Dylon: cleaning washing machine?

[Steve.]

Hi Folks,

 

Thank you to all for your hard work in asking my tricky questions in this thread --> http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26721 we ordered a eglu.

 

After some thought, I wonder if a Cube would be better?

 

Here are the pros and cons of getting a cube vs. eglu

 

Pros

1) Our 23 month boy can get inside the run and safely stand / admire the chickens

2) Can house more chicks

3) Can just leave chickens in there 24/7 due to extra space less need to freerange

4) 20cm shorter in length than eglu

5) Taller so my boy will be less inclined to use it as a climbing frame

 

Cons

1) Costs £256 more than an eglu

2) May be more to clean as bigger trays etc

3) Bigger run area to keep clean

4) Not as pretty

 

Can you help with any more?

 

I have to provide a formal presentation with charts to my wife this evening.

 

Many thanks!

Edited July 13, 2008 by Guest

[Egluntyne]

I have to provide a formal presentation with charts to my wife this evening.

Good for her.

 

It depends on how likely you are to want more chickens.

 

I'd guess it to be very likely.

 

The Eglu will hold it's price very well if you decide to start small and then upgrade.

 

The Cube is very easy to clean, sells for silly money on Ebay on the rare occasions that they do appear, but the basic run isn't big enough really for the 10 hens cited by Omlet, if they are to stay in it all day, so you would need the extension.

[Steve.]

We'd be getting 3 max to begin with to get the hang of it.

 

I think we'd want more chickens after that

 

I think I read somewhere that 6 was the maximum without an extension?

[Egluntyne]

You are right.

 

I have an idea that it is still a bit cosy for six.

 

I have a walk in run with mine so can't say for sure.

[WitchHazel]

Personally I would (and did) choose the Cube. I don't think it would be fair to put 6 in without an extension, unless you were moving it to fresh grass every couple of days.

 

It's footprint isn't much bigger than the Eglu, but overall it's much airier for the Girls; they can shelter uderneath the Cube if the weather is bad; even more foxproof (as even if Foxy got on top of the run, he wouldn't be able to reach the girls; Even easier to maintain than the Eglu, as there;s no bending down involved; space to enrich the run if you have to keep the Girls in; and of course scope to have more chickens.

[alison]

I have asked the same question on here also. I had an eglu on order, went to a henparty and then to visit and owner with a cube. I have after much umming and aahhing to change my order and have a cube.

 

I will take delivery of a pink cube with 4 chickens in July. I knew after handing chickens and seeing the eglu and cube that it was what `I wanted to do.I knew that if I bought an eglu which I could have had delivered yesterday, that I would want to upgrade, so decided too minimise the hassle!

 

 

 

Alison

[Cooks]

hmmm tricky, because if you get the bug and want more you will need the space of the cube... however... you would still need additional accomodation of some sort for the introductions of any new hens in the future.. so.... you could get the eglu.. and if you wanted more.. buy the cube.. keeping the eglu until intro's were all sorted and then sell it on ebay....

 

Did I make sense?

[The Dogmother]

Steve, I often get this question at my hen keeping courses. I always say that if you've any inclination at all to get more hens, then get the cube in the first instance; it is so much easier than upgrading a few months later.

[Cinnamon]

I have Eglus & a cube, & I must say that although I prefer the pleasing curved shape (rather like my own ) of the Eglu,I prefer the practicalities of the cube.

 

It is an absolute doddle to clean out & no more work than the Eglu really.

Its much airier for the hens & gives them the all important multi laying nest box,so no queues to lay an egg

[WitchHazel]

Steve, any chance you could visit someone who has a Cube?

 

We had to go and see it "in the flesh", and were lucky enough to visit someone who had both so a comparison was easy,

 

You're welcome to come and see me of course, but I might be a bit far away for you (I'm newar M25 J13/M4 J6.

[Gallina]

The Cube is a huge improvement on the Eglu in every way: I love it.

 

More to the point, so do the hens. I tried to put back in my Eglu some hens that had started there and had been moved to the Cube, and they were very distressed.

 

The extra space -- especially the headroom -- is very important. It is so much lighter and airier.

 

The Eglu with the standard run looks very elegant: but add two extensions and it is like a tunnel.

[Steve.]

Thank you all ... I will speak to my better half this evening.

 

Any suggestions on any bribery techniques that could swing her to a Cube?

 

I've already said I'll do all the Chicken Husbandry!

 

Seems Cubes are in short supply due to another thread in this forum

 

Hi WitchHazel - thank you for the offer, a bit too far from us though but will keep your offer in mind

 

Many thanks!

