Possibly stupid question- Eglu Cube

[Logar]

So I am getting 5 chicks, 3 giant and 2 large breeds, and we have a eglu cube along with a 9x6 run.

I may be overthinking it but I just don’t like the “roosting floor”. Is there actually an issue with it or is it perfectly fine? If it is an issue, what should I do about it?

Thanks again everyone!

 

[DobieLover]

Your main problem with such a coop is that it is too small for 5 LF birds and having 3 giant breeds and 2 LF will be worse. And I don't think these designs offer nearly enough ventilation either.

And regardless that your run meets the "minimum" size suggestion, it is just that. A suggestion. Larger breeds will require more space. And with such a very small space, you will have difficulty adding the structure that chickens like to have in them. Like things to fly up on, climb on, perch on, scratch around in and places to dig holes for dust bathing. I would make their run at least twice the size as you currently have planned.

 

[Loving my girls]

I totally agree with Dobielover.
I had a cube for about 12 years and it was cozy with four medium breeds. At night I took the divider out between the perching and the nesting area to make more room. Eventually I upgraded. They were getting far too cranky for my liking.
The lack of high level perches isn’t too much of a problem for the size flock it can hold but anything more than four isn’t great.
Having said that if you are getting one of the new 10 sleeper cubes I take it all back
If you want to ask me any questions about omlet and/or the cube please feel free,
Hugz

 

[K0k0shka]

I agree with Dobielover too, that's way too small. The run might do, but the Eglu is tiny. Maybe 2 LF chickens max, 5 is too many especially if 3 of them are giant. It's not worth it. Consider getting bantams instead, or a real coop.

 

[Logar]

I would love to have bigger run but the their is a stupid law were you can’t have more than 10 sq feet of run space per chicken so we are kinda breaking that as is . There may be an issue with the it being too small though as I don’t think my parents will believe me as the website say it is fine. It may take just having them see that it is too small to believe me and get them a bigger coop. It should be fine for a couple months at least, right?

 

[Logar]

I forgot to mention this earlier, but we do plan on letting them explore around our property when they can be supervised as we have tons of predators like hawks and raccoons. We don’t have a big property by any means, about a 1/3 of an acre or so, but around half of it is woods so they would have at least a decent amount of protection against the predators due to the woods, two dogs (150 and 90 pounds), and human supervision. I know it may not be the absolute best, but we are going to do everything we can to give them the best lives possible.

 

[K0k0shka]

So would it be ok if we got a second one? We purchased it a little while ago and have passed the return period. I don’t think my dad would be too happy to hear he waited so much money.

Two wrongs don't make a right.... You'd just have two crappy pseudo-coops, the two together won't make a real coop. If you haven't gotten the chicks yet, seriously consider 3-4 bantams instead. It's not fair to the larger birds (especially giant) to cram them into that dollhouse. A lot of people make that mistake and come to regret it, but once you have the chickens in there and the problems start, your options are very limited. So think about this now before you make that decision. Maybe you didn't have enough information and fair warning before purchasing the coop, and what's done is done. However, now you do have more information and warning about the chickens themselves, so you are going into this next decision better prepared. Whether you heed the advice or not, is your choice, but be aware of the decision you're making.

 

[K0k0shka]

my parents think that something professional is better than something homemade.

This is not true. What matters is that it meets the chickens' needs. The chickens won't care if it's professional or DIY, if it's pretty or ugly. People fall for the professional trap often, order these beautiful coops made by carpenters, that are inadequate for chickens, because the profession in question is carpentry - how to build things - not chicken keeping, and those carpenters don't have a good understanding of the chickens' needs. Those beautiful coops are often very poorly ventilated, and advertise being able to fit way more chickens than is appropriate for that size. So, just because a professional carpenter built it, and said you can stuff three dozen chickens in it, doesn't mean that that's a good setup... Same with the Eglu. The Eglu is not even professional. It's a commercial product meant to sell and make money, and the people who make it aren't after the chickens' wellfare, they want to make it cute and convenient and appealing to the buyer. A coop can be the ugliest DIY in the world, but if it meets the chickens' needs and keeps them healthy and happy, then it's absolutely better than the prettiest thing you can buy premade.

