Solitary chicken - need advice

[Cate in NZ]

I just had to post to say how I am. You lucky, lucky people

I saw a cube today at the Ardingly show, and it's better than I ever expected, it really looks like the guys have thought of everything. It was wider than I expected, but it looked really "right", and just about everyone who visited the stall today was really positive about it. I think Omlet are likely to get some great sales out of it. The cube I saw was a prototype, so there are a few minor improvements that are being made, but they'll only make an already fabulous product even better

Oh, and Jaime.............. do you want to know what colour the first ever eglu cube is?

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It's orange

Please note that the protype had the glug and grub feeders today but the water feeder is going to be different, they've designed a greater capacity nipple feeder for the cube because of potentially the greater number of chickens in there, but they didn't have one of those for today. Oh, and the other thing William said was that the speckledy in the 2nd photo is obviously not one of their standard range of chickens, so if these photos tempt you into placing an order don't expect to necessarily be able to order a speckledy as well.

I want one (where's a stamping feet emoticon when you want one!!)

[Nicola H]

Wow it does look good Kate, I presume if you were to keep 8 hens in the run full time you would need the extension............I think it looks better in the flesh and orange is a great colour.............

[bronze]

They say 6 for a run that size. It looks too small to me

I would go for 6 in an extended run

[Swiss Chick]

I just stumbled over the cube in the forum. It looks great. I would love to have one. Anybody coming to Switzerland soon and would be willing to bring one over in the car.....? When I ordered my eglu it costs so much to ship over and this thing is even bigger and bulckier. Anyhow I have noticed that the ladder does not touch the ground. I have japanese bantams. Do you think they would hop onto the ladder and would be able to "climb" in?

[bronze]

It looks to be only about a rungsworth off the floor so wouldnt be any different to the other steps

[Nicola H]

They say 6 for a run that size. It looks too small to me

I would go for 6 in an extended run

 

I thought the same thing, I wouldn't like to leave 6 hens in that size run full time, it would be OK if they had some time to free range I suppose........

[AnnieP]

Thanks for the pictures Kate: It looks great doesn't it? Can't believe how excited I am about this!

[bronze]

Shame the door in the end of the runs not bigger so you can get in if needs be

[Jaime]

Wow Kate... Its red with a hint of yellow.

 

I'm surprised how small the run looks with 3 chooks in it. How was it in real life?

[feemcg]

Run looks way too small to me - they should have put 6 in there today if thats what its intended for. Actual cube looks fab in orange though .

[Egluntyne]

If I'm being honest....I'm disappointed. It is much smaller than I expected.

 

The space in the run is very limited.

 

I'm sure the Cube itself is fab, and user friendly, but the expense of a significantly extended run makes it an unviable proposition for me.

[Cate in NZ]

Sorry, only just logged on again this evening, and after reading your comments about the size I've had another look at the photos, and all I can say is that they really don't do the size of it justice. The run is a decent size, overall probably the same length as with my mark 2, but much wider. I felt that it would be comfortable for 6, although I would prefer to let them free range of course, but during the day to be kept in safety 6 should be fine. It is bigger than it looks . And all throughout today with loads of people looking at it, experienced and novice chicken keepers alike no-one commented on the size. In fact I was astonished this time that I got no negative comments. At the last show I did I had several experienced chicken keepers sharing their opinions about the benefits of traditional wooden housing with me, this time everyone praised the cube, admittedly a few said it wasn't for them, but they all liked the design features and so on.

[red]

I agree with the others that ther run looks rather small but I'm sure you are right in that it can be hard to get a sense of size and scale in photos.

 

BTW - love the orange colour (that's what I'll go for when I get one )

[bronze]

Well it must be reassuring hearing it from you that it is bigger Kate

[Lesley]

That Speckledy looks like a Daisybelle to me?

 

I'm surprised that the door to the run is small as well - it is the one thing I had problems with on the Mark 1 and 2 - very difficult if you can't kneel

 

Is anyone intending to buy just the Cube and pop it into a run area instead?

[feemcg]

Yes Lesley, looks exactly like my daisybelle, Beauty .

[Tina C]

I had already decided that if I ever got a cube I would need the extension. The photos do make the run look very small. I will wait and see what all you new owners think when you get yours and actually experience it in action.

[Gallina]

The length of the basic Cube run shown in the photograph at the start of this topic is exactly the same as that of the basic Eglu run.

 

It looks shorter for two reasons:

 

(1) The Cube (instead of taking up valuable garden space outside the run like the Eglu) is lifted up into the air;

 

(2) The run is very much wider, so is going to look shorter.

 

If the standard Eglu run is big enough for four chickens, then the standard Cube run is big enough for six chickens, because the extra width provides half as much floorspace again.

 

I don't think personally that the standard Eglu run is big enough for four chickens to live in comfort; but the Cube run isn't any worse: it's actually better, as there is more head room.

 

How I agree with Lesley about the door to the run. I can hardly get down to it first thing in the morning, which makes feeding the chickens very difficult.

 

The other thing I hoped would go is those horrible plastic clips. They keep dropping off my old run, and I can never work out where they have come from, which is rather worrying.

 

But isn't the height great! I hope it will stop foxes from sitting on top of my run.

[Helly Welly]

If i ever upgrade to the cube, we'll adjust our large run to accommodate it as its nice to give the girls as much room as possible. Extra headroom isn't much use when they spend all day scratching on the floor!!

[theherd123]

 

Is anyone intending to buy just the Cube and pop it into a run area instead?

 

Yes Lesley - me!

 

The new rescue chooks will go into the purple mark 2 with the run (within the hen hotel) and the cube will go directly in the hen hotel. i eventually want the 2 sets of girls to roam together but not until they have recovered a bit.

[Aunty e]

I think headroom is great! Our girls love bouncing from branch to branch in the run, and I always wanted to have more space, so they could get a truly 3-D environment. I've been saving the trunks from christmas trees for ages....

[craftyhunnypie]

Woooooohoooooo! Orange! That's what I'm going for ------the retro look eh Jaime??

 

Oh I love it!

 

Wasn't there something on here ages ago about the colour of the eglu and how it effects egg production?

 

Wonder how orange scored???

 

OOOOOOOo I best get selling some more bingo machines!!!! On a promise, if I sell 10 hubby buys me a cube. I've sold 5 so far!!!!! Fingers crossed for my orange cube!

 

Emma.x

[feemcg]

I'm considering orange too Emma - it looks fab. Only got the purple eglu a few weeks ago though, but feeling guilty cos the big girls got relegated to a wooden house, and both eglus being used for chicks - might give in to the guilt .

[Sheilaz]

Yes, I think you should.

[bronze]

for sure

 

you cant be sizest (agest) now can you