Feeding advice for bantams (one broody, one moulting)

[clarissahen]

Why oh why aren't the roosting slats made of plastic? Ours are already coming loose and they would be soooo much easier to clean if they were not wooden! It's the biggest flaw in the eglu system...and we've got two eglus and an eggcube.

And when I say loose...I mean the glue joining the slats to the base, if you get what I mean!

[craftyhunnypie]

Join the club, we have all been moaning for ages! We ALL want plastic ones!!!!

 

Emma.x

[ajm200]

They are a pain aren't they. Add your voice to the poll in the survey forum asking for plastic ones.

[ubereglu]

I have to admit that I don't want plastic ones because I think that if they weren't solid plastic and were hollow in the middle I think they'd bend over the chickens weight. Just a thought.

[Stevie]

Wood is easier for chickens to grab hold of while roosting and this is likely why Omlet wont make plastic ones.Plastic maybe easier to clean,but it might also be too shiny for them to keep hold of.

[Mrs Frugal]

My hens really struggle with the plastic Cube ladder to the point where we've had to make a wooden ramp to put over it as they keep sliding off it, bless them. I did wonder whether plastic roosting bars would have the same problem too.

[MaggieMcHen]

Plastic ones with the same coating as the OXO 'cumfi grip' (sp?)kitchen tool handles would be fine. You often find the same coating on spanners and hammers etc to improve grip.

[OldGeorge]

Would plastic roosting bars with wooden side bars be any good?

[clarissahen]

It must be possible to design grippy plastic slats...both for the cube ladders and the roosting perches. The wood is not good. Don't see much merit in mixing wood and plastic

[Egluntyne]

Why not send your thoughts to Omlet.

 

They rarely have time to browse the forum, but if they thought there was enough customer interest, they might give it a go.

[Gallina]

Am I the only person on this forum who loves the fact that the slats are made of wood, and wouldn't touch plastic ones?

 

They don't have to be perfectly clean: mine have the natural look.

[OldGeorge]

I actually made myself a couple of spare rooster bar sets out of wood and am quite happy with them, but when I read about people wanting plastic ones I thought if would be quite quick and easy to make them with plastic roosting bars and wooden side bars but it seems mixing plastic with wood is a bit of a no no, never mind it seemed like a good idea at the time.

[Cinnamon]

We have plastic bars

 

Hubby is in the trade, & got some thick plastic stuff to make me a set of bars which I use in the bants Eglu.

The poo just slides off them & into the tray, so they stay amazingly clean.

 

If I am 100% honest,I do prefer the wooden ones as I worry about the plastic being slippery,so I am asking him to make me some textured plastic ones next to get around this problem.

[Strepsy]

Am I the only person on this forum who loves the fact that the slats are made of wood, and wouldn't touch plastic ones?

 

They don't have to be perfectly clean: mine have the natural look.

 

No you're not the only one I wouldn't change to plastic. I find it quite easy to get the wooden ones clean anyway at the moment, though I have only had my chooks 5 weeks, I guess my opinion could change.

[Christian]

I like the wooden ones too. I have 4 sets and a quick blast with the pressure washer and they come up like new

[tonywig]

Surely the plastic bars could have a textured finish to make grip easier.

I appreciate this wouldn't keep them as cleanas a shiny surface but they wouldn't fall apart like the wooden ones. I've only had mine about 7 weeks and they are already looking like they're not going to last much longer.

 

How about a plastic "frame" that had wooden slats dropped into it which could be replaced using timber available from any DIY store (i.e. what my dad used to call "two by one" or similar).

[Strepsy]

I just think wood would feel more natural and warm for their little feet after a hard day being a chicken.

[OldGeorge]

How about making the bars from wooden dowel pushed down hosepipe cut to length. Hose pipe is fairly soft, but not soft enough for the hens feet to cut, it's plastic so it should clean easily, and the bars would have a core of wood so they should be strong enough.

 

Just a thought, but like the majority I think I prefer the wooden bars

[Willow]

My wooden bars are fine after a year - I'm worried this means I'm a slob who doesn't clean them often enough

[Cooks]

hubs is making me another couple of sets so that I have spares (he's a carpenter) and very disgruntled that he couldn't make my hen house out of wood.. but he's come around since seeing my orange eglu..

[Olly]

My wooden bars are fine after a year - I'm worried this means I'm a slob who doesn't clean them often enough

 

Well, have your chickens complained? When they march up to the run door and demand a scrubbing-brush, you know you've left them too long!

 

I don't do mine all that often, either.

[safari chick]

I just ordered a spare set of roosting bars for my mark one. When they arrived the loose bars were very mouldy. I complained to omlet and said that I didnt want them goign anywhere near my chickens.

 

They said all their sets for the mark one will be mouldy as they keep them in the warehouse. I told them I was very disapointed!

Does anyone have any idea how I can stop the mould growth without using a nasty chemical?

[Helly Welly]

You could try vinegar to stop the mould.

 

I really want plastic roosting bars. Mine have never come up like new even though i use a pressure washer on them, there's still a few stains

 

Surely textured plastic would be okay for the girls. I use the pressure washer so much that they are starting to splinter.

[safari chick]

Thanks - I'll try that.

[Guest]

Well I ordered a spare set and they arrived today - that way I can leave one set drying whilst the other is put in after cleaning the eglu.

 

I like the wood and they clean up fine!

 

Louise