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GillC

Converting a GuineaPig eglu to a Chicken eglu

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I already have two eglus and 7 hens (four medium hybrids and 3 bantam wyandottes). I started out with just two from omlet but we all know that two is never enough.

 

A friend has just seen some pics I put up on facebook of my new wyandottes and, noticing that I had an eglu, asked me if I wanted his guinea-pig eglu as he no longer used it, the guinea-pigs having passed away some time ago.

 

Looking at the shop, I see eglu conversion kits from chicken to rabbit, but none from rabbit to chicken. Can this be done? Looking at the conversion kits for chicken to rabbit, it looks to me like I would have to replace the entire grey piece as the rabbit (and presumably guinea-pig) version does not have a nesting box.

 

Maybe I could get one as a spare from Omlet.

 

Advice welcome

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My goodness, that is what I wanted. I now feel a little silly. I was looking in the chicken section hoping to find them and only found things to convert from Chicken to Rabbit. I should have been looking in the Guineapig section.

 

Thank you so much :)

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I have a rabbit/guinea pig Eglu and use it for chickens no problem, in fact I like it more as the internal space is bigger with no nest box, I fill the base with bedding and they just lay their eggs in the corner, you could always make a couple of perches if you want them

 

I have done the conversion on another Eglu but the two screws that attach the front to the base are incredibly tight and you can easily wreck the top so that a screwdriver wont grip them, if you can then they are long and take ages to unscrew, I couldnt be bothered to go through that again :lol:

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I have a rabbit/guinea pig Eglu and use it for chickens no problem, in fact I like it more as the internal space is bigger with no nest box, I fill the base with bedding and they just lay their eggs in the corner, you could always make a couple of perches if you want them

 

I have done the conversion on another Eglu but the two screws that attach the front to the base are incredibly tight and you can easily wreck the top so that a screwdriver wont grip them, if you can then they are long and take ages to unscrew, I couldnt be bothered to go through that again :lol:

 

Thanks Redwing. I see your point. Most of my hens seem to prefer to roost IN the nest box rather than anywhere else, so I may give your suggestion a go first and then only go for the conversion if it really seems not to work.

 

I think my colleague is going to bring the thing up to work on Monday so I'll be able to better judge then. I think he's just happy to get rid of it to a good home, so I'm happy to oblige :)

 

more hens here I come !!!

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I've just picked the red eglu. He brought it to work in his camper van and we did the transfer, spy style, in the car park :)

 

The guinea pig run is quite small. However in the short term, I think I'll keep it as a "hospital" until I decide what to go for next. I wasn't planning on any new hens until next year anyway :)

 

An unexpected benefit of Facebook. My colleague saw a photo I'd posted of my chickens and spotted the eglu in the background. He had an old one that he no longer used (guinea pigs having died) and that took up too much room in his new slightly smaller garden and offered to give it to me (he accepted payment in biscuits and chocolates).

 

He's happy that the eglu will be used, and I'm delighted to have the excuse to get more chickens.

 

I'll take a careful look at the inside at the weekend (its dark when I get home). I'm wondering why we bother with roosting bars. All my hens compete to roost (and poop) in the nest box over night. With the bantams, one is in the nest box, the other two are perched on the side of the nest box leaning over her, or squished in with her. They don't seem to realise that they are supposed to be roosting on the bars. :lol:

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