My eco solution to rat problems

[Guest]

Mum (woman who didn't want chooks) has been reading my chicken books, cover to cover. She is now concerned that our Eglu is not a good home for the girls. She has read that they like to perch on something 2" wide that is above the nesting box. She then looked at the eglu and realised the roosting bars are only 1" wide and on the same level as the nesting box. Frankly I think she is worrying about nothing and that there are other books that will give different advice - am I right?

 

Of course one of the girls likes to sleep in the nesting box. I tried suggesting a Cube might be the answer and she might have bought it if she hadn't asked the price. She is well aware that I could easily get my money back on the Eglu and possibly more (£250 for a nearly new mark 2 - see plenty on Ebay for more). I told her that wooden houses with perches are more problematic with red mite and cleaning too.

 

Any ideas how to put her mind at ease?

[Egluntyne]

I would say that the people who designed the Eglu had done very careful research into the requirements of poultry before they launched it.

 

One of them, I think it was Johannes, has kept chickens from childhood, so I imagine they know a fair bit about hens.

 

My hens all perch very happily, with no problems.

 

In any case, in the wild, hens roost in trees, and I doubt very much that they get a tape measure out before settling down for the night.

[Olly]

in the wild, hens roost in trees, and I doubt very much that they get a tape measure out before settling down for the night.

 

 

how true! I know next to nothing about chickens (or didn't till I got my girls in February) but it's amazing how many people have told me in no uncertain terms that I will: lose them all to foxes; have rats; get salmonella; catch bird flu; that the Eglu isn't big enough, the run isn't big enough ... you name it, they seem to know about it!

 

I always respond by saying that Omlet designed the Eglu to keep chickens in the back garden, and they took advice on it. Therefore I am absolutely confident that the Eglu is entirely suitable for two hens, and all the above problems have been thought of!

 

Funnily enough, these are often the same people who don't understand why I don't have a cockerel, and don't believe that hens lay eggs without one Reassure your mum that hundreds of Eglu-owners can't be wrong, and all our chickens are living very happily in theirs!

[Jules.]

I put a log in the run for my girls to have a perch on during the day.... they didn't use it, but I am sure other people's chickens have. When they get the chance my girls love to perch on the bars across my kitchen chairs (see my pics!), & on the arm of the wooden bench on the patio which is just the right height for them to look into the kitchen

[buffie]

Yes I know that very careful research went into designing all aspects of the eglu and certainly the size of the roosting bars are designed with the hens in mind. Certainly none of my hens would roost in trees, far to high for an average hybrid or a cochin or cobar!

 

Your mum needn't worry, the bars were also left in wood so that the hens would find this more acceptable.

 

I've seen lots of hen houses and places with all manner of 'converted' sheds, the eglus are pure hen heaven and just to also add BHWT has given it the thumbs up suitable for 4 hens (Mark 2)

 

Hope it's sunny where you are

 

BBx

[Helly Welly]

My chooks have a homemade, large run into which we have built a perch that is about two feet off the floor and has a branch propped against it as well as another perch coming off it that is flatter. All areas of the perches are used by my girls quite happily.

[Jools]

Well chickens do like to go up to bed, so that should really be enough of an excuse to upgrade to a Cube !

 

Seriously though, all of my chicken arks are raised above the ground to some extent or another - either with the house part above the run (a la Cube) or we've made raised platforms at 12-18 ins. So they all go up to bed, but walk through the pop hole and step onto their perches, which are just a few inches of the floor - similar to the Eglu I imagine.

 

I haven't had any problems with that kind of sleeping arrangement in over four years, so you really can reassure your mum!

[Guest]

Thanks all for all the information. Mum will be a bit reassured. We are planning to build a bigger run over the summer - not sure why as they freerange all day. When we have the bigger run built I was going to put the Eglu on a platform. Just another excuse to get a luxury chicken enclosure methinks.