[warmglo]

I'm thinking about keeping a few chickens, but my other half does not want the grass ruined on our 10x10m garden. I saw this Eglu thing advertised - has anyone seen it? Does anyone use it? They say it can hold up to six chickens, but to my untrained eye it only looks big enough for one!  That aside, how can I keep a couple of chickens and my OH happy??

[MrRee]

I'd say go for it. If it's just you and the wife,I'd only have 3 chickens,and you'll have to move the eglu every day,or every other day on the grass. The alternative is to permanently install a patch of bark chippings,straw or some other kind of litter to satisfy the chicken's need to scratch. Try googling The Balfour method,should only take up 4 square yards of your 100sq yards,and ya get all those eggs too!!!
   Eglu's are quite an expensive initial outlay,so I think you need to be serious about keeping them long term,or don't mind a semi-expensive hobby. Rhode Isand Reds are my preferred breed for egg production,but that's down to personal choice,and I think your wife might have the last say on that subject  ...... Ree

[doganjo]

I have a mess in my garden just now but it's the rain that's made it muddy not the birds. So I have hidden it behind larchlap panels and they have their own bit they can scratch around in, and the rest of the garden is mine and the dogs area.
Annie

[Rosemary]

I've never seen an Eglu in real life and it's not really to my taste but I'd certainly go for that type of accommodation ie a fold that can be moved every day or so. Three or four hens will be plenty - breeds with feathered legs are supposed to scratch less than non feathered but I don't know if that's true. We've got a couple of Forsham arks that are well built but again, not cheap.

Black Rocks are good first time hens and they are good outdoors; just be sure you get genuine Black Rocks not just some black hens!

www.theblackrock.co.uk

[warmglo]

Thanks all for the advice. We've finally decided to go for it with the chickens - but not the eglu. Its gotta be 'pretty'! So gonna get an arc type enclosure with wheels and make it look pretty! I can almost taste those eggs!!