Storms and chickens

[Annabel]

Hi All,

I recently bought a second hand Mk1 Eglu Cube with 3m run and have my 3 ex-caged hens and a Campine and Cream Legbar in there too.

I have 21m of Omlet fencing that I have put around their coop for free ranging which they get to go every day.  My question is - whilst I am at work which is around 6 hours every day, do they have enough space to be enclosed in their 3m run or should I be getting another 1 metre extension?

I find the Cube and 3m run quite hard to move by myself which I try and do often so they can get to new grass (which they visibly love) so I am worried a 4m run might just tip it to the point that it would have to become fixed.

The other thing is - when I let them out to free range within their 21m Omlet fencing- they don't seem that fussed about it and spend most of their time in their 3m run which I find strange, popping put every now and again.

I have two perches in there, a dust bath, a cat box with straw for a ground nesting box/sheltered area so lots of different height things to get some of them off the ground.

Anyway - thoughts would be very welcome.

Thanks

[The Dogmother]

I owuld get another run extension and leave it in one place. Set some slabs under the run and then put your litter (Aubiose or whatever) on top of that. You might need to get a new clear tarp if your current one doesn't fit the extended run.

[mullethunter]

If you really can move them to fresh grass every time they exhaust where they are, and they’re getting on OK, then you’ll probably get away with their 3m. But as DM says you would be better with at least 4m - particularly as there may be occasions when they have to stay in. I think you’re probably right though that it would be very difficult and unwieldy to move at that length so would probably have to be fixed and set up as the Dogmother says above.

[The Dogmother]

From experience (and I talk to a LOT of folks who are starting out in chciken keeping)  the idea of moving the run to fresh ground is just wishful thinking - they all end up with permanent sites.

[Annabel]

Thank you all for your comments (and ideas) - yes I think moving them to fresh ground is something that I am enjoying doing at the moment but might find difficult in a while (mainly because I will run out of grass!) - I was perplexed as to why people would buy a Cube on wheels to then keep the run in a fixed spot but I think I will understand why in a few months!

 

[The Dogmother]

I think the wheels are a bit of a gimmick - almost no-one seems to move their coops.