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

[Sarah B]

OK, you can all delete me but I want to make a point about the Omlet website.

 

I may have been naive but I saw it and thought I want hens!

 

I think after the recent Omlet press probably another 500,000 people in this country are thinking of obtaining a couple of hens and an Eglu would be cool??

 

I would like to point out to those potential hen keepers that it is really not as simple as purchasing an eglu or cube with a run and a bag of food. You have to be committed.

 

The hens need care as you all know, plus future purchases like redmite powder, bokashi bran, horse garlic powder, limestone flour, citracidal, poultry spice, maybe extra roosting bars, mixed corn, aubiose or hemcore, a winter shade, extra treats provided by us, and a loving and safe home.

 

Its really not a case of the £395 pack of an eglu run and 2 hens and this is all you need is it?

 

If anyone looks on the site, buys this 'pack' and does not purchase anything else they will have some very sad and poorly hens.

 

Time to make the website a bit more accurate Omlet in reading of the current press! I have 2 friends currently thinking of purchase who didnt have a clue re the other requirements other than than the £395 pack!!!

 

Oh forgot to mention the Flubenvet wormer, the destroyed lawn and the squawking in the mornings!

Edited June 12, 2008 by Guest

[Mrs Frugal]

Yes, you have to be prepared to give the hens a loving home. That's pretty obvious but the other purchases are optional! No one HAS to have any of the things you list, Sarah. In fact, for the first 2 years, the only purchases I made other than the Eglu and hens was the layers meal and I didn't have sickly, sad hens at all.

 

I don't think Omlet are misleading you. You wouldn't buy a pet, even something as simple to care for as a goldfish without expecting to have to buy the odd extra, now would you.

[superjules]

I bought my eglu and 2 from a couple who's only other purchase was citricidal and a bag of straw. They kept them for nearly a year with no problems, so it can be done. They were in good health when I got them and although Marigold has since gone to the big henhouse in the sky, it was 6 months after I'd got her and she died of a tumour, so certainly not anybody's fault. They sold them because they decided to travel abroad more in their retirement.

Edited June 12, 2008 by Guest

[Nicola H]

I haven't bought any of the other stuff you mention apart from mixed corn which i use as a treat. You are right though you do have to be commited the same as you would with any other pet, I buy my cat toys and treats but she doesn't need them. I don't think Omlet are trying to mislead people.........

[Sarah B]

Where has this post been moved too?

[Mrs Frugal]

Here!! When you click the "moved" button, it automatically takes you to the new location. It seemed more appropriate to this section than the nesting box.

[Sarah B]

Ok we are in chickens now - well Im still sticking to my guns on this

[Egluntyne]

I bought nothing extra for months.

 

Everything I have purchased has been my choice not necessity.

 

Many hens survive happily scratching around for their own food and having the odd handful of corn chucked at them, so I'm not sure that Omlet are so far off the mark.

[Faye&Ant]

I only bought layers pellets and straw to start with. Even after loads of research thats all we needed. Everything else was bought as we went along. Hopefully Clares prudence post will help some people

[cluckbok]

Hi ya all,

 

Well isn't that what the Omlet Hen Parties are for? They are to introduce people to hens who are not sure how to look after them etc. Then once you've been to a hen party then you can decide if you want hens. You'll get a pretty good idea by going on one whether you do or do not want any or can or cannot afford them. Not everything is needed straightaway anyway. Once you forked out initally, I think they are pretty cheap to run, and they provide real entertainment value too. "Ooops, word censored!"ody said they had to get the hen house from Omlet either did they?

 

P.S. I take it you are not enjoying your hens Sarah?

[Katie]

Sarah, I feel it's just like every other site that provide packs which is usually a coop, feeder, waterer and a couple of hens. Just eglu's are plastic and not wooden being the only difference.

It should be in your own initiative that hens need other things too before people buy.

[Sarah B]

 

P.S. I take it you are not enjoying your hens Sarah?[/quote

 

I am telling new hen keepers that they shouldnt take what is stated on the website as an all you need starter pack as gospel.

 

Edit - that is the point - £395 is a start point I'm making this view to new buyers who think great! £395 and I will be in eggs with minimal maintanance when that just isnt the case! I love my Tikka and Madras or I wouldnt have spent vets fees nor would I be boarding them at a cost per head per night for my holiday to ensure they get the best care.

Edited June 12, 2008 by Guest

[Guest]

I had chickens and an eglu for almost two years, and it was very much a case of:

 

eglu + chickens + layers pellets + a bit of straw for bedding = success.

 

The chickens never had red mite or worms, plus I didn't splash out on any of the bokashi or citricidal or other things.

 

Obviously if a chicken gets ill it's unfortunate - but it kind of goes with the turf of owning any animal.

 

I don't think Omlet mislead anyone over the eglu. It really is as easy as: buy an eglu and chickens and your "good to go".

 

It's when the ladies start adding "accessories" that it whacks the price up! Of course, Omlet realise that so cater to your (almost) every whim in the online shop.

 

grd

[Egluntyne]

Oh forgot to mention the Flubenvet wormer, the destroyed lawn and the squawking in the mornings!

