4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Chuck Morris]

Hi, I'm new to the forum and have enjoyed reading the many interesting threads over the past few days.

 

My wife has always dreamed of having chickens roaming around our back garden and so, for her upcoming birthday, I decided it would be a fantastic treat/suprise to get her a cube and 4 chickens.

 

After getting all excited about the new arrivals (your comments on this site have got me hooked). I was disapointed to be told that my cube would be arriving in 2 months!

 

Would it not be a good idea for Omlet to put up a message on their site telling people of lead times for their products? I now have to tell my wife on her birthday that I have got her a present, but she will have to wait a further month to get it.

 

It's kind of taken the wind out of my sales.

[Jules.]

Great news that you have decided to take the chicken plunge

Sorry about your wait

Perhaps you can make your wife a paper chase/ treasure trail thingy around your garden on her birthday leading up to the 'prize" at the end which is information that she is getting a cube & chooks in the near future?

Or....... do you want to keep the surprise from her a little longer?

[Cooks]

I believe some people have been called with an earlier slot when omlet have had a cancellation so you might be lucky and have it brought forward.

 

Although maybe you could call omlet and ask them?? state it's for a birthday present and if they get an earlier slot please bear you in mind?? They are really nice peoople.

[TAJ]

It may be an issue for a particular colour - or waiting for chickens. It would be quite difficult for Omlet to put anything on the website, because it very much depends what you want. Something ordered today may be available for personal collection tomorrow, or by courier in a couple of weeks, but if you want Omlet to build it & chickens at the same time it does take longer.

 

I would ring Omlet - it could be a change of colour would make it quicker - or they might even have a reconditioned one sitting there now.

 

Tracy

[Ambulance Girl]

Trust me the wait is well worth it, you could always send her to hen party as that way she will learn about chickens and at least she will have a birthday present. (just an idea)

[HENthusiastic]

Sorry about your wait, but its not such a bad thing. On her birthday she can have the wonderful suprise of knowing shes having chickens..... THEN she can spend a wonderful month reading, preparing, thinking, dreaming, thinking of names...........THEN she gets another wonderful day, when the chooks arrive. Sounds to me like she just gets an extra month of eggcitement! Perhaps you could get her a simple book on chicken keeping to open on her birthday! She will not be disapointed...... bet you!

[Egluntyne]

Disappointing for you and her.

 

Why not put your suggestion to Omlet?

 

Blame Hugh and Jamie for the upsurg in interest in henkeeping.

 

It will be worth the wait though.

[Chuck Morris]

Sorry about your wait, but its not such a bad thing. On her birthday she can have the wonderful suprise of knowing shes having chickens..... THEN she can spend a wonderful month reading, preparing, thinking, dreaming, thinking of names...........THEN she gets another wonderful day, when the chooks arrive. Sounds to me like she just gets an extra month of eggcitement! Perhaps you could get her a simple book on chicken keeping to open on her birthday! She will not be disapointed...... bet you!

 

I like the idea of the chicken book.

 

To answer the other comments above:

I have ordered the green cube with no chickens

We live in Yorkshire and there are no Hen parties up here.

I put on the order that it was for a birthday and to ring me on my mobile, so as not to spoil the suprise.

 

I'll just have to take her out for a nice meal on the day.

[TAJ]

Investigate local breeders - you could probably add in a visit to see potential chickens on the day as well as a meal out.

 

I must say my eglu was for my birthday and it went on for well over a month by the time I visited chicken suppliers twice, I got the eglu, read the books, got the chickens, went on a hen party and then you get your first eggs - you can't beat it as a present! It may be frustrating, but the wait will be worthwhile.

 

Tracy

[Omletina Kyckling]

I would definitely ring Omlet and see if you can get one any quicker, it's worth a try. Tell them you would be interested in a reconditioned one - I know of a few people on the forum who've rung about reconditioned ones (like new!) and have got them within a couple of weeks.

 

It's worth a try!

 

Good luck with it, she's a lucky lady!

 

Diane

[chucknette]

Hi

 

What a lucky lady to be getting chickens for her birthday and doesnt yet know about it.

 

I would go with as previously mentioned, bunch of flowers and a chicken book. There are quite a lot of books out there which give you a lot of information.

 

Maybe in her card you could write (and four chickens of your choice + cube)

 

If that was me you would be trampled in the rush from me getting on line and looking up all of the breeds and where to get them from.

 

All whilst issuing orders on where I want the cube and what I want dug up or built!

 

Having said that, I was told a couple of months for my green cube and chickens but it actually arrive within one month.

[Chuck Morris]

Thanks for all your advice.

 

I have found a local organic breeder of chickens (that's the chickens not him. Although I suppose both could be true) and will arrange to visit around/on Maria's birthday if possible.

 

I will definately go with the book idea. Can anyone recommend a good one?

 

Now there's just the meal to arrange.

[Lapinou]

Just thought I'd add that they wouldn't be able to put the lead times on the website because, as I found out, they not only vary according to colour/availability but also re. when they're next delivering in your area. Someone on here was told 30 June for their eglu, I had a panic and rang them and they said it could be any time depending on where we live - turns out we're lucky enough to only have to wait just over 2 weeks. I think lead times are even longer for cubes from what I've read.

