Years ago I had chickens with varying success. Red mites were a huge issue so I am keen to get a plastic hutch this time round as easier to clean and I hope beat the cycle if we get them again, of course plastic hutches aren't cheap!
I have been looking at hutches because ideally we'd like a flock of around 8 and I want a hutch that gives them all enough room to move about with ease.
This weekend however there is a drop of ex battery chickens so I was considering buying a second hand Eglu and getting just 3 hens, then either save for one big house or just keep adding Eglus when they come up for sale and growing the flock.
To clarify we have a large run built so I will be adding the hen house into the run and not using the runs that come with the Eglu
BUT
- Am I better off a new hen house for each time we add chickens - Can they all share a large run with separate houses?
- Could I use the Eglu, then buy a large house and add new chickens easily to that each time there is a drop of battery chickens?
- Would you not get the battery chickens now and wait until I have a house large enough for the 8 hens in one go?