My eco solution to rat problems

[Rabbieboy]

Is the standard Eglu suitable to keep 5 young growers in? They are almost 6 weeks old now and almost fully feathered. I have them in a 6ft run in my shed at the moment and they are off heat now but they are getting big quite quickly and I would like them outside in a secure run beside my Cube. I'm not sure what sex they are yet and I plan to keep any hens, (maybe 1 cockeral) atleast they will get used to the other girls if they are in another run beside them for a few weeks.

[chelsea]

mine went in the eglu at 10 weeks when I first got my chickens and they were fine.

They soon grow dont they?

[feemcg]

My chicks go out to their eglu and run at 3-4 weeks - the run is built within the garage but open on one side, so quite sheltered. I've had anything between 10 and 16 chicks sleeping in an eglu (all 10 in the nest one night ). Usually some have gone to new homes at 6 weeks, then a few more at 8 weeks, few more at 10 weeks etc. so the numbers reduce as they get bigger.

I had 5 full-size girls in my 1st eglu - I'm sure 5 six week olds will be fine

What did you hatch this time? - more Shetlands?

[Rabbieboy]

The chicks are the first lot I've hatched, they will be 7 weeks old when I get back home. My partner sent me a few fuzzy pics of the chicks and I could hardly believe the change in the last 2 weeks, they are almost fully feathered. One of the RIR X is all white and the other is ginger with a bit of white, the same as the mother. The Shetland chicks are slighty smaller(and a day youner) one is mostly black, one is black with silver around the head and neck. The other is a bit brownish with a gold around the neck.

[craftyhunnypie]

When I got my new girls, the man also had some 10 week old chicks. He said that they were due to ' go out' & that he didn't put them out before 10 weeks. I know someone on here put their chicks out a bit too soon & unfortunately they died. But I don't think they had been taken off heat lamp before hand, so it would have been a big shock to their little systems.

I'm sure someone will be along soon with better advice!

 

Emma.x