Bramble Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I am really regretting not ordering a "Go" when they were on special at Christmas, but I didn't ... Anyway, the idea was to have one as a "spare" for poorlies/newbies etc but it woudl be quite expensive just for a spare (my big fear is that I'll fill it with new chucks and then be back at square one with no "spare" again ) I "only" have an eglu classic at the mo ... What do you all do/have? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckmum6 Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 (edited) I have an Eglu and Forsham ark as spares, the cube is home. I had intended using it for my guinea pigs, when the chicks grew, and I did for a bit, but one of my elderly pigs died in the cold. So my remaining pig is now in the laundry room in an indoor cage and likely to stay there. I am storing the Eglu. The Forsham I got cheap for £25, and this is my emergency coop/broody coop. I think it is wise to have a spare, it could even be a cheap rabbit hutch. If you intend to hatch chicks then maybe a second hand Eglu might be worth getting. Edited January 5, 2011 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JS1 Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I have a wooden house and Eglu (intended for introductions and hospital if required) but I know that's a bit spoilt! I started with a wooden house and three chickens (it's quite a big wooden house). Then when I decided six months later to get some ex-batts, I bought an Eglu classic with extended run to use for introductions/quarantine etc. Intros took longer than anticipated and, even when they were all free-ranging together, the ex-batts still slept in the Eglu and the original girls in the wooden house (three in each). When ex-batt Agatha got ill, I isolated her in the Eglu and run and moved all the others into the wooden house together. Now there are four in the wooden house and I plan to get four chickens in spring, which, again, will go into the Eglu for the first couple of months. Once they can all be housed together, I'm thinking of more ex-batts, either in the autumn or next spring. I sort of see my Eglu as a staging house, I suppose, although it's terribly tempting to fill it, as you say! Other people use a guinea pig or rabbit hutch or even a cat or dog basket, so there's no need to splash out if you don't want to! I do find it handy, though (post crossed with chuckmum6!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chestnutmare Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Bramble - *sings* - today's offffeeeeeerrrrr! Go for it and have millions of chickens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docsquid Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Bramble, obviously if you ask on here, the answer is going to be "Yes". A lot of us started out with one hen house and then migrated to two and more, and a WIR, and a broody coop and.....lots more chickens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brambles Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Spare eglus go with the name - see my sig! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing cloud Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Setting a very bad example here, I started off with and bought for intros, only then there was a bargain , so I ended up with all three . I had considered selling the but was really glad I'd kept it when I adopted the latest three just before xmas, as it was far too cold and snowy to put them straight out in the and I was able to put the in the conservatory to acclimatise them. Moral of the tale - get that spare, you just know you're going to need it I did mention I was a bad example, didn't I ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Definately a good idea to have a spare if only for introductions and for isolation and a Go or Classic is ideal. I have a little wooden house off ebay for £25. By the way post pictures of your new chickens when you get them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Speaking as someone who has had 2 spare houses for the past 6 months I have come to the conclusion that this is a ridiculous state of affairs and it is necessary for me to fill at least one of them I'm going to sell the other, and invest in a cheapy 2nd hand ark for emergencies/brooding. Seriously though, I can't imagine not having a spare for illness or the unexpected COF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C&T Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Think I might be an exception on this site...! Spomething I must rectify! But we just have an old dog crate as a hospital wing/introduction suite. Was given to us free, so cost nothing, and worked the few times it has been needed. Also has the advantage of folding down, so storage is much easier for a small garden then a full sized 2nd eglu or wooden alternative... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 We have the big wooden wendy house they can all sleep in, bought the 'cos I really wanted one and used it for chicks + intros, the Go which was bought for the ducks but is now in the WIR for intros + as a nest box. We also have 2 rabbit hutches and runs which were used as broody coops last summer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I've never had a spare - I can see it's useful, but I've managed introductions with a cat-basket and a spare Eglu run, it's more work but I couldn't justify having a spare Eglu or Go for most of the year. And then the temptation to fill it would be very high, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolly Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I have a spare which was a mad dash emergency purchase in July from Cotswold Chickens to house Roxy after surgery on her beak (there was no way she could have gone back with the others until it had healed). It was bought on the understanding (by my DH), that it could be quickly and easily sold on after use, as Eglus hold their value..... Needless to say, it's January and I've still got it!! It's an expensive 'just in case' thing to have I know, but it makes me feel better knowing it's there for poorly/broody/new girls to use! Should funds become scarce though, I know it'll be brought up for discussion again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 Thank you all (I think?!? ) Im going to keep an eye on ebay for a spare (or even the omlet shop for a used eglu). I just KNOW I'l end up filling it though ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
