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[freckledbeck]

Hi, Im Becky and I've been keeping chickens and ducks for about 8 years.

Our alloment association recently bought 3 eglu cubes to be used by plot holders. I have 4 ex batts on order from our local animal welfare centre, so I will be shortly keeping some ex batts in a cube! Hope they like it!

One of the eglu users is concerned that his chickens/eggs could be tampered with/stolen, so is there any way of locking the cubes to deter theives without damaging the cubes?

Many thanks in advance

Edited August 17, 2010 by Guest

[stehaggan]

Hi Becky,

 

I have a cube on my allotment plot. I got a lot of comments about how unsafe it would be but in general I was advised not to put chickens on the plot. But im glad I paid no attention and went ahead with it anyway . I built a WIR run for mine and put the cube inside it and then put wiring through the base (linked through the side panels underneath- so no damage) then padlocked it to the WIR. I have 4 padlocks on my WIR.

 

To be honest I think ive been a bit keen with the security as it looks like fort knocks - i'd have cctv on them if i could learn how to wire it up and record it hehe..

 

I love having the chickens on my plot. People always comment on how happy and healthy the girls seem. I regularly pull up to find people talking (yes talking) to them and feeding them bits of veg that they pull from their plots. I don't mind them feeding them bits, the girls seem eat their layers pellets in the morning so they get the nice treats in the afternoon. 6 Eggs from 6 girls isnt too bad with all that extra veg The yolks have a very strong yellow/orange colour which i think must be from all the fresh veg they get.

 

Ive had them just over 2 months and never had a problem with them. Everyone has embraced them and seem to like them. Good luck with it and enjoy.

 

P.s My chicken fencing should be arriving today from omlet fingers crossed, so that when im there i can let them out and section off areas of the plot to eat the weeds whilst im there .

 

hurry up omlet delivery man - my girls want to play in their new play pen hehe

[freckledbeck]

Thanks Stehaggan, Im glad to hear your experience has been trouble free so far!

Our cubes are in runs provided by omlet (with the extension) so putting padlocks on the runs isn't really on option, other than on the door.

Im fairly confident we wont encounter any problems, as the alloments are in a small village, not accessible except through a field, and are usually fairly busy. (although we only have 14 plots theres usually someone around!)

The plot holder in question suggested drilling through the cube house to enable locks to be put on (sealing any gaps with mastic) but I think this will damage the cube, look ugly and won't be effective anyway as the cubes are plastic so fairly easy to damage.

One of the reasons we decided on ex batts is they would be an unlikely target for theives, and they should be in heaven, even when confined to the run, after their awful start in life.

[freckledbeck]

Sorry nearly forgot what's a WIR?!!!

[stehaggan]

no worries, its a walk in run, basically a huge cage built around the chicken housing to stop things getting in or out.

 

I did consider getting ex batts myself but having never had chickens before i thought i best not to start with to ensure i know how to care for them properly.

 

I dont know what to suggest really, i didnt want to damage mine, hence the WIR.

 

I personally think they will be fine to be honest. There are people on my plot with ex batts and some with show birds and nowhere near as much security as me and they havent had any problems what so ever.

 

Your very lucky getting 3 cubes for your plot. I hope they are all funky colours to brighten the place up

[Old Speckled Hen]

One of the eglu users is concerned that his chickens/eggs could be tampered with/stolen

Many thanks in advance

 

I hate to say this but I'd be more worried about thieves taking the cubes, never mind the chooks.

Somebody in a nearby village had his stolen from his back garden while he was away on holiday.

If your association has the funds to pay for three cubes and runs might I suggest that if funds allow you forgo the runs saving over £200 per cube and have a secure, heavy duty fenced run built into which the cube goes, as stehaggan has suggested.

[freckledbeck]

Thanks to both of you!

As the cubes are on the plot holders plots, a WIR (thanks stehaggen!) would probably take up too much room, plus I like the idea of moving the run to enable my girls to have fresh grass. The cube + run is such a great design! Like a big wheelbarrow. I was playing today when we got the girls back, there was me, my daughter and two of a plot holders children in the run with our new girls! Fantastic!! (I was sat on the grass lol)

Ex batts are good for beginners as they are generally docile and easy to handle. Another bonus is they have been vaccinated and are good layers of large eggs. The downsides are they aren't as 'pretty' as pure breeds, they don't tend to live as long and they seem to be more stupid! (sorry if that offends anyone, its just my experience of ex batts! )

Our new girls didnt go to bed themselves tonight, so I put them in the house when it started to get dark. I hope they learn how to go to bed themselves? (The last lot of ex batts I had would never go into the house by themselves, it was a nightly routine to pick them up and pop them in their house, but that is much bigger - a smiths 'mackworth,' (and the girls were free ranging) so perhaps thats why they never got the hang of it?!)

We did discuss the risk of the cubes being stolen, but our plots will have insurance soon, so even if the worst does happen (& I hope it wont) we should be insured. Also we have some large pegs we can use to secure the run/cube, but I havent pushed them in yet as I dont know how easy it will be to remove them when I want to move to a new bit of grass! The 3 cubes are not all mine, one is for me, one for the person who wants to drill locks on, and one for the school to use.

We are hoping none of the local foxes will be able to get into the girls while there is no one around..........

[freckledbeck]

PS. All the cubes are green as we thought they would attract less attention that way!

I would have loved a red one though................

[stehaggan]

Aww sounds good glad there settling in ok

 

I am thinking my next addition to the chicken family will be ex-batts now ive got used to having chickens. If you are worried about foxes, b and q and ebay sell sonic scarers, ive got one. They dont interfer with humans or chickens but should scare off foxes and cats - i've not seen any lingering around near mine so far

 

good luck

 

green is nice and neutral but i like a bit of colour hence my array of shades