But as to them being a piece of crap, I have heard that they are actually pretty good, from here and other places, just not big enough for what they say.

People swear by all kinds of less-than-optimal things. People have different experience levels and knowledge levels, and each situation is different. But serious chicken keepers with knowledge and experience would not recommend an Eglu, for many reasons not just the size.

Would you be able to direct me to an easy coop that is big enough for them?

Your thought about converting a shed is in the right direction. Often sheds make much better coops than actual coops sold as such - they tend to be cheaper (or maybe you have one already), there's more variety in terms of size, and you can modify it to fit your needs. So a converted shed is actually a great idea! Just keep in mind the minimum recommended space of 4 square feet per chicken in the coop. 5x3 would still be too small for the number and size of chickens you want. Once you add roosts and nesting boxes, there will be barely enough room for the chickens to pass each other without stepping on each other or getting into each other's personal space. If they are packed too tight, they start fighting. Chickens are mean animals that guard their personal space and their pecking order. See if you can find a bigger shed, one that will allow them at least 4 square feet, in addition to the roost and nesting boxes. Prevention is better than treatment - better set yourself up for success, so you'll have an easier time later, than end up having to deal with preventable problems like conflict and pecking, sanitation issues, ammonia buildup and the other problems associated with spaces that are too small.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Some people are so rigid in their thinking that they would get a hernia if they burped. Chickens don't think in terms of coop space versus run space. They think in terms of "Do I have enough room". They don't care where it is. I totally agree that they need room. The tighter you pack them the more issues you have to deal with, the harder you have to work, and the less flexibility you have to deal with things. It's a shame the people making your laws know nothing about chickens. I wonder if they read something on this forum that told them that 4 square feet in the coop and 10 square feet in the run was enough. There are plenty of posts that say that.

There are a lot of "if's" involved. "If" can be a very important word. If your chickens have access to an outside space when they need it then you don't need as much in the coop. That means if you consider your run predator proof you can leave the pop door open day and night. When one needs to get out, it can. If you can't leave the pop door open due to predator risk then coop size is more important.

What is your weather like? If weather is going to lock them in the coop section only for lengths of time you can have real problems with a small coop. You may be able to mitigate this by enclosing your run or parts of your run to give them a place to go in bad weather, whether that be ice, snow, or wind. Many people wrap their runs in winter to achieve this.

If you plan to hatch chicks or integrate new chickens when your old ones need to be replaced you are going to have issues. You might be able to do it but integration typically takes a lot of room.

If you get unlucky and get a hen with the personality of Atilla the Hen you can have real problems. Some hens are just brutes and cannot be housed that close to others. Their individual personalities can make a lot of difference. Most can get along fine even in less than 4 square feet per chicken (commercial operations prove that) but some hens need more space than that.

If you pay attention to what people that have those say they are not always a disaster. Each situation is different. Even if someone has success does not mean you will. Even if someone has a disaster does not mean you will.

Enough with the if's. I strongly believe the more room you can give them within reason the better off you are. Your laws don't allow you to do much. Have you read that law? Does it say no more than 10 square feet or no less? Read it closely yourself.

Chicks do not need as much room as adults. You'll probably be OK for a few months. Maybe forever. Good luck!

 

[Logar]

I agree with Dobielover too, that's way too small. The run might do, but the Eglu is tiny. Maybe 2 LF chickens max, 5 is too many especially if 3 of them are giant. It's not worth it. Consider getting bantams instead, or a real coop.

So would it be ok if we got a second one? We purchased it a little while ago and have passed the return period. I don’t think my dad would be too happy to hear he waited so much money.