Edited June 17, 2008 by Guest

[The Dogmother]

I think I may have to propose to you Steve - my ideal man!!!

 

Are you bald?

[Steve.]

I think I may have to propose to you Steve - my ideal man!!!

 

Are you bald?

 

Thanks - I'll keep that in mind ready for the impending divorce case! Actually I better not let my better half see your post otherwise she may decide to offload me for a lower maintenance model

 

Bald ... not quite yet ... can't be many years to go though

[The Dogmother]

I like your style!

 

Never known a man who does the chicken cleaning... just don't tell me that you cook too A rare thing indeed.

 

Anyroad, back on topic; if you're going to get the cube as well as the eglu, then keep the latter for introducing new stock, as I am sure you will be doing

[Helen&Lee]

We were going to have an Eglu, then after plenty of reading on this forum we decided we wanted a bigger run, totally changed where we were going to put the chooks, and decided to go for a cube only and build a run!

 

We were only going to have 3 chickens but after going to look at various breeds arranged to collect 5 on the same day Omlet was delivering the cube and 2 chooks.

 

Impulsive moi? Seriously, Prudence had paid a visit and this was in the planning stages for a while - we really haven't regretted doing it, it is no harder cleaning 7 out than it would have been 3.

 

I haven't had an eglu but I love the height of the cube, so easy to clean

 

Helen

[Steve.]

Well I was doing well till the fence at the bottom was measured by my wife as being 4 foot and not 5 foot.

 

On a plus this is the first measuring problem I have had to date.

 

So would need some chicken pole thingies at £60 if we were to Freerange .... arrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhh

[Stevie]

I thought about the Cube,but since i wouldnt ever increase my flock over three-the huge additional expense isnt justified in my opinion.The Cube does look good and obviously has much more space,but i prefer the curvy lines of my Eglu.

 

If i was going to keep multiple hens from the start-i would go for the Cube.

[chelsea]

I have the eglu and the cube, I prefer the eglu. The eglu is easy to clean and manouvre and also transportable (if you need to take it somewhere for chicken sitting when you go on holiday).

 

Ideal for 2-3 hens and holds its value very well. The cube is much bigger, I personally find it too big (awkward and cumbersome) and my chooks wont use the cube ladder.

 

I think the cube is suited to a bigger garden, if you have lots of room and intend on extending the flock the cube probably would suit you better. If you have a cube owner near you it might pay you to see it "in the flesh" before deciding.

[WitchHazel]

Well I was doing well till the fence at the bottom was measured by my wife as being 4 foot and not 5 foot.

 

On a plus this is the first measuring problem I have had to date.

 

So would need some chicken pole thingies at £60 if we were to Freerange .... arrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhh

 

Well that's not quite true, as the movable netting is only 3 foot high or so.

If you were really worried about the fence height you oculd buy that iddy biddy trellis that you could attachto the top of your fence.

 

But I'm not sure you need it to keep your girls in. Unless you really want it, in which case I could be persuaded to tell you you really do need it.

[Egg Lou]

If you have a cube owner near you it might pay you to see it "in the flesh" before deciding.

 

Steve as Chelsea said its worth seeing.. not sure where in Hampshire you are but if you are anywhere near me you are more than welcome to come and see my cube?? My garden is smallish so it may help decide?

[Steve.]

Hello WitchHazel, if the netting is just 3 foot then it won't help will it!

 

Hello Egg Lou, thank you for the kind offer How big is your garden?

 

I'm in Waterlooville.

 

Here are a couple of snaps of my garden (and blanked out the neighbours washing...!) .... the fences are 6 foot at the sides then 4 at the bottom.

 

Garden Piccie 1

 

Garden Piccie 2

 

Maybe I have nothing to worry about?

 

BTW I've tanked the Mrs up with Archers so we'll see what she says!

[lisa33]

Your garden looks quite big compared to mine. I'm aiming to get a cube in the autumn (well August / september ish)

[Stevie]

Your garden looks plenty big enough Steve and provided there isnt anything near the 4ft fence the chooks can use as a springboard-they should be alright.If theres any sort of doubt though,just buy trellis panels and attach them to the fence tops using galvanised brackets.

 

My concern though would be foxes.What is on the otherside-another garden,woodland,fields???

[The Dogmother]

Steve, anything flimsy is good to stop them flying over - they don't like trelllis or fruit netting at all. My garden has mostly 4' fences with trellising on it and they don't bother going over and some of my girls have a great weight to wongspan ratio.

 

TBH, if you clip their wings when tyou get them, then keep them in the run for a week, they will know where home and the food is by the time you let them out into the garden. They will be less inclined to stray then.