beach chick Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 I get my 3 ex-batts a week on Sunday. they are going in a 2m x 1m rabbit run inside the electric fence to start off with while they regain strength, get used to their new lives, and start getting accustomed to the current girls (and vice-versa). I was going to quarantine them for a week or so, but with our foxes round here I think they will have to go inside the leccy fence straight away. I'm thinking I will need a nesting box for them to lay/sleep in... a cat box would be too small for 3 surely? I've got a broody coop (puppy crate) but it will be too tall for the rabbit run, so would have to leave the run lid open which means the 'old girls' could get in if they wanted so that's a non-starter. cardboard box would go soggy surely? what does everyone else use? any ideas? thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 I'm using a small wooden wine crate on its side at the moment to extend my chooks' nesting area as I had so many Silkies go broody at once that there was no more room in their normal nesting area for those that wanted to lay eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cluckynikki Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 To save my grass I sometimes move my hens to another part ofthe garden away from the eglu. For a nest box I turned an open cardboard box on its side and put the whole thing inside a black bin liner, taped it up and then cut an entrance door out of the bin bag in the relevant place. I then put the whole thing inside a big plastic recycling box which is also turned on its side to protect it from the rain from above. If I can spare another of the recycling boxes I stand that up on its end at an angle against the first box so that it forms a protection over the doorway at the front. It has the added benefit of making it dark inside the new nestbox. I also got some of their soiled bedding out of their eglu and put it in the new nestbox to encourage them to go in at first. Two years later my home-made nest box is still going strong and I have had many an egg laid in it. Hubby does curse when it is recycling day and he has to go and retrieve the boxes though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 I used a medium-sized pet carrier - it was perfect for three . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted June 10, 2011 Author Share Posted June 10, 2011 hmmm, hopefully this is a relatively short-term solution, so am liking the cardboard box inside a binliner idea. it will be a start anyway! thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
