Eglu/Cube vs Wooden Coop and lots of other chicken questions ...

[Millie1]

We're pretty much decided on getting a few chickens. From reading threads on here, it sounds like 3 is the right number to start off with. We have a large garden with orchard being established at one end so plenty of space although I'll start them off in field until the grass gets a bit thicker in orchard, and even then I'm thinking an area fenced off with electric chicken fencing to save not only my beds but also the chooks from foxes which may or may not be passing by.

I had my heart set on a cube (even if I would be the talk of the country with a plastic hen house at the bottom of the garden ... that was until a lovely Mumsnetter linked to the Flytesoffancy website and I saw and loved this www.flytesofancy.co.uk/chickenhouses/Long_Legged_Maggie_s_Hen_Houses.html and read this www.flytesofancy.co.uk/chickenhouses/FAQ-chicken-houses.html - look at the bottom piece on which is best, timber houses or plastic.

I've read and reread all the blurb on the Omlet site re the advantages of plastic housing but reading this piece has really made me reconsider. Can the wise chicken-keepers on Mumsnet please give me their opinions?

Also, how high should our fencing be? We are surrounded by chest high sheep wire with some hawthorn hedging between us and the road (as well as the sheep wire). I'm thinking of chicken wire on the bottom of any gates. Is the electric fencing high enough to keep them in - do they really fly and do we need to clip wings?

Breed-wise, I'm leaning towards a Rhode Island Red, a Bluebell and maybe a Plymouth Barred Rock - on the basis that all seem to rate well for friendliness, non-broodiness and egg production.

What else do I need to know? I've been reading the threads on here for months and there is loads of useful information but I'd love to hear some pros and cons of difference types of housing. Thanks!

ABetaDad your rat experiences sound awful It must be difficult to get shot of them once they've moved in. We haven't had any problems at all with vermin, but I make sure that nothing can get in to the coop/covered run and lock all food away in the garage in containers. I think that the likelihood of attracting rats with chickens is about the same as attracting rats because of rabbits/guinea pigs outside. Its all about restricting an easy food source. Its also probably down in part to luck

No, the rats can't get through the slabs!!! And the whole of the floor of the coop/run is covered by slabs, so nowhere to come up. The food is either IN the coop or in a metal bin, so there is no temptation for the rats.

The only time we have had rats was before we got the chickens, but had rabbits, which kicked the food out more.

The chickens are fairly tidy with their food tbh, and we haven't had any problems at all with rats. And the foxes can't dig under the coop, which was a worry, as we have a LOT of foxes! But 3 years in, and we haven't lost any chickens to the fox.

The slabs also stop the ground becoming infested with parasites which can happen if they are on soil (you should move the coop regularly to avoid this). But on slabs because you hose them down each week, they are cleaned too in a way that you can't clean 'the ground'!

Well, I am hoping to get some chickens for myself. I wouldn't start with three - id go for four, and introduce them in twos so they arent bullied. Im also going to get the eglu go with a two metre run. Im going to get a la bresse and a rhode island red and white and another one that i cant remember. I think that the plastic houses are better as they are insulated with double layered plastic, like in little kids plastic houses, and its easier to clen that wood cuz u just rinse it not scrub it. But thats just me so yeah. Id suggest that u use an eglu cuz they last for ages and if u keep them dosed up with anti mite powder or spray then its allfine. Change the bedding every week and give the house a good clean at the same time. Move the run every few weeks. If u want to let them out of the run occasionally, put chicken wire round where u want them 2 be and dig it down about a foot. Make the chicken wire come up 6-10 feet high with a sealable chicken wire gate so u can get in and out, but they cant. Hope this helps! :)

We got an Eglu cube a few months ago now and couldn't be happier. You can my full review here: Eglu cube review

As for your other questions - a standard height garden fence is absolutely fine to keep them flying away - IF they're wings have been clipped. With their wings clipped, they can jump about 1m to 1.5m - but generally wont bother unless there's something really juicy they're after. I use 75cm high netting to block of parts of the garden I dont want them in, and dont they jump over it, even though they could. On the other hand, they'll jump onto something 1m tall if it'll help them get to some juicy grapes!

That link you posted on the disadvantages of plastic houses was laughable to be honest, and I'd be very careful about trusting anything from a manufacturers site - whether thats Omlet site or someone who makes wooden houses.

Cleaning our cube is so ridculously easy. We've currently got them on gravel too, as we need to keep them in one place - but if you have a large garden and are able to move the cube around, you'll be fine on bare grass or earth. The anti-fox surround really does work.

On the subject of foxes, NEVER leave your chickens unsupervised and free-ranging. We left ours for literally 5 minutes around 5pm and the fox had one of them, leaving it for dead. It was horrible, and our own fault. Just dont ever leave them unsupervised. If you think they need more room than a standard cube provides, consider a permanent walk in run (omlet aslo sell them, though expensive). 90% of the time my 3 hens are fine in the standard 2m run though, and I let them out to free-range only when I'm pottering about in the garden. Make sure they're locked up come dusk though. Even this morning we want out about 7:30am and the fox was wandering around the enclosure, unable to get in - and he'd been obviously trying all night!

Hope that gives you something to think about. Be sure to read my full review too for lots of great pictures of the cube!