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

[Fenlander]

Thought the views of a newbie with their Cube may be of interest.

 

After being frustrated at the rate even quality wooden houses/runs rotted and the difficulty cleaning them properly we sold off our Forshams and ordered a new Cube with the 2m run.

 

Been without any poultry for a while after three fox attacks last year saw them all taken in daylight garden raids.

 

We had slight reservations when ordering the Cube due to the quality/leak problems we'd seen on this and other websites.

 

It arrived OK but three days earlier than booked with no notice... good job I happened to be in.

 

It might have been nice for the instructions to have been in a seperate packet so we didn't have to tip everything out to find them in one of the 5 boxes!

 

 

Assembly was OK but we didn't rush and it took over 2.5hrs. All parts were there inc clips/screws etc. The instructions were for the older model with the smaller end door but it was obvious how to assemble the newer one. I would have liked another 20 wire clips as it is so easy to use a couple extra in a few places and find yourself short at the end.

 

As supplied the side panel rear bottom "L" brackets and captive threads in the base conspired to push the panels away from the base leaving an excessive gap... one side worse than the other. So I filed slots in the L brackets where the bolts go through so the panels could push in much tighter. Now the best side is perfect and the other just acceptable.

 

 

After a night with heavy rain there was just a half thimbleful in the nest box... this being the side with the largest gap between side and back panel. I'm just going to get some door draft type seal to sort this.

 

The mesh run panels had the plastic coating damaged in a dozen places but I just touched these up with a green paint as we assembled it to prevent possible rusting.

 

OK I know we shouldn't really have to fettle a new product like this but we're so pleased with the Cube design in all other respects I was happy to resolve it myself.

 

6 new young bantams from Melton market soon found themselves in the Cube. Two made the big jump onto the ladder in minutes, another two managed OK the first night and the other two went unaided on night two. Still can't see why the ladder is so short? They all got the hang of the Glug on day one.

 

 

After a couple of weeks we are still very pleased with the Cube. The lock down wheels are brilliant and it balances nicely even with the extra 1m run for a single handed move onto fresh grass every couple of days.

 

I've just bought from EBay a set of the same short loop bungees that come with the supplied sunshade plus two 6ft x 4ft green pvc tarpaulins. These are perfect for one to make a neat run roof and the other a side windbreak in the winter. The supplied sunshade then ideally suits a windbreak for the short rear mesh panel under the run... somewhere they seem to like getting to.

 

The only other thing I might have wished for is a small door in the rear of the run. If you need to attend to an animal tucked away in a back corner it's a pain for an adult having to limbo into the run and under the Cube. I could very easily make this though.

 

Also we might think of adding another 1m run extension soon.

 

All in all a good result.

 

David

Edited June 9, 2009 by Guest

[Redwing]

Thats a good summary David I am sure that will help some newbies making a decision on what to buy

 

Welcome to the world of Omlet

 

Melton market is a bit fatal isnt it? I impluse bought two lovely Pekins there a month or so ago, what did you get?

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Welcome to the forum, David .

 

Very useful and comprehensive report .

[Fenlander]

Thanks for the comments. Now added some images to the post.

 

The good lady is in charge of animals really... and she's the Melton shopper... I just man the toolkit and drive the wheelbarrow... so I'm not 100% sure of the breeds. I think two Marans. a Silkie and some crossbreeds... see pics?

 

David

[Plum]

It looks a beautiful setup on the grass. Thanks for your post

[ubereglu]

Looks really good, and I'm glad you're pleased with it!

 

Don't worry about the bits where some of the plastic has come off the run, because of the way it's made you should only have isolated bits of rust and it won't rust out.

 

Your setup looks great by the way, I think I'd want another eglu instead of a cube though as I'd like a flock of bantams!

[WarrensWorld]

 

 

 

OK I know we shouldn't really have to fettle a new product like this but we're so pleased with the Cube design in all other respects I was happy to resolve it myself.

 

David.

 

I've just had do exactly the same thing, same bracket too. Have to agree with you about altering a brand new product. I'm well happy too, not a major fix and it only took a few minutes.

 

Colin.

[littleleicesterfox]

Thought the views of a newbie with their Cube may be of interest.

 

It might have been nice for the instructions to have been in a seperate packet so we didn't have to tip everything out to find them in one of the 5 boxes!

 

 

The only other thing I might have wished for is a small door in the rear of the run. If you need to attend to an animal tucked away in a back corner it's a pain for an adult having to limbo into the run and under the Cube. I could very easily make this though.

 

 

David

 

I totally agree with you on these two points

 

It was raining when my cube was delivered so knowing that there's instructions getting very wet in one of the 6 boxes isn't awfully helpful if you have no clue which of the 6 boxes it is!

 

And yes, if you're trying to get a hen from underneath the cube itself, it would be useful as it's very hard to get over there and you tend to end up coated in chicken poo if you have to do it!