So a question for you all. Me and my oh are now on the final path to chicken keeping YIPPEE! After 3 years in the thinking and planning we are now just waiting for an exchange date for our new house and we are there... well nearly!
We've been looking at all your coops on the forum and have been trawling the net for ideas and have seen some amazing set ups but what do you all think - plastic or wood?
We are happy to get inventive and have seen plastic storage sheds, ikea kids furniture and of course the eglus (which would be the perfect thing but v expensive!) but on the other hand there are thousands of wooden coops that are purpose build and look awesome too. I love the idea of being able to jet wash it clean and want to avoid the dreaded red mite but wood would be easier and cheaper?!
We are planning to build our own run that we can stand in but what to put in it for when our girls go to sleep..... HELP!!!
proud new mummy to Dolly, Molly, Hetty, Betty and Holly (who accidentally jumped into the box!) :)
ok another question to follow on from the first batch... if you had been offered a 10year old mark1 eglu classic for £100 what would you think, get it or think of something else?
thanks again guys
proud new mummy to Dolly, Molly, Hetty, Betty and Holly (who accidentally jumped into the box!) :)
Plastic any day. Look at the Eglu and if it is OK....grab it quick. I have had mine for years and apart from damage to one of the wheels which was my fault it is still in great condition.
I would probably go plastic if I could, but we knew little about housing to be honest and saw this amazing wooden Ark and fell in love with it, sadly so does red mite it is hard work in the summer but think we now have a good handle on the blighters. Eglu's are very good, but the runs tend to be small unless you make another run, they are expensive but last for years and years
Plastic for me after putting a hammer to my wooden one after not getting rid of red mite. We have a recycled plastic one and pleased to bits with it.
4 lovely girls~~ Clover, the oldie and top chick Bonnie second in command .new girls Bluebell and Blossom. 2 lovely new girls 19-01-2015~~ Chelsea and Ruby. Eva , Florry , Poppy ,Annie and Rosie R.I.P The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it.” - unknown
is the general agreement to put the extra money in at the beginning and get something like an eglu then? I love love love the cube but am no way on this earth going to persuade my oh that its worth the money... even second hand they are expensive! Maybe I'll have to do some eyelash fluttering!!
proud new mummy to Dolly, Molly, Hetty, Betty and Holly (who accidentally jumped into the box!) :)
If you have, or can get any, used plywood you can make a good coop fairly easily and quickly. Could even buy new sheets if you're feeling flush. If you make a coop yourself (and therefore hasn't cost much) it's not a huge deal if you want to scrap it or extend it etc in a couple years time if your situation changes
I'm not too fussed about the size of the run that comes with the coop as before the girls arrive we will be building a walk in run that goes the length of the garden - I've seen some amazing set ups on here and can't wait to put branches, dust baths, CDs, cabbage leaves… oh my goodness I can't wait!!!! I'm so glad I found this forum, everyone is so helpful! :)
proud new mummy to Dolly, Molly, Hetty, Betty and Holly (who accidentally jumped into the box!) :)
Grannyof4 wrote:"Eglu's are very good, but the runs tend to be small unless you make another run"
You find me any chicken house which has a run of a suitable size for the number of hens the manufacturer says it will hold.
I agree, I maybe didn't explain properly, all eglu's I have seen have had very small runs, so the expense of the eglu plus bigger run is very expensive but in the long run worth the money
Hi Juilly, go plastic everytime! , easy to clean, don't rot, doesn't need preservative treatment every couple of years!, IMHO works out cheaper in the long term, and as you have said, there are alternatives to the Eglu!...
I am old and wise, because I was young and stupid!.
You can just buy the eglu or cube without the run if you are planning to build your own anyway - it is less expensive! I didn't have the cash for plastic, so bought a wooden one advertised for 12 for my 5 hens. I then sealed up all the internal nooks and gaps with filler and painted it with some white gloss I had already. So far I've not had any problem with mites and it is pretty easy to hose out. I painted the outside as well, so hopefully it will last a bit longer and is nicer to look at
It's a great tip painting it in gloss… I guess it makes it much harder for those pesky mites to burrow in and make home! Also like you say a lot less hassle if you can just hose out the inside. I'm starting to plan out the inside now… what are the essentials to keep the girls happy?
proud new mummy to Dolly, Molly, Hetty, Betty and Holly (who accidentally jumped into the box!) :)
I love my cube or make that loved, I found redmite last week so they are not foolproof
The Pink Ladies..Audrey,Ingrid-Bergman,Madeleline,Norma-Jean,Dora,Janice,Jo,Robyn,Chrissy and Joyce The Peds…Mork,Mindy,Bell,Saphire &
Vorky ,Blueped,Ginger,Ninger &Linky Sunny Clucker was ere July 12-21 2012
Sunny Clucker was ere July 6 2016 to Sept 9th 2017
Sunny Clucker is here , rehomed Aug 18th 2018/
it is hard work in the summer but think we now have a good handle on the blighters.
