kittyl Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 I have a wood framed 12x6 WIR with a wood coop inside, I want to get a coop to go outside - against the run,I was planning on converting a small shed, but I'm worried about the redmite risk. I see by the pics that some of you have done this with a Cube. My biggest concern is about the roosting bars, this design is so different than we (&the hens) are used to. If we dont get on with them is there a place to fit a perch? In very cold weather I like to add extra shavings & soft straw, surely this would cover the bars completely? what do others do in winter? I always do a daily poop pick, is the cube quick & easy to get into for this? Is the nestbox big enough for more than 1 hen at a time? -My huge Orpy likes to hog the nestbox. Despite being plastic is it heavy enough not to get blown over? (I've heard of this risk with plastic coops) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 My biggest concern is about the roosting bars, this design is so different than we (&the hens) are used to. If we dont get on with them is there a place to fit a perch? I don't think fitting a perch would be easy, but none of my birds have a problem with the bars, even going from a wooden house with no perch to the cube. I keep orps and in fact these low bars are great for them - less jumping required. Because they are all at the same height there is no squabbling over top spot either. In very cold weather I like to add extra shavings & soft straw, surely this would cover the bars completely? what do others do in winter? I don't bother with any extra bedding in winter, even for my small bantams. I always do a daily poop pick, is the cube quick & easy to get into for this? Mine is on the ground, the poo trays still slide out just fine. Is the nestbox big enough for more than 1 hen at a time? -My huge Orpy likes to hog the nestbox. The nestbox is huge - big enough for 3 orps or 1 and a cockeral! Despite being plastic is it heavy enough not to get blown over? (I've heard of this risk with plastic coops) It weighs a ton. I take the lid and poo trays out when moving it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 I'd agree - no risk of it blowing over, and easy to get into to clean. The hens don't seem to mind the roosting bars, but I don't think you could very easily fit a perch in there if you wanted one. I've got an Eglu Classic again now, but when I had a Cube I never bothered about winter weather - they are cosy enough in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittyl Posted May 26, 2011 Author Share Posted May 26, 2011 Thanks for the replies, one more question - does anyone have an orpington? how does she manage with the ladder? (My Roly is such a clumsy girl she couldnt use the wooden ladder on my coop, & we had to build her a ramp.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlotta Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 I have three orps and a brahma and they all cope fine. One does fly into the house rather than climb! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 I made a ramp from picket fencing. If you really don't like the roosting bars take them out and put in a freestanding one. You can get them from FoFancy but mine have all used them straight away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittyl Posted May 27, 2011 Author Share Posted May 27, 2011 Thanks for the advice, I think I'm pretty well decided to get one, hoping to take a look at one this weekend, then I'll order. We replaced the wooden ladder on our old coop with a homeade ramp, I think I would try to re-use that on the cube. guesse you cant use screws,would I tie it on? I have three orps and a brahma and they all cope fine. One does fly into the house rather than climb! (- Karlotta, my orpy is too fat & clumsy to fly anywhere! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 my orp (now in great chicken house in the sky) used to manage the cube ladder just fine when it was free-standing, and then we attached the cube to the WIR and used that picket fence stuff from the garden centre which goes all the way to the ground - again she was fine. we've also screwed into the cube without a prob, we attached it to the outside of the WIR with brackets for extra security. cant remember how we fixed the wooden ladder on but I will look when I next go outside! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 My wooden ladder is just laid over the cube ladder but you could cable tie it on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittyl Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 Thanks all, I've ordered my cube. Now I've got to dig up a huge shrub to make a space for it! I was thinking of putting down a couple of paving slabs for it to go on, I'm afraid that if I put it on earth it may sink a bit & I wont be able to move it? Has anyone got any adviceabout whats best to sit a cube on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
