Tricky78 Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 Good day, My wife and I are looking to get some hens for our back garden and stumbled across the eglu products. The hens (ideally 3) would ideally be let out free roam in the garden for an hour or so each day. I have a few questions and any replies with advice would be greatly appreciated. 1. Which hens? We have two children aged 7 and 10 so something fairly placid and easy going. Eggs are a bonus and not a must so not only after a layong machine. I've read elsewhere that bantams may be a good choice? 2. Which coop? We like the idea of the automatic door so the cube appealed as the go up can't have this fitted can it? Would the cube be overkill and too big for 3 hens? 3. Coop door opened or closed at night? We have a small stream behind our garden and no doubt there are rats about, would they attack the hens? Are the holes in the run mesh ratproof? Many thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 Our personal experience is that we had three gorgeous Light Sussex bantams in a Classic with attached run, which was the perfect size for them given that they were able to FR and eat the garden most days too! We shut both the run and Classic door at night. If you have (or suspect that you have rats) around then it would be good practice to take the food out of the run each evening so as not to put temptation in their way. Equally, be aware of any food the girls manage to spill and try and clear that asap. Our boys were around 6 and 3 when we got the banties and both loved egg collecting and cuddling the chooks. Others on The Forum have much more experience though and will, no doubt be better able to advise! Good luck with your new venture - keep us updated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky78 Posted January 21, 2020 Author Share Posted January 21, 2020 Thanks for the reply soapdragon, it's appreciated. I looked at some ISA hens today 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 Pekin bantams are great if you have children. Regularly handled many of them seem to actually seek out human company. I’ve had them in both an Go and a Cube and they’ve got on fine in both - here would be a lot of spare space in a Cube though. I don’t close my house, but I think perhaps I would if I had a serious concern about rats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeChooks Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 Hi! I’m fairly new to chicken keeping but I can offer you my experiences. I have 2 Pekin bantams and a strange silkie mix, all three are placid and happily run over to me for treats, the silkie I can pick up and she likes the attention. The two Pekins I don’t pick up that often so I don’t often try to. I don’t have a cube but I do have a Go Up. I think the coop is a good size for three small chickens, no more than that though and I’m not sure if I personally would have 3 larger breeds in it. But that’s just my opinion. I close the coop door at night after they all go in of their own accord. The run isn’t rat or mouse proof and I worry about big rats and little bantams if the door is left open. It is frustrating that the Go Up doesn’t have an automatic door for the coop. I take all the food/water out at night and make the chicken house and run uninviting for rodents as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 I have 2 x Mk 1 cubes. In my opinion, you will get better value from a preloved MK 1. It’s bigger and sturdier than the Go or the MK 2 cube. So very good value for money. Spend as much money as you can on the run. The more space they have the happier they are. We have bantams, and they like perches in the run. They fly high instinctively so you can make the most of the run space. My bantams prefer to roost on a perch in the run, and only use the cube in high winds or if it’s -6 or more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky78 Posted January 21, 2020 Author Share Posted January 21, 2020 Thanks to all for your advice, I'm thinking to get x 3 bantams and keep an eye out for a 2nd hand cube or go up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 I have a Go Up with currently 3 bantams, but had 5 in there at one point. But two being quite small bantams. 5 bantams is my max in the coop, and as Patricia says, the more run space the better. In my case my garden size is the limiting factor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 7 hours ago, Tricky78 said: Thanks to all for your advice, I'm thinking to get x 3 bantams and keep an eye out for a 2nd hand cube or go up. Get a 2nd hand mark 1 Cube ;) Wyandottes are lovely bantams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky78 Posted January 22, 2020 Author Share Posted January 22, 2020 I've managed to acquire a 12 month only Go Up with 2m run and a host of covers and perch etc and pick it up tomorrow. Kids are very excited at the thought of getting hens. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 Pics required in due course 😉. Have you decided on breed yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 14 hours ago, The Dogmother said: Wyandottes are lovely bantams. Yes they are - I have 2 and they are healthy, pretty, lovely shaped birds. As with all though their personalities are very variable. Tricky78 - looking forward to your photos 😄 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky78 Posted January 22, 2020 Author Share Posted January 22, 2020 We went to look at Rhode Rock Blacktail and Isla Browns. We pick up our go up and accessories tomorrow. We are off to Disneyland Paris next month so will get them upon our return. I'll post photos and look forward to contributing to this forum. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 Bear in mind that if you have a Go Up and no extension on the run, you can only fit 2 full-sized birds - the run is MUCH smaller than the Classic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky78 Posted January 23, 2020 Author Share Posted January 23, 2020 There is a 2m run and they will get to roam the garden an hour or so each day. I'm thinking to get bantams as they are smaller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 Bantams would definitely be better suited to that arrangement Tricky78. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky78 Posted January 23, 2020 Author Share Posted January 23, 2020 We got a go up , 2m run, 2 x 1m perch, food, covers, winter covers and a whole host of accessories earlier today. It's all less than a year old, I'll give it a good wash tomorrow and attempt to assemble the run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 (edited) 6 minutes ago, Tricky78 said: attempt to assemble the run. 🤣😂 good luck with that - the first time is a nightmare! Edited January 23, 2020 by mullethunter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 5 hours ago, Tricky78 said: There is a 2m run and they will get to roam the garden an hour or so each day. I'm thinking to get bantams as they are smaller. The amount of free ranging time is irrelevant, I'm afraid. I get asked this a lot on my courses... you have to factor in that your birds will spend a good deal of time int he run when it's winter and the daylight hours are short. Then there are days when you are out all day and they need to stay in the run....... PLUuuuuus the winter shutdown if we get an AI prevention zone set up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 In a 2 m run you can comfortably keep 3 bantams. But do realise there are also different sizes in bantams. I wouldn’t keep 3 full sized birds in a 2 m run. Let alone 2 full sized in a 1m run. Like mentioned bantams like higher places and mine use the perches quite a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky78 Posted January 23, 2020 Author Share Posted January 23, 2020 Thanks for the info, we have 2 perches which we will put up also looking at extending the run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Microstead Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 On 1/22/2020 at 12:19 PM, Tricky78 said: I've managed to acquire a 12 month only Go Up with 2m run and a host of covers and perch etc and pick it up tomorrow. Kids are very excited at the thought of getting hens. That's very lucky. I've just bought one from eBay but it's "had quite a life" shall we say. Luckily ebay are brilliant andomlet sell replacements for everything so it will all work out fine.. I just have to wait for the parts now. What colour is your go up if you don't mind me asking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky78 Posted January 23, 2020 Author Share Posted January 23, 2020 It's green. I couldn't believe how much extra stuff the couple had given us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Microstead Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 Greens nice. I've got a purple one. You did very well by the sounds of it. Do you know why the previous owners were selling it? There's a few videos on YouTube of people setting up,the eglu if that makes it easier for you. We all have different learning styles after all and I saved one from so eone called papa noun I think. He's got tonnes of chicken videos on YouTube and his one setting up the go up looked easy to understand. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky78 Posted January 24, 2020 Author Share Posted January 24, 2020 8 hours ago, Microstead said: Greens nice. I've got a purple one. You did very well by the sounds of it. Do you know why the previous owners were selling it? There's a few videos on YouTube of people setting up,the eglu if that makes it easier for you. We all have different learning styles after all and I saved one from so eone called papa noun I think. He's got tonnes of chicken videos on YouTube and his one setting up the go up looked easy to understand. Good luck They were moving house and there hens are now with their neighbours. I put everything up today, i found a tutorial video on YouTube. I'll get my hens when we get back from Disneyland Paris next month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
