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

[susiepoos]

After 2 years of having a wooden house I've finally given in and decided to buy a cube - I've got 6 chickens so I think 1 cube is big enough? Does the cube come with wooden or plastic roosting bars? any idea how long delivery might be?

[Janty]

The cube comes with plastic roosting bars.

 

The delivery time changes. When I ordered my first cube it was nearly 9 weeks. I think that the last one was three weeks. Call Omlet tomorrow for latest times.

[Jules.]

they might have some reconditioned ones in too, at £50 off

[Patricia W]

I was lucky enough to get a reconditioned one and I could have had it in a week as I was collecting it ( saved another £30 and I was going past anyway). I actually picked it up about 2 weeks from contacting them. I would have had to wait three weeks for it to be delivered and put up. But it was easy to put up ( or so OH said!) The most difficult bit was translating the instructions which are written for a cube with a run and I had one without a run- so we had to miss out some stages.

 

Do get one. I have 2 eglus and a cube. Both have their uses, but the cube is so much bigger ( although the run isn't ) and it so nice it is all at waist height.

 

Tricia

[chick wiggle]

I have a cube and a wooden house and believe me the cube is soooo much easier to clean. I am terribly paranoid about red mite in the wooden house but so far (touch wood) have managed to avoid the little critters.

[mostin]

1 cube is definitely big enough for 6 chickens. The limiting factor is really the run size you attach the cube, rather than the cube itself.

 

Maximum occupancy with large runs can be 10 chooks in a cube and 4 in an eglu. I have 1 of each type of house in a large walk in run but all 12 of my hens and 1 very big cockerel all decide to sleep together in the cube , and just use the eglu during the day as an extra nestbox when required .

[katieD]

1 cube is definitely big enough for 6 chickens. The limiting factor is really the run size you attach the cube, rather than the cube itself.

 

Maximum occupancy with large runs can be 10 chooks in a cube and 4 in an eglu. I have 1 of each type of house in a large walk in run but all 12 of my hens and 1 very big cockerel all decide to sleep together in the cube , and just use the eglu during the day as an extra nestbox when required .

 

wow what an expensive nest box your girls have

[mostin]

1 cube is definitely big enough for 6 chickens. The limiting factor is really the run size you attach the cube, rather than the cube itself.

 

Maximum occupancy with large runs can be 10 chooks in a cube and 4 in an eglu. I have 1 of each type of house in a large walk in run but all 12 of my hens and 1 very big cockerel all decide to sleep together in the cube , and just use the eglu during the day as an extra nestbox when required .

 

wow what an expensive nest box your girls have

 

I know , spoilt madams . When I need a hospital wing or an intro house though, they have to make do with a basket .

[Couperman]

We had six in a Cube with the standard run and we had a lot of problems, in fact it was a full on bloodbath.

 

As Mostin says the Cube itself is fine but the standard run is only big enough for three or four in my experience.

 

I would get an extension to the run as well if wou have six, a rule of thumb is one square metre of run per hen, more if you have the space.

 

We now have four and a large walk in run and no more problems, thankfully.

 

The cube will come with plastic roosting bars which are much better than the flimsy wooden ones and easier to clean.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Kev.

[eggregiousness]

This reminded me - I was wondering how "free-range" was defined, and came upon an article (sorry I didn't bookmark it) which defined it as 1 square metre per bird! I think it also had to be outdoors of course! I could be misremembering but I do remember being shocked at how little space they needed to have each before qualifiying as free-range birds.

[Couperman]

This reminded me - I was wondering how "free-range" was defined, and came upon an article (sorry I didn't bookmark it) which defined it as 1 square metre per bird! I think it also had to be outdoors of course! I could be misremembering but I do remember being shocked at how little space they needed to have each before qualifiying as free-range birds.

 

If I remember rightly to be classified as 'free-range' they need access to a minimum of 4m^2 (per hen) of land covered with vegetation that is not used for any other purpose, (orchards are ok). I think this access has to be at all times during daylight. There is a limit on stocking levels too but I can't remember what that is, so many thousand per hectare so wouldn't apply to most on here

 

The minimum recommended 1m^2 run space is required purely to stop fistycuffs, feather pecking and other anti-social chook behaviour and it seems to be true. When two of our hens died the remaining four didn't fight anymore in the standard Omlet run.

 

I forgot to add that our run was in a permanent position. Six may be fine if you move the Cube around the garden every other day onto fresh grass. We didn't have the room.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Kev.

[eggregiousness]

4 square metres? Still not a lot is it? When I buy free range eggs I imagine chickens gambolling (?) over the hills and far away..... I suspect the truth is a little different

[Couperman]

4 square metres? Still not a lot is it? When I buy free range eggs I imagine chickens gambolling (?) over the hills and far away..... I suspect the truth is a little different

 

I suspect you're right. But bear in mind they don't have to stick to their own 4m^2 and they won't all necessarily be out on the ranging area at the same time. And it is a whole lot better than cages or barns.

 

According to Wikipedia the max density is 2500 birds per hectare so I don't think you would be tripping over them if you were to walk through the field.

 

The pictures on the egg boxes often paint and idealistic picture don't they?

 

There was an article in Home Farmer about a certain farmer selling his caged hen eggs as free range, now that is bad.

 

Kev.

[mostin]

4 square metres? Still not a lot is it? When I buy free range eggs I imagine chickens gambolling (?) over the hills and far away..... I suspect the truth is a little different

 

You're quite right. Free range is not always as is perceived . That was one of the main reasons I wanted my own hens, then you "really" know how they've been treated before the eggs get to you. Like royalty in my girls case .

[Sam Palmer]

We have 4 chickens in a Cube with the standard run. They seem fine, but I wouldn't like to put any more than 4 in there without making the run bigger.

[Guest]

I went from wood to cube and it is such a brill far superior hygienic product.. a complete doddle

 

I have 5 chickens and am going to increase next year to stagger the laying hens a bit.

 

The nest area is huge and apart from going in to lay an egg agree the outside space is probably more important but you can keep them busy with veg hanging up etc & of course let them out if its safe area etc

 

Mine are fine space wise and only occassionally do I let them out on the lawn which they enjoy

 

good luck you wont be disappointed I would love another

indie

[Chook n Boo Mum]

The space you need available for the chooks also increases with bigger sized hens....my 4 Orpies came in a cube with a standard run and very little free-ranging time......and 3 out of 4 had bald necks They now have much more space even when confined to barracks and the little monster who does the plucking obviously developed a taste for it & has continued to do so during the night (even when there was stacks of space in the cube) despite using Ukadex...next step is a beak clip (if I can find the blasted thing in it's "safe place" ) or more segregation at bedtime. I haven't got another fox proof run to have her totally in "solitary" so bedtime on her own will have to do for a while I think!

 

So to recap, please give your girls as much space as you can afford in monetary and space terms to ensure a peaceful and pleasant time is had by all

 

Sha x