 

BWs

[Chuck Morris]

Just thought I'd add that they wouldn't be able to put the lead times on the website because, as I found out, they not only vary according to colour/availability but also re. when they're next delivering in your area. Someone on here was told 30 June for their eglu, I had a panic and rang them and they said it could be any time depending on where we live - turns out we're lucky enough to only have to wait just over 2 weeks. I think lead times are even longer for cubes from what I've read.

 

BWs

 

Hi Clare.

 

Just spoke to Gwen at Omlet who told me that the problem was that they can only manufacture so many cubes a week and that I could have an Eglu in time for Maria's birthday if I wanted to change my order.

 

I told her that I would stick with the cube, as I suspect that once we are hooked, that we would be wanting to add more to the brood anyway.

 

I also asked her about the possibility of a recon and she said that there were none in and she could not know if/when any would be available.

 

Oh well I will just have to wait.

[chucknette]

Hi

 

The book I have at the moment is Choosing and Keeping Chickens by Chris Graham.

 

It discusses everything you need to know, even treats to give them.

 

I like the chicken breed sections as it tells you their looks, personalities, day to day care of each breed and about their eggs.

 

Its also discusses the hybrids.

 

It covers every aspect of chicken keeping including pests and diseases, housing , handling I reckon just about everything.

 

I especially like the photos of each breed.

 

 

There are a lot of books out there but this is my favorite at the moment.

 

I also have Hens in the Garden Eggs in the Kitchen which is pretty good and a Chicken Enciclopdia also pretty good.

 

Hope this helps.

[Chuck Morris]

Hi

 

The book I have at the moment is Choosing and Keeping Chickens by Chris Graham.

 

It discusses everything you need to know, even treats to give them.

 

I like the chicken breed sections as it tells you their looks, personalities, day to day care of each breed and about their eggs.

 

Its also discusses the hybrids.

 

It covers every aspect of chicken keeping including pests and diseases, housing , handling I reckon just about everything.

 

I especially like the photos of each breed.

 

 

There are a lot of books out there but this is my favorite at the moment.

 

I also have Hens in the Garden Eggs in the Kitchen which is pretty good and a Chicken Enciclopdia also pretty good.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Thanks chucknette.

 

I have just found Choosing and Keeping Chickens by Chris Graham on Amazon and will order it today.

[chucknette]

Your welcome.

[hils78]

Blimey what a FANTASTIC birthday present! My OH was going to buy me an eglu till he saw how much they were. Tight git!

 

Before you gave her the book you could wrap up an egg box with written tokens/cheques cut out of paper or card in the shape of chickens or eggs for her to exchange for the real thing. Such as "Please exchange this token for 1 chicken" or "please exchange for 1 green cube". A bit girly for a man to be doing but I would be so flattered at the thought of my man going to all the trouble. Then you could give her the book after she realised what she was getting....Your brownie point tally will be overspilling for years

[Chuck Morris]

Blimey what a FANTASTIC birthday present! My OH was going to buy me an eglu till he saw how much they were. Tight git!

 

Before you gave her the book you could wrap up an egg box with written tokens/cheques cut out of paper or card in the shape of chickens or eggs for her to exchange for the real thing. Such as "Please exchange this token for 1 chicken" or "please exchange for 1 green cube". A bit girly for a man to be doing but I would be so flattered at the thought of my man going to all the trouble. Then you could give her the book after she realised what she was getting....Your brownie point tally will be overspilling for years

 

Thanks for the advice, but I think Maria would think that I had 'gone soft' if I did that and you know that us northern blokes have our image to maintain.

[Ambulance Girl]

My cube & chooks was a 35th anniversary present from my lovely hubby

[Tina C]

My first eglu was a birthday present and I had to wait too - but it was worth it.

 

By the way I think you are so for getting a cube as a surprise for your wife.

 

Hope she does not know about the forum

[Chuck Morris]

My first eglu was a birthday present and I had to wait too - but it was worth it.

 

By the way I think you are so for getting a cube as a surprise for your wife.

 

Hope she does not know about the forum

 

She has no idea and neither do my 2 sons and I am bursting to tell someone.

[Jules.]

My eglu was an (early) birthday present for me last year!

I knew all about it though.........

[Chuck Morris]

My eglu was an (early) birthday present for me last year!

I knew all about it though.........

 

The thing is that since I have known Maria (26 years) she has always wanted chickens and ducks, as she has fond memories of visiting her grandmother in Ireland.

 

We now have a reasonably big secure garden ( I work from an office built in it) and already have a Weimeraner (Ruby), a cat (Archie) and two lionhead rabbits (Seth & Eli) and so thought that the time was right.

 

Because she has wanted chooks for so long, I want it to be a BIG surprise and so have to keep tight lipped.

[chucknette]

Maria could come onto the forum on her birthday to say hello and find out how many people new it was her birthday and what her present was going to be

 

How exciting!!!