Eglu Cube Coop For Sale

[dottychicken]

We're thinking of buying the Eglu Classic with 2 hens (one of each breed).

 

We haven't a clue and I've been trying to make sense of things with info from omlet.co.uk. We're not used to getting our hands dirty or being particularly practical so animal keeping is rather alien to us.

 

As beginners what advice do you have?

 

We also have some questions.

 

The first concerns where to put the eglu. Our garden is a decent size for a 3 bed semi, there is a patio, down side of house is driveway leading to garage in the garden on one side (but we don't have a car). There is open access from garden to side of house but a proper 2 door gate at the end.

Our lawn is not in good condition, it is very mossy, it is flat but maybe not entirely even, we had been thinking of getting it returfed but keeping chickens on our lawn would mean we probably wouldn't bother. I wanted to start a veg patch too but clueless about that also but that's another topic entirely!

The way we currently use garden: In summer we like to lay out a blanket and chill out and have picnics and dinner outside on the lawn often, we are hoping to have a small family too soon so want them to able to play on lawn too. Is it safe for children to be around chicken poo?

If we want to keep our lawn clean what's it really like moving the eglu around the garden every day? Do they poo a lot and hard to clear up? Is it better to keep them in one place? Should we install them on bed of chippings instead? Put up chicken wire fence to keep them on one side in their own area?

 

What to feed them? Is variety that important? Is the omlet chicken feed preferable to the layer pellets? What's the difference? We would try corn too. Is this enough?

 

What about all these health products and bedding? What would you suggest using? Does it make that much difference? Does garlic powder really work?

 

Is the eglu classic run big enough as it is if we couldn't give them much free range time sometimes? Is the converter worth getting? What about pegs to keep it securely in ground as foxes go through our garden?

 

Thanks for your help in advance! I'm sure I'll be an expert in no time!

[Busybird]

Welcome to the forum!

 

Chicken keeping is wonderful - you will not regret getting a few chooks

 

They do, however, take over whatever bit of garden you let them have I started with 3 girlies as, if something happens to one of them, there are still a pair to keep each other company. With an eglu you can then introduce another pair which is easier than introducing lone chooks (the eglu is big enough to house 4).

 

Allow each chicken a metre of run space. As I started with 3 chooks I had a 3m run and extended this to 4m when I introduced my second pair (when 1 of my original 3 died).

 

I do not move my runs around. I keep them on mud (used to be grass) but this does get boggy in wet weather. A lot of people on here use bedding and many put this on slabs with the run on top. I am happy enough with just mud.

 

My chooks free range in their own netted off section of garden. I find this is less stressful than trying to keep a garden looking good when chooks want to eat, scratch, dust bathe and generally do chickeny things which are not conducive to a good looking garden. I just let them do what they want in their garden and keep my bit looking good. They are only allowed in my garden when supervised.

 

Eating out with chickens loose means sharing

 

Layers pellets is all a chicken needs but you will want to give them more - they can be very persuasive little madams Pellets are available at many outlets - pet shops, agricultural shops etc. These are just as good as the pellets Omlet sells. The rest of the stuff you can decide on as you go along. Garlic powder and bokashi do help with sorting out smelly or runny poos.

 

Children and chickens definately go well together - but you will want to poo pick regularly for your own comfort (and clean shoes) as well as for them. This is not difficult - a small trowel and a flick towards the flower beds is enough.

 

Good luck

[Lewis]

Welcome to the forum

I'd keep them in one place, so the rest of your lawn is poo free and you can use it as you say - I'd slab a little area and put the eglu and run on top, and use a hemp based horse bedding (similar to woodshavings) - that way you can sweep it out and keep it clean.

 

I think the Omlet feed you mention is layers pellets - thats their staple diet.

Mixed corn is like chocolate for chickens, so only as a treat.

