Chicken bald back

[good_egg]

So. I haven't been on here for a couple of years.... I used to have 4 pure bred chickens in a bespoke wir with a cube inside. We let them out to FR through their own little chicken door and I loved the eggs. We lived in the country so run was fox proof (and everything proof).

Then I got divorced, moved about a bit and they had to be rejoined (so sad)....

Now I have my own place again and I miss my eggs...

I'm thinking I like the new cube.... I'm wondering about having just the cube in my garden which is fenced/walled all round. Im debating fancy hybrids instead of pure breeds.

Looking for help/thoughts on the above.

Introducing the chooks to my whippet pup (I don't see as a problem as he is still young and my old girls would have sorted him).

Keeping hens in a much more built up area and how popular/unpopular I will be

Full FR without a run (I can always add if goes wrong). And feeders people use if full FR to avoid "friends" wanting food

Hybrids vs pure

On and number...

and anything else basically.....

[Valkyrie]

Welcome home! Sad you had to rehome the girls, but now you are free range too!

 

The only thing I'd suggest now is to have a large walk in area in case (and it's likely) that DEFRA would impose another winter curfew with regard to bird flu. By all means let them range with the door open but at least you'll be well prepared if that does happen in the future.

 

xxx

[sarkymite]

I'd second that. If there are future lock-ins, which seems likely, you'll want something you can throw a tarp over which still gives the birds room to move aorund. Also even with a fully enclosed garden you may not be 100% safe from foxes, especially if you're in an urban area.

 

I love my hybrids, have never had a pure breed (though am considering a combination in the future as this summer I'm finding 4 hybrids all in lay is almost too many eggs even for my family and all 3 regular customers!) You could have "fancy" eggs with some pure breeds?

 

Aah! I love a good planning session!! Can't wait to hear what you decide/choose!

[good_egg]

Oh good point... forgot about defra! I'm ridiculously excited. Need to save up, but am definitely leaning towards cube (again)

[sarkymite]

Yeah, I want a Cube. I only have a Classic so am limited to 4 chickens at any one time. Which is disappointing...

[The Dogmother]

Cube is the way to go, but if you have a classic (sarkymite) then don't get rid of it as they are always useful as an isolation pen, broody pen or hospital 'wing'.

 

Absolutely do bear in mind that you will need to keep them in the run and under cover each winter now - this is a real possibility.

[good_egg]

So would you say save up for a wir with the cube, leave it open as much as possible but have it as a safety net?

Not got the cash to go down my previous wooden wir setup... could just about get cube now and then wir by the end of summer.... or should I save up a bit longer and get both together?

Shame the new cube only comes in 2 colours....

[The Dogmother]

Personally, I wouldn't bother with the new cube and would get the previous version.

 

The run issues would depend on how many birds you intend to get, and how easy you find it to get in the cube run; bear in mind that there's every possibility that we will all need to keep our birds under cover again through the winter, so plan for some clear waterproof covers and a set-up that's easy to keep clean. The run will need mucking out more often if the birds are in it 24/7, so make sure that you are happy/able to get into it on a regular basis.