Part 0800.0005

[hopetofinish]

I have ordered a WIR which is 12 x 6 x 6 and should be here in the next week or so, but still undecided about the hen house

 

I really like the maggie six on tall legs from Flyofancy, but keep pondering about the cube too. To be honest there is not a huge amount of difference in price. I know that the cube will hold its value and there is a good resell on them, where I imagine there is next to nothing on a wooden coop.

 

With the run size I am having I thought 3 chooks would be quite comfortable, but would the cube be just too big, and would they get cold? My other concern seems to be the perches on the cube that people think are too close together.

 

Any advice greatly appreciated.

[janeears]

I'm sure most people on here would be quick to reassure you! So many people seem to start with an eglu and then 'move up' to the cube - everyone says how addictive this hobby is!! I'll bet you have a couple more chooks by Xmas!!!

[hopetofinish]

Really hope to only stay with the 3 chooks (famous last words!).

 

I see the omlet have 2 reconditioned Go's for sale. Not many comments on here about the Go. Do people like it?

[the-real-tinkerbell]

i have one and i like it its as good as my classic and cube hope that helps

[Jools]

I have ordered a WIR which is 12 x 6 x 6 and should be here in the next week or so, but still undecided about the hen house

 

I really like the maggie six on tall legs from Flyofancy, but keep pondering about the cube too. To be honest there is not a huge amount of difference in price. I know that the cube will hold its value and there is a good resell on them, where I imagine there is next to nothing on a wooden coop.

 

With the run size I am having I thought 3 chooks would be quite comfortable, but would the cube be just too big, and would they get cold? My other concern seems to be the perches on the cube that people think are too close together.

 

Any advice greatly appreciated.

 

The better quality wooden housing does have a good re-sale value, it's the cheaper/flimsier ones that don't.

 

Don't worry about the Cube being too big for three chickens, it will be absolutely fine.

 

I find roosting bars are too close together so I remove every other bar with mine (I don't know if you can do that with an eglu or cube though). It's purely for practical reasons though - I'd rather not be constantly cleaning poop off them! There's no other reason and it's certainly not bad for the chickens.

 

Happy pondering!!

[Purplemaniacs]

I have only had three in my cube and now it is just two, they sleep in the nestbox and seem quite happy. They have not had a winter in it yet.

 

If you are really going to stop at 3 chooks, I would go for an eglu classic (not got a Go though), I prefer my eglu its only down side for me is the run and as you are having a WIR that would not be a problem for you.

 

Chrissie

[hopetofinish]

Hi Chrissie

 

The most chooks I would be in my WIR would be 4, so a classic eglu should be fine.

 

Omlet are offering reconditioned ones for £220 without the run. Now have to work out whether to buy that or just pay the extra and get a new one. I don't want one that is really scratched or knocked about.

[janeears]

That sounds a good price. Could you phone them and ask what condition they're in? If you're having a WIR then a run would probably be surplus to your requirements anyway.

[beach chick]

I bought a reconditioned run for my rablu - honestly, it's perfect I couldnt see anything wrong with it. and at £50, it seemed like a bargain to me! I would think if you are buying recon from Omlet direct it will be pretty good, I doubt they would send out anything which is too shabby.

[hopetofinish]

Thanks Beach Chick!

[Plum]

You Know you'll want more than 3 when you see those gorgeous breeds. I had 3 in a cube for ages and they were warm as toast. When it got down to -5 to -10 I filled some of the space with screwed up newspaper for a few nights.

[hopetofinish]

I had just about made up my mind too Plum, and now you've got me thinking again

 

If my run is 12 x 6 x 6, and they did not free range much, how many chooks would you keep?

[Plum]

Very max of 8 but 5 would be happy I think

[mostin]

Don't worry about the Cube being too big for three chickens, it will be absolutely fine.

 

I have a different point of view on this. In the depths of the very cold winter we had last year there was a rush of people having to go out to buy more chooks, to up the temp in the cubes. Three is very luxurious in the summer, but I believe there is is too much air space around them in a cube in the winter.

 

On the coldest nights last winter, all of my chooks moved, by choice, from their usual favourite roosting perches and houses into one cube. On one night, 17 of them slept all together in one cube to keep toasty warm.

 

 

I have absolutely no fear that by winter you will have more than 3 chooks though , they have a way of wheedling themselves into your life

[hopetofinish]

Oh the confusion continues

 

I really don't see myself getting more than 4 chooks - honestly!!!!!

 

I had short listed 1 warren, 1 nera black, 1 blue haze (which would be too big for the Eglu, but I could change my choice here,) and 1 speckledy. In the depths of winter are they honestly going to be cold in the cube, or would I be better off get the classic and swapping the blue haze for another warren?

Who knew it was this hard!

[mostin]

Don't worry, the fact that you are giving this so much thought means you are going to be fab .

 

It's a personal view of mine, but I always judge the number of chooks I can fit by the room they have to play in, in the run, not just the house. Plum is spot on, 8 is the max for that house, and the filling the spaces in a cube with newspaper in the winter is a good idea too, I didn't know you did that Plum .

 

It's always a trade off, I love the little eglus, but the cube is great to clean out as it's up off the floor. It's swings and round-abouts. If my girls have a choice they always go for the higher house, so in my smaller runs the eglus are up on tables, with ladders leading up to them .

 

I first got a cube because I had 2 eglus - 3 in 1 and 4 in the other, but this happened every night

 

 

There are all 7 of them in there

 

 

I'm sure your girls will love you whatever they live in

[WitchHazel]

I have had three chickens in a Cube, and it was fine.

 

I've experience of a Cube, a Classic AND a Go. My first purchase was a Cube, and it is definitely my favourite. The overall footprint (including the run, which I know won't really apply to you) isn't much more than a Classic, but the space is so much better used. The chooks can go underneath the cube for extra shelter, and it doesn't do as much damage to the grass. The run is also better - it's no longer, but it's a better shape and doesn't seem so claustraphobic. The Cube is height for me for poo picking and cleaning, and i think the Girls like to go Up to bed. I find it really easy to move around the garden (easier than the Classic) as long as I move it by pulling from the front rather than pushing from the back.

 

The Classic is lovely to look at, comes in a fab range of colours, and is really well made. However, I found it wrecks the grass underneath it.

 

The Go is nowhere near as lovely to look at (and definitely doesn't feel as well made) as the Classic, but I found it to be really well designed. It's shape makes it much more roomy inside than the Classic, so it's even more suitable for large breed birds. I love the fact that the door can be positioned anywhere, and I ended up buying a second door so I could have one on each side, at different ends. Next spring, when I get it out again for chicks, I'll get a third door for the end as well. I really like the fact that the nest box bit (which incorporates the bits under the poo trays) lift/slides out for washing. I found the grass underneath the Go itself survived reasonably well, which surprised me. The only thing I really had against the Go (apart from the fact that it doesn't feel as well made as the Classic, and isn't designed to be taken apart frequently) is that at the time it wasn't possible to get run extensions. I see they are in the Omlet Shop now, which is great.

 

I've used both the Classic and the Go for raising chicks and for temporary housing for newbies. I bought a second cube recently (this chick hatching is getting out of hand!) and decided I didn't need both the Classic and the Go anymore: I decided to part with the Classic.

 

Not sure if that helps?!