Chicken picking at feet

[whittlewitch]

Hi there,

 

Being new to all this, I have read the Omlet website inside out, and have noted that the winter shade doesn't seem to stand up to much more than one winter.

 

Thinking that omlet might have also picked up on this, I was wondering if anyone has bought a shade recently and if it is of a more sturdy material. Our garden is very exposed, on a hill and is the first thing the wind hits after Southport (about 15 miles away), so it will have to take a battering.

 

Plan b is to buy eyelets, fly sheet material and dust the sewing machine off!

[Christian]

My winter shade is on it's second winter and is fine

 

The sun has faded it, but it is still in one piece and keeps the run dry and protected from the wind and rain.

 

My new funshade is smaller that the winter shade, but maybe double the size of the summer shade?

 

HTH

[Stevie]

My funshade appears to be of tough consruction and should in theory last alright.I do have it fastened quite tight across the Eglu so wind cannot 'bulge' it like a ships sail so im optimistic about its life span.

[The Dogmother]

I've had a couple of shades disintegrate on me - the sun and rain seem to rot them. I use clear plastic shower curtains over the run in the winter to keep it dry.

 

I understand that the new shades are a different fabric.

[jomaxsmith]

I'm also in 2 minds about this - I noticed today my winter shade has just started to tear so went into the shop to reorder and noticed all the negative comments about its durability.

 

My shade has done 8 months with me and was secondhand but lightly used when I got it. I don't really want to spend £20 only to have to replace it in a year.

 

I did use a shower curtain as well in the winter but it looks dreadful and would be too hot in the summer!

 

No idea what to do now!

 

Jo

[Hen Watch]

Both my shades have faded badly after just 1 year. One had a little nick in it where it got caught on a run clip, and now after a few weeks that tear is spreading and spreading.

 

I did use a shower curtain too in winter over the top of both shades, but now just stick to the Omlet shades now summer is here.

[The Dogmother]

My understanding is that the new shades are made from a different fabric. I'd call Omlet to check that though.

[jomaxsmith]

I emailed Omlet and received the following (incredibly quick) reply:

 

Yes the fabric of the shades has changed about a month ago. They all are

made of a stronger material.

 

Gwen at Omlet

 

I expect I'll order one in that case!

 

Jo

[The Dogmother]

Great news!

[whittlewitch]

Thanks for all the replies on this subject, shall order a shade when I order my plastic roosting bars, which I can no longer resist!

[IrishM]

Has anybody tried using a UV protectant like 301 to protect the shade???

[Yolky]

That is good news.

 

I have to say though that I was planning on using the shower curtain in the winter as it wil block out the rain but not the sunlight (and there isn't enough of that in the winter)

[The Dogmother]

That's what I do Yolky

[jomaxsmith]

I have to say though that I was planning on using the shower curtain in the winter as it wil block out the rain but not the sunlight (and there isn't enough of that in the winter)

 

I did that over the winter as well as using the winter shade but felt it would be too hot in the summer. Currently I've got the winter shade over the run and the summer shade over the convertor

 

Jo