2009 Omlet cube and run for sale

[DonnaS]

Well, if I've been a bit quiet on the forum, it's been because we have not been having fun building a walk in run....

Or rather, laying the paving for the run has not gone quite as planned!

 

So I got very excited and ordered a Tony 15 x 6 x 6 WIR together with a brand new Eglu Cube about 6 weeks ago. They all arrived very quickly, however laying the paving took rather longer due to:

(a) rain!

(b) paving not being available, then being delivered, then being wrong, sent back, redelivered, etc etc....

© volcanic ash cloud delaying husband from returning to help lay patio/build run by two weeks....

(d) but mostly - being completely useless on the planning front so that the patio - or bits of it - have been laid 3 times now!!!

 

Attempt 1 - laid 24 slabs - and was very happy - but hubby and father thought they could have been laid flatter - so up they came a week or so later...

 

 

Attempt 2 - finished laying 60 slabs - 6 wide and 10 long. Happy with the result. But needed more paving to accommodate the Eglu Cube on the outside - and those slabs were very late arriving (not to mention being delayed by the volcanic ash cloud which kept hubby in the US for an extra 2 weekends!):

 

 

Attempt 3 - doh! realised, having started to build the walk in run - that we'd miscalculated the paving! Instead of laying 6 slabs wide, we should have laid 5 - and so then laying 5 wide (pulling up 10 that had already been laid (some of them twice already...)) and adding 2 extra rows of slabs finally gave enough space for the WIR panels. You can see how long it took by looking at the climber running up the fence! We thought we'd chopped it down. Now nicely bordered with wood and with a 'sand/soil' mix from where paving was pulled up for the flower border later...

 

 

But what about the Cube??? While I was laying paving on a mostly sunny Bank Holiday Monday, hubby was assembling the Cube for the first time. It had sat idle for 6 weeks or so since my impulsive order... It was a bit bigger than we anticipated. It was supposed to sit on the outside of the WIR on another section of patio. After much "discussion and debate" hubby and I realised that we'd have to lay another 5 rows of slabs (the others we'd finally got were the wrong size) and that the whole assembly and paving would take up far more space than we envisaged - or had actually properly measured.....

 

So now we've decided to do as atsw has done - and build a double decker assembly inside the run - meaning that I don't have to lay any more paving, that we'll save garden space and that we can finally get the run working. Which means that the brand new, assembled then dis-assembled cube, is on sale...

 

Battery chooks are set to arrive on 23 May - so have to be quick to finish now! Yesterday - until it was dark - got us to 11 panels and well s"Ooops, word censored!"ed knuckles.

 

I've posted the new Cube on the forum - and will be looking for Eglu Classics asap!

viewtopic.php?f=33&t=62853

 

Thanks for reading my saga. Note to others undertaking the sam - and an obvious one - measure everything before you start!!!

 

Cheers.

[MummyHen]

Donna

 

I'm know exactly how you feel

I have Tony arriving on the 14th and the base isn't finished.

Measured and re-measured; 4 ton bags of spoil removed, paving & sand delivered, laid paving took it up, re-laid paving took it up.

Now we have put in railway sleepers around the edge aka kenilworth chick and the first 4 rows of paving have been laid in the centre. Apparently, more will be laid tomorrow

 

All I can say in thank goodness Tony is supplying and erecting the run

 

The inspiration and the learnings of others on this forum is just great.

 

Rachel

[sewitall]

It's awful being against it timewise when you know you have chickens coming. Having been on my hands and knees grouting between paving slabs at every opportunity between rain showers over the last few weeks I understand your pain. But you are almost there now and it is looking grand.

[Plum]

Great run but you do have room for the cube inside it. Just put one side against the wall and you can add an egg hatch. You'll have room to walk around the other side. It'll mean room for more if you want them

[DonnaS]

Plum - the original plan was to put the Cube outside - you can see the opening hatch at the end of the run I think.

But then we looked at the space the Cube would take (having erected it for the first time yesterday) - and realised we'd have to put a whole load more slabs down (DH doesn't want it on grass) - and quite frankly, at that point, we lost the will to live (well I did since I've laid all the paving...). Then the debate and the suggestion, as atsw has done in his same size run, to have a double decker Classic set up. And so that's what we are going for. That'll give us space for 6 chooks - which is good - since that's how many will be arriving in a fortnight's time or so.

 

I know it will be harder to clean out the Cube on the outside than 2 x classics on the inside - but right now we just want the flipping thing finished. I've still got paving to go around four more veg beds and have hardly started with my veg gardening - so really want to get the run done now!