 

You don't need any health products, just a wormer a few times a year - but can use them as and when you need to. Garlic powder does work

 

For 2 I'd think a standard run is fine, but chickens are a bit addictive so might be worth getting the convertor ... and if its on slabs you won't need pegs as a fox can't dig through

[BeckyBoo]

Helloooooo, welcome welcome welcome! We were all new once! I'm sure there's a thread on here somewhere that has most of the answers but I'm rubbish and searching and even worse at linky thingys.

 

So, firstly, three hens are better than two, because introductions can be tough and if one dies you'll still have a pair. You can happily house three in a classic Eglu and if you have a run converter you won't even have to let them out if you don't want to.

 

If you like to lay out on the lawn then you'd probably be best off only giving them limited free-range. i started with that idea, loved them so much I let them out all the time and subsequently have no lawn. Don't underestimate the eating ability of three hens when faced with a giant salad bowl, sorry lawn and flowerbeds!

 

Children are fine around chicken poo, you can hose it into the garden anyway and it's good for the garden. The bedding etc you clean out can go onto a compost heap and you can put that round your flowers in the autumn too, keeps the plants cosied up for the winter.

 

If you'ce not kept outdoor animals much before, hens are a great way to start, three hens in an Eglu will take you half an hour a week probably to clean out, just keep food and especially water topped up - they can be left overnight without any attention provided the run is secure and longer provided they can get to food and water.

 

Don't know about Omlet food, layers pellets is what they need, corn is given as a treat maybe once a day - not much more or they'll get fat and won't lay you eggs.

 

I kept my cube and also the eglu when I had it, in once place as they decimate the groudn they're on. People use a variety of horse bedding - aubiose, hemcore, easibed adn the like for the runs and poo trays and straw or aubiose etc for the nest, but you can use shredded paper for the nest - free!!

 

I don't use any supplements for my chooks, they get pellets, corn, kitchen s"Ooops, word censored!"s, grit and they get wormed when I remember

 

Doo it do it do it!! Go visit someone with hens and an Eglu, have a look at it first hand. It's great - you'll love it!! Life changing stuff!

 

BeckyBoo

[Plum]

Hello welcome. Yes same as them above.

[Space Chick]

Nothing to add, just wanted to say hello and welcome

[chick wiggle]

Hello and welcome, nothing to add either, all good advice above, just wanted to say hello

[chelsea]

I agree with the advice given so far.

 

I would recommend if you can, trying to allocate an area for the chickens to go on and stay there rather than moving them around the lawn. This way if you want to keep the lawn fresh and poo free your hens can have fun in their "own area" and you and your family can still enjoy your lawn. Free ranging them occasionally on the lawn will be fine and any stray poos can be blasted by the garden hose.

 

I also use horse bedding (aubiose) in my run, it coats the poos nicely and eliminates smells. You can then scoop out the bedding on clean out day and use as compost or put in your recycling bin.

[Chicken Shirl]

Just saying Hello, and welcome to the forum and the lovely crazy world of chicken keeping.

[Egluntyne]

Hello

 

All your questions have been answered, so I'll just suggest that you attend an Omlet chicken keeping course to get a 'hands on' before you make your decision.

[Gelbel]

We're not used to getting our hands dirty or being particularly practical so animal keeping is rather alien to us.

 

 

Hello and welcome! I am not going to add more than the others - but I will address the above.

 

BC (before chickens) I was Mrs go berserk if I ripped a nail, got dirt on me/the floor/my clothes. That soon disappeared! I suppose I am a little more laid back in that department.

 

 

I am meticulous about hand washing after coming into contact with my girls - not obsessive; but to protect me and mine (and them!).

 

I'd not kept pets for years but I think it's a case of common sense. Gen up on the basics and make it up as you go along - coming here for help and advice. You'll soon get the hang of it.

 

 

Best thing we have ever done........wish I'd taken the plunge when I first thought about getting some.

[Puffin]

Hello!

 

Once you start you won't stop!

The only other thing that helped me was that I went to visit an eglu keeper who lived nearby just to see the set-up and chat to someone who knew what they were doing - it was worth doing and helped me make up my mind about the eglu.

