filled it with bedding, too

[The Dogmother]

I always use an eglu too, just be sure to wire kickboards or fine mesh along the bottom 6" of the run mesh. They can easily get their heads through for cats to grab one of my most recent chicks got its head stuck and ended up with a nasty injury.

[Chuckov]

Great to hear of successful hatches in the Eglu - thank you!

 

Hopefully we'll fit the kit tonight if it doesn't rain! YOu are supposed to put the converter kit over the top of the roosting bars - but I think we kept our old wooden ones so can easily pop the smaller ones over the door. The kit comes with some plastic 'kick boards'to put along the length of the Eglu run so that the chicks can't get stuck in the holes.

[Chuckov]

Well, we managed the hatch inside the Eglu pretty well...this is how we did it in case anyone else thinking of doing it in the future! Was mostly concerned about how slippy the converter kit base is - it's not designed for very young chicks, so we needed to make some modifications.

 

On top of the Eglu Converter Kit, we also purchased the following (from the Pound Shop)

 

2 x rectangular non-slip shower mats

1 x big car washing sponge

 

First, we cut the non slip shower mats to size so that they covered the flat areas created by installing the converter kit, and then stuck them on sucker-side down. We were left with a square bit of shower mat.

 

Then we put the sponge into the nesting box part, cutting it into a round shape so that it fitted snugly. This has the effect of making the nesting box less deep. We then put the remaining bit of shower mat over the top of the sponge, and then filled the whole lot with wood shavings. We let the broody hatch the chicks out in the shallow nesting box, and because it's shallow they can get in and out easily.

 

We then stood a chick feeder and water thing inside the Eglu and had the ideal hatching box!

 

The only problem is that when you have the converter kit installed you can't actually shut the door properly - it's open a crack and the chicks keep getting in and out! If I were to feed anything back to Eglu it would be that it needs to be just a few mm shorter. Also, if the converter kit could be rubberized on one side then it'd probably be suitable from birth onwards.

[The Dogmother]

All good feedback Chuckov, why not pass it onto quin@omlet.co.uk