Omlet cube and run

[nutterly_uts]

How many chickens (looking at POL "brown egg layers" - presumably the same type as battery hens but before they have that life) would *you* put in an eglu with a standard run with free range of a large garden every day. Does this change if the run is extended?

 

I have to prebook for the end of June (so long to wait!!) and I'm wondering if I need to say 3 or 4

[Olly]

An Eglu will hold up to six hens (not recommended but I've certainly had that many in!) but the answer is yes, it does depend on the run which is the most important thing. Even if you let them free range a lot, there are going to be times when they are confined to the run - the rule of thumb is one metre/hen, so a standard run is ok for two, but you'd need to extend it by one or two metres to hold three or four.

 

While you can buy as many extensions as you want, the Eglu run starts to be a bit unwieldy after more than one. Could you manage a walk-in run?

[nutterly_uts]

Not really for where it would go. I can add an extension no problem but a WIR wouldn't work where it is. If a run with extension would be ok for the rare occasions then I think that might be a plan. I want to upgrade to a cube ASAP so trying to save a few squids for that

[Patricia W]

I've never found that more than 3 large bantams are happy for long in an eglu run even with an extension. Their frustration exhibits as feather pecking etc.

[sandyhas3chucks]

I've never found that more than 3 large bantams are happy for long in an eglu run even with an extension. Their frustration exhibits as feather pecking etc.

never found 3 ex bats happy for long.

And I hate the standard runs with a vengeance for cleaning... My personal opinion though

If you can fit in a cube with extension, wouldn't Wir fit? or you could go for a run "like the cubes???

Or what a about a cube run on it's own? Then all you will need later is just the Cube?