Em Sh Posted July 28, 2019 Share Posted July 28, 2019 Hello all, I have a question about runs that gets complicated so I have drawn a picture to simplify! I have an eglu cube with many run 1m extensions. After a Fox attack we want to stop semi free ranging as before, and keep them closed in run at all times... but with 7 remaining hens, I need to add more run on or it feels mean. I want to have a 3x2 walk in run (high) but it will only just fit. The cube run would have to attach in the middle of the 3 side. All other sides are blocked by fences and hedges. I can’t move the cube up or down, due to trees the other end stopping pulling the tray out the back. Can I attach the cube in the middle and the door immediately to one side? Or would I have to go for 2x2 and fit the door at the back? The red scribbles are trees by the cube if it’s unclear. The rest of the red is fence/hedge. thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted July 28, 2019 Share Posted July 28, 2019 Third option might be, to remove a metre run (or even two) and slide the WIR towards the Cube. You can always attach the separate pieces of Cube run an a different side of the WIR. You still have the end panel of the run, but would need another connector kit. This is what my dad is planning. Makes for a more accessible Cube run, from the WIR, instead of a very long low run. Much less pretty drawing, but this is what I mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted July 28, 2019 Share Posted July 28, 2019 My experience is that if you’ve got a big enough supply of cable ties you can do just about anything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted July 29, 2019 Share Posted July 29, 2019 Omlet say you can’t join a Cube run to a WIR which is only 2m wide and I think that’s because the Cube run actually needs more width than one of the panels (blue bit) on the WIR - it overlaps (I know because mine does it). So I think what you’d have to do would be to push the overlap back into the bit you’ve labelled 2x3 to allow you to fit the door on the same side the Cube run joins to (red but). You could leave off a run panel (green bit) or maybe sort of use one of the joining panels for that but as Patricia says with lots of cable ties I don’t think that would be a problem. I sketched what I mean but it’s a bit confusing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted July 29, 2019 Share Posted July 29, 2019 Are you sure Mullet? They just say you can’t have a door and a connector on the same side if you only have a two panel wide WIR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted July 29, 2019 Share Posted July 29, 2019 (edited) My Omlet WIR is 2 m wide and I have a 1 m wide Cube run attached. No problem at all. Edited July 29, 2019 by Patricia W Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 Could you post a photo Patricia P? I’m intrigued now! CT I know they SAY that but you should never believe everything THEY say (no, I’m not sure but would now defer to Patricia 😊) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 I’m with Patricia on this one, having dissembled a cube attached to a 2x2 last fall. My dad bought a second hand set up, but still had to collect and dissemble the whole lot himself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 Here’s a ( not to scale!) drawing of my cube and Omlet WIR set up. We had the door opposite the cube for a while, but moved it as it was more convenient for the space it’s in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 If I understand correctly the original poster wants to know if the door could go where my red arrow points Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Em Sh Posted July 31, 2019 Author Share Posted July 31, 2019 Just to let you know I am reading in awe. My mind is blown, the endless possibilities I hadn’t thought of. I have very poor visual imagination. I keep taking my ten year old out there with the tape measure to try to work out which will work and which is best! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted July 31, 2019 Share Posted July 31, 2019 I don’t think I’d put the door there as first choice because it will weaken the panel above the cube. But I can see the problem is one of space. My only thought is that you’d need to strengthen it in some way with another support. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted August 2, 2019 Share Posted August 2, 2019 I’ve had another thought about this. Have you thought about putting the cube IN the WIR? If you did that, you would have room to add another cube run extension where otherwise the cube would sit. Admittedly, you would end up with a smaller door into the run, but it would give them run space and fit your awkward shaped space. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Em Sh Posted August 8, 2019 Author Share Posted August 8, 2019 Well I did it guys! Thank you so much for your input. Insanely it hadn’t occurred to me to rotate it so the 3m was long not wide, which gave me space to put the door as the playhouse blocking one side is only 2m long! I was going to remove 1m and put it on the side but I was working in uneven rock solid clay soil on a sideways slope, and got so frustrated trying to dig out the skirt that I just ripped a young tree out instead 😱 It looks great though and the hens seem to like it! 👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted August 8, 2019 Share Posted August 8, 2019 Great! We’d love to see a picture... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Em Sh Posted August 8, 2019 Author Share Posted August 8, 2019 I will take a photo tomorrow! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Em Sh Posted August 10, 2019 Author Share Posted August 10, 2019 Here it is! Ignore the purple towel.. I threw it over when it got hot to give them extra shade and half blew off yesterday. Incidentally, how many hens do you think would be ok to keep in there? We are down to 6 now, from 9 who were half free ranged. The children have asked for one more, possibly a bantam but I’m unsure as I want to keep them confined. They seem very happy in there now with the walk in bit added on. There are two trees inside the walk in run although I cut them right back to build it, they will regrow a bit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 That looks great! The more space you give each chicken the better, especially if they don’t free range much. Also, if you’re adding new ones, you will need to isolate for a couple of weeks and then slowly integrate, so make sure you have space for this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
