Eglu cube or go up with 2m run

[joza2210]

Hello,

I live in england and i have been keeping sebrights for a couple of months now and I really love them!

For the winter I am going to bring them in the house ...

But I don't know when ... I was thinking the middle of October to about beginning of Febuary?

Any other ideas ? (I know it will depend on the weather but just a rough guideline)

Also I was going to make a triangular run with a wooden floor to keep them in ...

Something like this but a bit bigger :

 

Will this be ok ?

 

Thanks

Josh

[Redwing]

Hi Josh

 

Sorry I forgot to reply to your pm..

 

Do you have a shed or something they can be housed in over winter? they dont really need to be indoors just somewhere that is very sheltered

 

A run with sheltered sides and top would also be ok, the end left free would be good enough

 

Or a very large rabbit hutch

 

The problem with having them indoors is that the run would need to be at least 3 x 4 or 2 x 6 really

 

The other thing to consider is the smell

[joza2210]

Hi Josh

 

Sorry I forgot to reply to your pm..

 

Do you have a shed or something they can be housed in over winter? they dont really need to be indoors just somewhere that is very sheltered

 

A run with sheltered sides and top would also be ok, the end left free would be good enough

 

Or a very large rabbit hutch

 

The problem with having them indoors is that the run would need to be at least 3 x 4 or 2 x 6 really

 

The other thing to consider is the smell

 

I agree the smell would be bad ... Even the chicks are bad enough

The house they are in now has a small gap ... And the run has a roof on so if i got something like a see through plastic sheet and put it round the house and the run and just leave the end so there is enough air ?

Also would it be a good idea to add teddys inside the house ?

 

Thanks

[joza2210]

Also i was reading that ... "Restricted ventilation also causes ammonia build-up in the air, which is very bad for chickens, which have weak lungs. Not to mention that shut-up houses are darker than they should be. Open-front houses work better."

 

So the little gap on the house do you think i should just leave that but still put the door there to keep a bit of warmth there ?

[little brown hen]

Why are you bringing them indoors? So long as they have a good coop, and you said they have a covered run, they should be fine outside. Chickens suffer more with the heat than the cold. If you're worried about the cold you could shelter them with tarpaulin, but they are little feathery duvet, and shouldn't feel the cold. Some people give them pellets or porridge oats mixed with warm water in the morning or evening. The one thing you might need is calandula cream for their combs so they don't get frost bite. My girls went through the last winter well, they paddled in the snow and ate it!

Henrietta got frostbite, and the cream cured it and she kept her comb. So don't worry, they'll be fine outside.

[joza2210]

Why are you bringing them indoors? So long as they have a good coop, and you said they have a covered run, they should be fine outside. Chickens suffer more with the heat than the cold. If you're worried about the cold you could shelter them with tarpaulin, but they are little feathery duvet, and shouldn't feel the cold. Some people give them pellets or porridge oats mixed with warm water in the morning or evening. The one thing you might need is calandula cream for their combs so they don't get frost bite. My girls went through the last winter well, they paddled in the snow and ate it!

Henrietta got frostbite, and the cream cured it and she kept her comb. So don't worry, they'll be fine outside.

 

Thanks very much !

And i know about the frost bite i use vasaline ...

I was going to bring them in as i show them and i just had a thought that the winter would damage their feathers for the show in november - but obviously not ... (They have both just moulted)

 

Thanks For Your Help

[joza2210]

Also a person i know is saying he keeps them locked up in a shed and does not let them out because he lost his sebrights last winter so i dont know what to do ...

[Tweety]

Hi Josh, My Sebrights live in a stable with my other girls, and they slept out of the eglu the whole of last winter, even when it was absolutely freezing, and came to no harm. The stable is open at one end, with a secure run attached to that end, so it was extremely cold even with 3 walls and a roof, but they had the choice to roost in the open or snuggled up with the other hens and chose the open option!

[joza2210]

Hi Josh, My Sebrights live in a stable with my other girls, and they slept out of the eglu the whole of last winter, even when it was absolutely freezing, and came to no harm. The stable is open at one end, with a secure run attached to that end, so it was extremely cold even with 3 walls and a roof, but they had the choice to roost in the open or snuggled up with the other hens and chose the open option!

 

Thanks ... I might just leave the gap in the house for ventilation ... And cover some of the run up with a plastic sheet and lock them in at night ... Thanks again

[Lewis]

I'd get a clear glass tarp or Ikea shower curtains, to cover the run Josh

 

Have a look on ebay for both