 

Cheers. D

[Plum]

Don't blame you really, enjoy the chooks when they come if you have any energy left

[atsw]

Then the debate and the suggestion, as atsw has done in his same size run, to have a double decker Classic set up. And so that's what we are going for.

Hi Donna, just been catching up on your antics. Don't worry, all will be fine, and once the chooks are installed you'll soon forget about the little set-backs, in fact, you'll probably have a good chuckle about it all in time. For anyone who's not seen my double-decker setup, there's a couple of little pictures below. A bigger one can be seen in the "Chicken Run Inspiration - just photos" thread (go about half-way down).

 

 

I'm looking forward to seeing the run complete with chickens Donna .

 

Andrew

[Plum]

for a moment I thought you have 6 eglus Andrew

[DonnaS]

LOL Plum! Andrew's been very helpful with photos and advice (as ever). And I also fancy the blue/purple combo (copycat!). Yes, photos just as soon as we have the chooks - bit boring without - though all is nearly built now - just need to finish screwing in the roof panels and add the roof.

 

Plum - maybe a good idea just to go and put the cube inside - doh (again) - hadn't thought about that. I guess I didn't think there'd be the space. And that cleaning it would be too difficult - but I guess maybe not...Hmmm. Now I don't know! Certainly will be cheaper to keep cube and not buy 2 x classics (second hard seemingly hard to come by at a reasonable price). Atsw - what do you reckon - since you have same size run as me (or rather I have same size run as you!)? Then could (re)build the cube this weekend and we'd be ready....

 

Cheers all.

[Plum]

Shall I send you a dice

[atsw]

Maybe it would be a good idea just to go and put the cube inside - doh (again) - hadn't thought about that. I guess I didn't think there'd be the space. And that cleaning it would be too difficult - but I guess maybe not...Hmmm. Now I don't know! Certainly will be cheaper to keep cube and not buy 2 x classics (second hard seemingly hard to come by at a reasonable price). Atsw - what do you reckon - since you have same size run as me (or rather I have same size run as you!)? Then could (re)build the cube this weekend and we'd be ready.....

In truth, the only way you'll know for sure is to try. Doing it without chickens will be easier than after they arrive. I think if you position it at the end opposite the door of the WIR it would work best. You need a bit of room on both sides, as the coop opener bar is on the left (as you look at it) and the egg-port is on the right. If positioned at the end of the run you'll still have 12' x 6' of open space (and also floor area under the Cube too of course). I believe the roof of the Cube slides forward to take off, so that won't be an issue.

 

The family next door to me have just got a Cube (nice ), and looking at it over the fence, I reckon it would fit in my WIR without too much trouble. I have a large wooden bench at the end of my run (which the girls love), that would have to move, but apart from that, I can't imagine too many problems with a Cube inside a 15' x 6' run.

 

Andrew

[DonnaS]

Plum - yes, perhaps I need some dice!

atsw - thank you for checking - and sounds like Cube in WIR could be a goer. Will debate with DH this evening. I think that the keep cube (don't lose money) and rebuild in WIR may well be the most sensible option. Especially since my PMs haven't been returned in the last day or so...

 

Right, back to #GE2010 on the telly - fascinating stuff!

[DonnaS]

Have decided to keep the cube after all! We will build it tomorrow - along with the roofing for the WIR (screwed in the roof panels properly this evening). And then we'll be all set. Photos once I have the (scrawny) chooks in two weeks time.

 

Thank you for your advice Plum and atsw!

Cheers. Donna

[Olly]

Sorry, but I had to laugh at the paving slabs being laid twice and then moved again ... reminds me of the comic song about the bucket of bricks and the rope! It also reminded me of being in tears several times last November as I struggled to lay just a slab border for my WIR - I kept digging and digging and thought I would never get it level. I also dithered and dithered about whether to Cube or Eglu, whether to put inside or outside ... all I can say is that once you make a decision, you'll probably forget the other options and love what you choose. The run looks fabulous, and very well done on the paving!

[ISCA]

Hi Donna, I had wondered what had happened to you and your project to lay slabs. It sounds like you have had a real challenge but glad to hear you have almost completed it now! It will all be worth it when you get the hens in! Mine are settling in great!

 

Look forward to see some pics of the final set up.

[DonnaS]

Thank you Olly and ISCA. I am sure once it's all done I'll forget how much effort it's taken! Not long now. Then just 4 more raised beds to put in (and more paving around it - doh!). The work does not stop just yet!

 

ISCA - glad you have your chooks and that they are settling in well. Because I've been waiting for ex-batts, it's taking a bit longer to get my chooks. 23 May - not long now!

 

Thanks for locking the other thread Olly and glad you found my story funny! Cheers.