There is more info than enough about these issues on this forum and every other chicken forum.

[ChrisP]

I have had my and GNR since 25/11/2005 and the only things i have purchased from Omlet is and GNR . Nothing else. I bought my from a respectable breeder, and the feed you feed young chicks with (the name has completely gone from my mind at the moment )

 

Since then, all i have bought is worming powder once, when one had symptoms, but luckily did not actually have worms. Also hay for their bedding to go in the nest box.

That is all, nothing else.

 

My hens are happy, well, healthy birds, and no-one says otherwise. They have the run of the garden, and therefore have grubs, worms, slugs etc. Anything else could be of choice, but not a needs-must kinda thing.

 

I think Omlet has been brilliant because without the people who work for them, i wouldn't have even considered buying hens, but by buying the and GNR as a pack, it meant that i could start chicken keeping, but easier than if i has to buy it all seperately from different people/places.

 

"I have 2 friends currently thinking of purchase who didnt have a clue re the other requirements other than than the £395 pack!!!" What other requirements are there that have to be bought, where the birds cannot live without?

 

Rant over with, I'm just really thankful to the guys and girls at omlet

 

Christine x

[Cooks]

To be honest it is the same with any pet/family member you offer a home to though. They couldn't possibly list everything you might ever need there are choices and different opinions on these items use and I am sure Omlet would want to leave those choices up to you to decide without forcing them on you, hence why I believe they leave that part of it up to you to decide, and hence why there is so much advice offerred in here to help people decide.

 

When I got a dog from a shelter I didn't say ahh but it doesn't stop here I have £20 a month insurance, food, bowls leads, wormers etc etc etc...

 

you do your research and buy items accordingly.

 

Just my opinion

[Sarah B]

Look I can see I am losing a pro Omlet thing here - that was not my intention. I just wanted new buyers to see there is a lot more involved than the purchase of an eglu and cube and some blummin' hens ok!!!!!!!!!

[tara]

Oh my god you always get ONE dont you

 

 

Owner of 6 chickens and a

 

7 ducks and a and a

 

 

2 ginipigs and a

 

I get loads of eggs and sell a few to a friend every week. Ive had chickens for 3 years and have only brought the food some corn as a treat worming stuff now and then.But we must all be wrong

 

 

Omlet are the brilliant l love the idea and there very helpful.The site dose not make you buy any thing just like any where you can buy pets.Ive never had a problem found it really easy.

Edited June 12, 2008 by Guest

[chickenanne]

I agree that there is more to it than buying a starter pack: not so much cost, but in terms of commitment. This is the same as any animal, though.

Obviously they are selling, so will be as positive as possible about their product, but surely people are smart enough to realise that all animals need time dedicated to caring for them, and appreciate how marketing works? Other than slicker marketing than a lot of companies selling coops, I don't see where the difference is.

Some of the problem, and apologies, is that a lot of people who buy eglu /cube have never really had any experience with chickens /other poultry or game birds before and you can buy the kit without ever going to visit chickeny-places. But that isn't Omlet's fault: IMO before you buy a pet you have a duty (as well as it being basic common sense) to see and handle that type of creature before you buy!

[Guest]

Look I can see I am losing a pro Omlet thing here - that was not my intention. I just wanted new buyers to see there is a lot more involved than the purchase of an eglu and cube and some blummin' hens ok!!!!!!!!!

Yes, agreed, there is more involved - although exactly how much that is depends on variable factors. I guess from a marketing perspective, it would be a shot in the foot if they said that buyers should budget an additional 'X' amount just in case they need extras in the future.

 

grd

[Flo]

I think the great thing about Omlet is all the back up you get from the forum which I don't think you get from many other coop suppliers.

 

There is more to keeping hens than buying an eglu, both in time and money and the forum is a great place to find out about all of these things either before you buy or once you have your hens.

 

Taking on a pet, whatever that may be is a commitment that needs to be well thought through and not done on a whim

[Jules.]

I got my eglu "on a whim"

[prettychic]

Hiya all

 

When I first ready about Omlet i was not aware of all the extra items needed. but as soon as i read the forum I was totally addicted & found it was very easy to pick up! It helped me alot about all the goods i needed. Only had my ladies for 4 weeks & fell like an expert with the extras lol x

[Lesley]

I got my eglu "on a whim"

 

So did I really - but as soon as I'd ordered, I did an awful lot of reading I ordered in the days before the forum started - I didn't even know what a forum was.......didn't really use the computer much at all apart from for work.

 

I did realise thought that just like any other animal that chickens may need more than just a starter pack and read books to see what else we may need. We needed very little in the way of extras.

 

Any other suppliers of coops also sell starter packs and don't dish out warnings

[Lapinou]

We've been thinking about having chickens for ages and omlet has made it all so easy for us. We had chickens when I was growing up and my parents (seasoned chicken and duck keepers) think the eglu package is fab and so does my farmer friend! We've bought a lot of extras, mainly to make the garden safe and to make our lives even easier than omlet have made it already but, although we haven't got our eglu yet, so can't actually comment from experience, the fact we've had positive feedback on the concept from two people who've done it extensively the 'old' way suggests to me that omlet probably have got it spot on.