Poorly chicken

[Aunty e]

So with our three adoptees, I decided to finally give in and order the extension I'd been thinking about for months. I'd wanted to give them more room, as they never come out as much in the winter (it's always dark when I get home), and seeing how cramped they were with the new girls made me bite the bullet and do it.

 

I ordered last week, and it arrived bang on schedule, dropped over my fence by the lovely couriers (well lovely to me). I finished up delivering Evie's kittens and in a warm glow of animal nurturing, decided to put the run extension up, in the dark, on Halloween instead of waiting until the weekend. Not the best decision I've ever made, as it's not all that much fun getting run clips on in the dark, but I managed in the end, helped by the really useful inclusion of cable ties in the bolts and screws bag.

 

I went out this morning, and realised I have Lord Snowdon's aviary in my back garden. It's so MASSIVE. I mean, it's great and all, but it just looks so big. Glad that I don't move the wretched thing around much. Was definately worth it though, and I never liked the rose bush in that spot anyway. I shall move onto part 2 of the great plan - the mezzanine levels- at the weekend.

[Laura & CTB]

Cant wait to see some photos Aunty e

[Olly]

I wish Omlet would devote some design time to those run clips - they are the bane of my (chicken-keeping) life. I've only just discovered the wonders of cable ties, and I think I might use those instead of clips next time I have to dismantle/remantle a run.

 

Please do post some pics when you can, Aunty E - I am debating whether to get a Cube and run in the spring for my expanded flock, or whether to build a permanent run, so I'd like to see just how big it is. Can you move it around with the extension on?

[Aunty e]

I couldn't move it very easily when it was Cube + run + extension. Now it's Cube + run + extension + extension I've got no chance. Will take pictures tomorrow morning unless it's still light when I get home. My fingers are still bleeding in places. Ow. Had to buy two pairs of shoes to make myself forget about the painful fingers.

[Laura & CTB]

I I've only just discovered the wonders of cable ties, and I think I might use those instead of clips next time I have to dismantle/remantle a run.

 

 

I used to use those too when I had my eglu run - the clips went in the bin on day one I found it so much easier when I wanted to clean the run - just snip the cable ties off and replace with new ones

[Jools]

Ow. Had to buy two pairs of shoes to make myself forget about the painful fingers.

 

That's quite an excuse

[Aunty e]

TA DA! Of course they're not using it at all, but I think they will with a bit of time.

 

 

 

[nicki9]

They look fantastic, I can't wait until my cube arrives. I'll show DH your pics as a hint for next year. He already thinks I'm mad, my birthday present was a rablu extension and the cube is for Christmas, I've already got extensions planned as next years pressie, and 2 chooks for an Easter pressie - what could be more appropriate.

 

Who says this chicken thing is an obsession

 

Your set ups look great, I love the shower curtains too.

[Olly]

ooh, thanks for the pics Aunty E (and yours, Daniel) - it looks huuuuuge, but then so does my Eglu with the converter on. I don't think I'd be moving it around very often anyway, once it was all together.

 

It does look as if it gives lots of room, and more head-height (for chickens) than the Eglu run. I love the mezzanine floor!

 

PS I'm sure Aunty E will answer your question, but that looks to me very like the marvellous Ikea shower curtain which they sell for 99p!

[Egluntyne]

Any body else think that Daniel's set up is looking more and more like a train!

 

Just kidding...it looks great.

[Sheilaz]

 

Thanks for posting the pics Aunty e & Dan, the Cube extensions do give a good space, don't they? I love the innovative platform & perches.

[xScrunchee]

 

They look great. So much more room and the added platforms/perches are brilliant!!

 

This is the reason I am getting a bigger run to use with my Eglu.

[bronze]

Oh they look fab wish I had space to add on again. I've had a mezzanine now since I got it and they love it. Especially the new bantams who seem to love perching on all the various places they can.

[Aunty e]

That is indeed the ikea shower curtain! I keep a stash of them in for chicken covers (and cat birthing ). I was a bit lazy with this one and cable tied it on, but normally I'd have reinforced it with clear gaffer tape and used bungee cords to hold it on.

[xScrunchee]

We (my Mum and I) can't get to Ikea as neither of us has a car so we decided that we would order the cheap shower curtains on line. We figured that we would get 5 each (for my hens and Mums aviary) to make it worth paying the postage but it turns out that you cannot order them on line. Typical!!

 

 

Does anyone know of anywhere else that does cheap clear shower curtains as we can only get ones with bright patterns on or they are not clear or they work out expensive.

[Christian]

Try Woolworths. I saw some plain ones in there a few weeks ago and they were £3 each. They also do patterned ones, with big blue circles to match my eglu, but i wasn't allowed

[moochoo]

I've just received an Ikea clear shower curtain I bought off ebay £1.99 plus £1.50 p&p. It was as new still in it's wrapper. I remember there were quite a few on ebay. I tried the usual haunts, Woolies, Poundland, etc but no clear ones to be seen.

[Snowy]

I've just received an Ikea clear shower curtain I bought off ebay £1.99 plus £1.50 p&p. It was as new still in it's wrapper. I remember there were quite a few on ebay. I tried the usual haunts, Woolies, Poundland, etc but no clear ones to be seen.

 

That's still a rip off! They are 99p in Ikea!

[Olly]

Jay, I've got a spare one - pm me your address and I'll post it to you. Next time I go to Ikea (not planning to go in the next few weeks) I'll stock up, they are such a bargain.

 

It is a bit of a cheek to sell them on Ebay at that price, I agree!

[Janty]

I bought an extra entension as well. My girls looked too cramped in the cube plus run plus extension. Have to confess, I do want to get yet another extension for them but that will have to wait. I love the mezzanine idea.

[MaggieMcHen]

How much is a run extension? and do you get the metal strengthening pole arch as well? I have 7 in my egcube and although they spend a lot of time out free ranging I still think they look a little tight when they are in.

 

Maggie

[Gallina]

The cube extensions are here in the shop, and they cost £100. They do include a strengthening bar.

 

Because of the height of the Cube, the extensions do look good. I have the standard cube run and one extension, and think that a second extension would make it the perfect shape and just the right size for my ultimate aim of ten chickens.

[MaggieMcHen]

Thanks - I found the extension AFTER I posted - yes I agree it looks more like a train than a caravan now but I want a train too. So Christmas present will be..................I have perches in my run and a friend who called the other day was most impressed - she went home with a perch from our wood pile for her eglu.

Maggie

[helenarees]

Hello,

 

I've got the cube with one extension and I'm thinking of getting a second extension (especially after seeing the pictures - they're great), but as I'm a complete novice to keeping chickens, would there ever be any need to enter the cube run? (I definately wouldn't be able to get in as I'm quite wide and tall myself). I would be able to reach inside the cube run without any extensions.

 

Thanks

 

Helena

[Janty]

I have two extensions on the cube as well as the standard run and find it difficult to climb inside - will have to try harder at Slimming World! I just adopt the Victorian approach and send in a young child.