SeasideChick Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 Hi, I have decided to keep chooks! Am going to build a secure, fox proof run and want to get a house for the little darlings. BUT ... don't know what to get ... Eglu Cube or Wooden House. I prefer the traditional look of a wooden house .. and they seem to be bigger ... but am petrified about the dreaded RED MITE. Seems they are far more of a problem in a wooden house than an Eglu. People have told me that plastic is not good for chickens and the Eglu's are prone to condensation making them bad for chooks. PLEASE : can people advise me!!! I want the best for my chooks' health and the most hygenic and easy to clean. All comments/advice VERY gratefully received. Thanks a lot!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 I have a cube - never had a problem with red mite or condensation. I think the people who say it gets condensation are the ones who have never had one! I cleaned it out today - strippped it down, pressure washed and dried it with old towels. All done and put back together again in under an hour. Not sure you could do that with a wooden house. It certainly wouldn't dry in time. Whatever you get, you will love chickens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 had an eglu for 2 years this year and never had condensation, never seen it at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 Eglus are just so easy to look after. With this being an Omlet forum you wouldn't expect a different answer!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 I've never seen condensation on my eglu (at least, not on the inside - the outside can get a bit dewy on cold damp mornings, but that's a tribute to its insulating powers). I haven't had a wooden henhouse, but logically they have to be harder to keep clean than a curvy plastic thing. I've had mine for eighteen months and never had any mite-related troubles, despite being a lot lazier with the cleaning regime than some folk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 i love our wooden one but it is a bit awkward to clean as it doesn't clip apart like the eglu and i can't advise you on red mite as we only got the girls in october (not red mite season). We mix in some red mite powder in with the aubiose, particularly in the corners and the nest boxes, each time it's cleaned with poultry shield. Price was the deciding factor for us. Our coop and small run was £119 plus about £30 p&p (new, from e-bay). DH built the big run onto it (see my photo album, link in my signature). I can't tell you which is better as I would have had to have owned both to make the comparison. If money were no object, I think I would have bought a cube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Licken Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 I saved for ages for my eglu and have not been disappointed with it. It is easy to clean out. My girls did have lice last summer but the way the eglu undoes made it easy to clean and disinfect and we got rid of them in the end. I have childhood memories of all us kids getting redmites from my aunties wooden hen house - enough to put me off for ever!! They do sell reconditioned ones that are a little bit cheaper - I guess it is another benefit that they seem to hold their value even when they get to ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeasideChick Posted February 2, 2008 Author Share Posted February 2, 2008 BIG thank you to all of you who replied to me!! You've been a great help. I spent AGES last night trawling websites/forums etc. for comparisons on wooden houses vs Eglu .... and I have decided 100% to go for the Eglu. The ease of cleaning/low maintenance are just such a massive "pull"! I shall order my CUBE this weekend and just wait for hubby to build the run! Thanks a lot AGAIN - really appreciate you taking the time and trouble to reply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 It's a very subjective decision, and if you have a 'traditional' garden then I can see that a wooden hen-house might look more natural, however I would not have contemplated getting chickens without the Eglu. I can clean two of them thoroughly in half-an-hour - never had a wooden house, but I guess they need quite a bit of scrubbing. I can honestly say that I have never seen condensation inside the Eglu - it's very well ventilated. It will never rot, need staining or repairing, if I needed to transport it anywhere it's easy (and it would be CLEAN!) and as Chicken Licken says, if you decide to give up keeping chickens for any reason, you can resell it at a good price. They look really funky in the garden, and I can't imagine life without one now (not till I swop it for a Cube, that is! ) But you are talking to the converted on this forum - the majority of us are Eglu owners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 oops - as I posted, you'd already made the decision! congratulations, you won't regret it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 Great news - I know you will not regret it No the next question is.....WHAT COLOUR??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 Well done Karen on your decision to go with an eglu or cube. I know they are expensive but they are sooooo easy to clean. The bit I hate the most is cleaning the wooden roosting bars and they take ages to dry (so I got a spare set). So for me personally a wooden coop would be too much hard work. Wooden ones can be a bit cheaper and can be quite pretty, but I think you won't regret getting an eglu/cube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 Am pleased that you have decided to go for the cube. You will be delighted with it. Congratulations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeasideChick Posted February 2, 2008 Author Share Posted February 2, 2008 Ah ... yes, indeed .... WHAT COLOUR!!!! I never realised chicken keeping would be so DIFFICULT!! (hee hee !!) Well ..... I rather like the RED .... but in keeping with my husbands GREEN solartunnel/greenhouse thing (!) and my children's GREEN playhouse and slide .... I have decided to go for the .... (oooh, can you guess?? ...) .... yes, THE GREEN !!!!! THANKS, THANKS, and THANKS again for all the replies - I REALLY appreciate it!! Can't wait to get "cracking" (hee hee) I'll be back with more questions, I am sure - you've been really friendly - thank you!! Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 Green is fab. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 Great news - another convert . I was like you, liking the traditional wooden style houses, but went for an eglu in the end because I wanted to be able to put it in the car (not relevant for a cube though ). I love the fact that there's no painting or staining or maintenance of any sort. I already have a wooden garden bench that's rotting away - I knew I wouldn't keep on top of it . Hope you can get it soon - and chickens to go with it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joybelle Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 I`ve got a purple cube and its fab joybelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicki9 Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 Congratulations eglus are fab. After having a wooden rabbit hutch for years and facing real problems of how to dry it in winter, so the rabbits could get back in after a clean out, the eglu is bliss. easy to clean, maintain and looks great. I bet you can't wait till the chickens arrive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mayflower Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 Hi, I was like you....could'nt make up my mind. But when I read up about the cube, it seemed ideal for our needs. It just seems easier somehow and cleaner for first time hen owners. My green cube with extended run arrives this Monday. Then in a few weeks time will be collecting three ex bats from the Dorset area. Very excited....but also nervous. Because ex bats cannot climb the ladder, Hubby is making a convalesent henhouse and run. This will be in the conservatory/potting shed until they are stronger. Good luck and have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted February 3, 2008 Share Posted February 3, 2008 It really just depends on your budget. I used to keep my hens in a wooden coop before I got my eglu and they're about equal in the terms of daily cleaning, it's just when it came to weekly cleaning there was a difference as wood tends to absorb water making the pieces not fit back properly. I've never had a problem with red mite when using either house, but this is probably because I tend to take it apart EVERY time I clean it out properly-once/twice a fortnight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
