Used Omlet outdoor rabbit run Width 2.2m Height 2.05m Length 3.1m vgc.

[wiltshiremum]

Hi guys

 

Well I am so excited! We have our 2nd hand eglu and are planning on getting the hens the weekend after next. Our garden is small so we are planning on following the Omlet recommendations for making a woodchipped area as a permanent site for our eglu.

 

However I am confused! (not difficult to be fair!). Should the run skirting be on top of the woodchips (easy to bury under and difficult to fix down surely?!), or should the skirting be underneath the chippings? But will this prevent us from opening the run door/soil tray?

 

We have heavy clay soil - shall I peg the run down with tent pegs? I have seen posts about putting slabs under the eglu - is this just under the house bit or the run as well?

 

In general how safe is an eglu on any surface without being pegged or weighed down? I think I have worried myself as whilst trying to find out the answers to these questions I have come across a number of sad posts/photos where people have lost their hens to burrowing animals. Now I am worrying and I haven't even got the hens yet!

 

Thanks in anticipation of your replies

[Plum]

Hello welcome

 

You can try several things but what quite a few of us have done is just put the woodchip inside the run then put some lawnedging, bricks or something like that against the run side to stop it being kicked out.

 

Pegs will hold it down or slabs. Heavy clay can get wet but if you cover the run with the shades or some clear shower curtains held on with bungees the soil may stay fine, otherwise slabbing the whole run helps. My cube run was on slabs because I'm on clay and the run was at the bottom of a steep slope.

 

You've probably got to experiment and work through the options.

[wiltshiremum]

Thanks for the reply Plum. Great to get some advice from someone experienced in the way of the eglu!

 

The reason I was thinking of woodchipping an area rather than just inside was that we a taking out a flower bed to make way for the eglu, and then I thought I would continue the woodchip area up the side of the (short) garden and around my daughters' trampoline. However you have got me thinking now! - So many options, and I guess as you say I need to try a few before I find out what is right for me and my hens

 

You mentioned using brick or slabs to weight down the sides of the run which sounds like a better idea than pegs to me. I have realised I have a load of cotswold stone in a pile at the end of the garden - that is very heavy and could look good arranged round the skirting of the run. The previous owner of our house had the stone as a rockery in the front garden which we removed to put in raised veggie beds! Got to make the best use of space when you've only got a small patch!

 

Thanks again for sharing your advice and piccie. It's so useful to see what others have done

[Plum]

Don't forget to show us yours when it's done. Every garden needs spare stone or bricks, my bricks have been so useful