I am sure there is a list on here somewhere of people who would be happy to show you their set-up.

 

Good Luck!

[Luna]

Hi there,

 

I too am a newbie, I have now had my eglu and chickens for a couple of weeks and love them to bits. I was worried about the garden too so I went for bantams, I am now the proud Mum of four Pekins. They are much smaller than normal chickens and much more garden friendly, they don't scratch about too much and when then do they don't do any damage.

 

During their first week before they were allowed out the eglu was in one position on the lawn (very mossy) and it was absolutely fine. I have now moved it but only because I felt I should rather than because I needed to.

 

Their eggs are small but have beautiful large yolks which are absolutely delicious.

 

I've read about garlic powder but I've yet to buy any as their poo is so small it doesn't really smell!

 

Go for it!

 

x

[poppers77]

Hello there, nothing really too add except that we've had 3 sussex for 3 & bit weeks ( 10 week pullets because we wanted them to bond with us & egss are the bonus but not the main event really) & have found it to be absolutely great. Wish we'd taken the plunge before. Of course there are nerves ( especially about illnesses) but i'm intendeding to keep vigilent, follow all this invaluable advice & enjoy!.

Good luck!

PS if you do get a veg patch chickens are amaxing for clearing slugs, but at the moment I'm not getting much gardening done myslef as i'm too busy chick watching.

 

 

p

[dottychicken]

Thank you so much for all your welcomes and the advice is so helpful!

 

I've been garden planning today. We're going to knock the garage down to have a nice big bit of rectangle garden to work with which will be 17x8m.

 

My idea is to give them a fenced off area at the back which would be 5x3m so the eglu and run would be on one side and there'd be 4x3m remaining as their own bit of garden.

We're changing the patio so could recycle the slabs to be the base for the eglu and run and maybe the rest could be grass (mud when they've finished with it).

 

I will be left with a more squareish bit of lawn to returf and make beautiful after putting vegetable patch and shed next to chicken garden to make a straight edge for the lawn.

 

Very excited now but it's quite a bit of work and I've never done this before. Like how do you put up a fence or who do you get to do it?

 

How does the above sound for chickens to live in?

What could I use to contruct a fence around it? I would make 4 sides of a new fence as extra protection from foxes around edge of garden rather than relying on existing wooden fences. Can I foxproof it at all? I'd want a fence with holes in to see through like chain link fencing? What have you used?

 

Also one final question about cleaning - I've read about using ecover washing up liquid to clean out food/drink bowls and the eglu house, is this adequate? Or should you use a proper cleaner like poultry spray and what about things to stop mites/lice?

 

Thank you, you've been amazing!

 

P.S: Anyone know someone in Leicester with an eglu and chickens for me to have a look at?

[Puffin]

Have a look here re visiting an eglu-owner...

 

http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=1163

[chelsea]

 

My idea is to give them a fenced off area at the back which would be 5x3m so the eglu and run would be on one side and there'd be 4x3m remaining as their own bit of garden.

We're changing the patio so could recycle the slabs to be the base for the eglu and run and maybe the rest could be grass (mud when they've finished with it).

 

 

 

Also one final question about cleaning - I've read about using ecover washing up liquid to clean out food/drink bowls and the eglu house, is this adequate? Or should you use a proper cleaner like poultry spray and what about things to stop mites/lice?

 

 

That area sounds perfect for chickens, and having their own bit of garden means you don't have to worry about them destroying your bit.

 

We use Ecover for washing the cube and bits and bobs. I even wash the chickens in Ecover when they need a bum/full wash.

 

I use Barrier Red mite powder on clean out day and dust liberally over the cube after it has been cleaned, I use this as a preventative and especially now the warmer weather is coming Red Mite could appear also. Some members sprinkle Diatom also in their housing.

 

I do a once a month/six week "louse dust" with lice powder on each hen. And worm with Flubenvet every 3-4 months.