mum-2-olly Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 hello all, well i dont know if anyone remembers me. i bought an eglu mark 2 last year (ebay!) and also went on a fab eglu chicken course, long story short i was just about to get my chickens and lost my job and then lost my baby within a week, so put off getting my chickens for a while as you can understand! but would love to get them now! i live in inner city leeds and am looking to go to raw green cottages as they have fab reviews and from what i remember last year they were v helpful too. i was just wondering please if anybody could help me... although i have a 6 foot gate and fence i am worried that anyone may steal my eglu (i know it is heavy!) or worse steal my chickens when i get them. i do not have a wir but have the extended run, does anyone know a way of locking it at all so no one could tamper?? well thanks in anticipation and good to be back on here! have missed it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan08 Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 I don't know about locking it but you could peg down the run so that it becomes more difficult to lift up. Would slow down any potential quick thieves. I have also put down a layer of path edging stones around the sill of the Eglu run which makes it look more "permanent". If I can work out how to post a picture will add one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plumfychuck Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 Helllooooooooo. I'm in Leeds too. We got our 4 lovely chickens from Raw Green a couple of weeks ago. They are gorgeous! The only problem with Raw Green Cottages is they had too many lovely chickens to choose from as they had taken a delivery that morning. We went to get 3 and came away with 4! The advise above about making it look more permant and harder to take will deter thieves I hope. Let us know what chicks you pick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken shack Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 I live in not so great an area and my is next to the wall (I live in the end house). Anyone can hop over my wall and steel what they like as you can't tie everything down. I got a green for this reason a little less obvious. I do worry but it doesn't matter where you live thieves are on the look out. I try not to draw attention to them by having stickers in my car saying 'I love my Eglu' or 'I love chickens' or a notice at the door/gate saying 'Bewhere of the chicken poo' or the door mat that says similar things ete how ever tempting it is to buy them. That is all I can do. My parents had a their last chicken stolen after the war, so it is nothing new. Good luck and enjoy them when you get them and don't worry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy chick Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 I don't think I could carry my eglu to nick it (even less so with the run attached!) I've been wondering if you could loop a chain through it to padlock it down but not sure you could. Failing that, maybe a chain and padlock just laid over it would deter most folk! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThinkingChickens Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 I saw someone use those cinder blocks with the two holes and put them on the run skirt and then plant flowers in the holes. It was super cute. I can't find a picture but I'm sure you can imagine. That would take a while to remove. I thought I was the only one who worried about my Eglu being stolen and I live in a rural part of California. Ha ha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Can you put a padlock on your gate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 What about electrified chicken netting around it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henergy Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 I have no security advice but have fun with your new girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Whilst Eglus are valuable, they are cumbersome to lift so I think the chance of a casual theft is fairly unlikely. You'd need a large-ish car and a lot of patience, besides which it is usually fairly full of chicken poo! Weighting down the skirt is a good anti-fox move in any case. I like the idea of the blocks with holes in; a lot of people just put planters on theirs, although bear in mind that anything that can be reached from the run will be eaten. You could put a padlock on the run door, if you are worried someone might get in and let the hens loose - I know that's happened to a couple of people. I would focus on improving security to your garden, maybe padlock the gate if that's possible. Welcome back to the forum, you must let us know which chickens you decide on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan08 Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Havent managed to work out adding a larger picture to a post, but have managed to resize one to add as avatar. Picture is a little small and a bit distorted, but I am sure you can get the idea! It dosent look like this at the mo. Have moved the door and added some internal features Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
furball Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 It looks very nice, have you decided which chooks you are getting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coco Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 I don't have an eglu but I do have a large WIR and house next to my driveway. I have padlocks on the run door and on the house. I also have neighbours who keep an eye on things during the day. I think if anyone tried to take the girls at night they would wake the whole street , they would be so annoyed at being woken up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 My eglu is on a sort of permanent base, and around the fox skirt I have let the grass grow, which would make it extremely cumbersome and awkward to move .......the disadvantage is that it is an absolute b to clean out the run.... My other suggestion is a padlock and hasp on the gate... most theives are going to take the easiest option and will be put off by any obstacles in their way.... Enjoy your chooks... I guarantee that once you get over the new chicken keeper nerves...you won't regret getting themxxxxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum-2-olly Posted April 8, 2011 Author Share Posted April 8, 2011 Helllooooooooo. I'm in Leeds too. We got our 4 lovely chickens from Raw Green a couple of weeks ago. They are gorgeous! The only problem with Raw Green Cottages is they had too many lovely chickens to choose from as they had taken a delivery that morning. We went to get 3 and came away with 4! The advise above about making it look more permant and harder to take will deter thieves I hope. Let us know what chicks you pick heya guys and thanks for all replying! plumfychuck i live near st james so i bet am 2 mins from you! well some good and bad news, my hubby finally got round to putting my eglu up and it is massive, i always thought it was smaller and thought the space i had set aside would be perfect. so looks like im going to have to ebay the eglu and get something else. really gutted tho cos i loved the idea of having something plastic rather than wood. oh well, going to get the eglu on ebay and then hopefully will have my chickens in a week or 2! will keep you all informed! i still cant decide whether to get bantams or not, i thought if i got bantams that if i was temped to get an extra 1 or 2 (lol!) that it would be ok space wise. only thing is that the wooden ones i am looking at say you have more chickens that i would ever keep in a space...has anyone else found this?? lucy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy chick Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 Oh yes! My old wooden coop says up to 4 large chickens. I have 2 hybrids and they are well annoyed when they have to stay in it. They can't stretch up in it or anything! Luckily they are out most of the day anyway. As for bantys, yeah I would stick an extra in (or 2!) real shame about your eglu. I wouldn't expect you'll find much out there that's smaller ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum-2-olly Posted April 8, 2011 Author Share Posted April 8, 2011 thanks fluffy chick, well glad its not just me with the wooden coops. they will be able to fr every afternoon after i finish work so they will only be in there for the morning but still want them to have as much freedom as poss. i have just posted another topic in the forum to see if anyone knows of a way to make the eglu smaller.. ie cut it down or whether anyone has ever made their own (not wir) to fit the eglu. thanks again! i am chomping at the bit to get my chooks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
