Is your dog's unusual barking a secret code for something mysterious?

[egglicious]

First off, allow me to introduce myself. I am in Bellingham, Washington, and i'm getting my first chickens in july! I'm so excited, but i'm kinda confused too.. I purchased an eglu cube with run and it should be coming in july as well, but many people have told me it's not big enough for my flock of three large breed hens and three bantams. What do you guys think? I plan to let them free range a few times a week at least and I did want to move the cube about the yard as much as possible. I just really, really don't want my hens picking at each other and many have said this could happen because the cube/run is too small... ugh... please advise!

 

Also, how easy is the cube to move around? Can it be used as a tractor with a run extension?

 

Thanks so much for any help. Very appreciated!

[snowberry]

I would have thought the size of your flock would be fine; I have 8 banties that will be moving into my cube when they're a bit bigger. The guys at Omlet advised me that it could take 10 banties so 3x big & 3x small will be fine. The cube needs a bit of turning space but is very manoverable (sp?!)

[scarlettohara]

The standard cube run will be fine for bantams but not big enough for 3 lf and bantams. My bantams fr with my big girls with no problems, however they have separate runs as the bantams get picked on in an enclosed space. I would go for one or the other

[snowberry]

Sorry! I didn't see that it was a run issue; I don't have one, just a WIR...

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Hi and welcome to the forum . Not sure if we have any Canadian members so you may be our first .

 

Is there any chance you could add a run extension onto your order? That may give you enough space. I'm assuming you've already got your girls so you can't change the number!

 

Other alternatives would be to get electrified netting (not sure what predators you have there!) which might mean you could let them out unsupervised, or ditch the run altogether and get yourself a walk in run (there are loads of threads on these on the forum!)

[scarlettohara]

Sorry should have said 'Welcome' too

[egglicious]

Thank you all! I *could* change my order but I really want big eggs and I really want bantams lol. I was definitely thinking of getting the run extension- is it easy to tractor it around like that? Also, the LF and the bantams are being raised together from chicks. Will this make any difference as to whether or not they can get along in the cube together? If not, I will have to get two coops. They won't be eglus, though, and that would make me sad!

 

Ps- I actually live in the US (washington), but i'm in toronto right now and my husband is canadian so i'm "sort of" canadian!

[Plum]

Hello Welcome,

My four large ones were fine in cube with run and extension and would definately get at least one extension but depends on the temperement of your girls. If your ground is fairly flat you'll be able to move the cube and run with extension. If you want to turn corners though I think you would need someone to help but try it

 

Having a feisty gingernut I think I need to say no cube with just one extension would make it a high risk for behaviour problems even with a lot of perches, sorry

[egglicious]

Thanks again, everyone. So, is it more about the size of the run than the cube itself? I have been told that each chicken needs 4 sq ft of space. Well, if this is true then I shouldn't get the eglu. If it's more about the size of the run then I could probably have a walk-in run made where thee would have lots of room. The weather is relatively mild here, stays in the 40s (F) and 50s during the winter in daytime. It rains a lot but I would put a cover on the run..

[Plum]

Cube is fine for those girls, as you says its the run. Over here they recommend 1 sq metre a hen for the run but give them as much as you can. Quite a few of us have a walk in run (wood frame) and then but the cube up to it.

[egglicious]

My only hesitance regarding the WIR is the possible smell. I was really hoping for a tractor and am kind of overwhelmed by cleaning a WIR. Any thoughts on this? Is it really as hard as I think it is?

 

I might just change my order by switching out the wyandotte with another bantam, one that lays decently. Depends on whether I end up with a WIR or not...

 

Thanks once again!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Don't know if you can get Stalosan F or Bio-Dry where you are but any powdered disinfectant should do the trick . I never have any niffs in my WIR .

[egglicious]

Don't know if you can get Stalosan F or Bio-Dry where you are but any powdered disinfectant should do the trick . I never have any niffs in my WIR .

 

Are those the same thing or do they serve the same purpose as diatomaceous earth? Sorry, like I said, I'm new and don't know much!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

No need to apologise . No, they aren't the same as Diatom. Here are links which explain what the products are. No use for purchasing purposes but you'll know what to look for!

 

Stalosan F

 

Biodri (I'd spelled it wrong!)

 

You can also use powdered lime (garden NOT builders) to help maintain the condition of the soil.

[egglicious]

Well, I have decided to just get banties and possibly just four or five. I'm still gonna get the cube and maybe at some point get more girls but I need to start slow. Thank you all so much for your help. Now off to find the best banty layers!

[laurmurf]

welcome egglicious!

 

As Plum says, it's not the sleeping area - it's the run space that's important.

I have a cube and had the run + TWO extensions (a HUGE tractor!) and could move it around the garden.

I have a mix of large fowl and banties, the banties are quite fiesty and have high perches in the cube run too so they hold their own. They also lay eggs that are enormous for their size!

 

saying that, i do think starting out small isn't a bad idea. that way if you suffer from 'morehens' disease you can respond to it!

[egglicious]

Thank goodness we have finally found the cure for Morehens disease... MORE HENS!!