Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Cinnamon]

I really want some more hens,& have booked to go & see some on Sunday,& I have a blu 'lu arriving on Saturday - but I am having those horrible nervous tummy butterfly things about it all

 

I think its the intros which are worrying me.My established flock have been together for about 18 months, & my plan is to put the new girls 'lu with run,into the hen pen with the old girls.Do this for a few days,then pop the newbies in with the oldies at night,hoiking them out again early am.

Then after doing that for a week,just letting them all go in together & seeing how things pan out.

 

But it means I will have 4 hens in an Eglu run full time for about a week, or as long as it takes to get the intros sorted. Is this asking too much of them?

 

And then there is how many to get......................

The pen I have is pretty big - I would guess 8ft x 12ft - would that be OK for 7-8 hens do you think?

Is there a squre footage per hen guide or limit,does anyone know?

[xScrunchee]

All I know is that the Eglu standard run is 2 square meters which is about 21.5 square feet.

Omlet say that you can have 2-3 hens in their full time.

 

So, going by their opinion each hen needs approximately 10 square feet (basing it on having two hens in the run).

 

Your 8x12 foot run works out to be about 96 square feet so in theory you should be able to have about 9 and a half hens in there

 

Hope I got that all right-think so

[Cinnamon]

Thanks Jay - sounds about right to me too.

 

I think I may get the clever Hubby to split the run in half longways for the new girls,rather than have the eglu run actually in the pen - give them a bit more space

 

It is so hard trying to work out what to do for the best.

[xScrunchee]

Could do-maybe even with some type of netting. Might be cheaper and easier than wood or wire ad it's only for a short time.

 

Saying that-I'm sure 4 hens in the Eglu run would be ok for a week or two, maybe you could let them into the garden each day for an hour or something.

Whatever you decide-good luck and I'm sure that they will all be friends in no time

[Christian]

Hi Sarah

 

Please let me know how you get on with finding Chickens. I am having a nightmare trying to get pure breeds at the moment.

 

My plan is to keep the new girls (if i find any ) in the new and run within the chicken area and let the old girls free range around them for a week or so. Then slowly introduce them all together by free ranging.

 

The problem is, at the moment I can only find new girls at 8 weeks old and its too young for them all to mix

 

[Cinnamon]

Which breeds are you looking for Christian?

Did you call the place in Beaulieu - they have lots in stock,& not all are shown on the site

[Christian]

Thank you Cinnamon!!

 

In my haste calling every breeder from Scotland to the IOW, i forgot the place at Beaulieu!

 

I have just called them and they have everything i need, at POL!!!!!!

 

I am going tomorrow at 11am to see them and if they are any good will pick them up later in the week!!

 

I'm so excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Cinnamon]

Ooooooooo - what are you getting?

Look out for any with legbands - he has put some aside for me (2x legbar, 1x French maran, 1x English Maran)

 

Exciting,isn't it?

[Christian]

Well....

 

1 light sussex

Poss 1 silver sussex and

a maran, not sure French/English?

 

Am going tomorrow for a nosey!

 

so excited!

[chelsea]

i have a maran....how do you know if they are french or english?!!

 

do they have an accent ?!

[Cinnamon]

Have a look here -

 

http://www.worldwidepoultry.co.uk/index.php

 

They have photos

[CatsCube]

Very usefull chart here http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/poultry/factsheets/10.html

That should answer your questions space wise

[Ain't Nobody Here]

do they have an accent ?!

 

cockadoodledeux

[chelsea]

Have a look here -

 

http://www.worldwidepoultry.co.uk/index.php

 

They have photos

 

Thanks!!

 

no wonder she doesnt take any notice of us we were speaking french to her and she's an English maran!!!

[Christian]

Now that you have sorted that out Chelsea

 

What is she like? Still not sure whether to go for the English or the French?

According to Cinnamon the french lays GLOSSY eggs!

 

[chelsea]

Now that you have sorted that out Chelsea

 

What is she like? Still not sure whether to go for the English or the French?

According to Cinnamon the french lays GLOSSY eggs!

 

 

our maran's eggs arent glossy! dark and speckled. shes a very good layer. A compact looking chook, tidy feathers. Shes bonkers! always into everything...digging...making mess....eating....scratching...and quite a character.

[Christian]

 

Oh! What to do??????????

 

I'm so confused!

 

Will look tomorrow and decide!

 

But DEFINATELY a White Sussex! (for OH)

 

maybe a french maran, english maran AND a silver sussex

[Snowy]

Just take one of each home Christian - then ask OH to choose the ones to send back

[Christian]

 

Fantastic idea Snowy. I like your thinking!

 

Problem is, i am only LOOKING tomorrow. The eglu isn't arriving until Tuesday. So i will reserve them tomorrow and pick them up on Friday

[Snowy]

Then you must take him with you to help you choose which ones you will sadly have to leave behind!