counturchickens Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 We adopted some ex bats last year, and have had a fantastic 12 months enjoying the company of our feathered friends and their eggs! We chose a non Omlet hen house, but as you will all know chicken keeping is addictive and we'd really like to give some more ex-bats a happy retirement so we are thinking about an eglu cube - however we can't seem to encourage Omlet to provide an automatic pop hole option! I've seen other posts on this subject, so I'm hoping that the forum community will back me up! I have already tried contacting Omlet directly, but they only said they would refer to the technical team. Would anyone like to support our campaign? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I think a fair proportion of us just keep the door open I have never shut mine,whatever the weather,in almost 6 years of keeping hens,but I have the security of knowing my girls are safe in a fox resistant walk in run Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
counturchickens Posted March 5, 2011 Author Share Posted March 5, 2011 Maybe we are just being over protective! We were worried this winter about the severe weather - several nights of minus 15! So - is the general view that as long as the run is secure it's ok to leave the door to the cube open most of the time? Again, we don't currrently have a cube so we weren't sure about rats/weasels getting in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 yes, I think as long as the run is secure some/most of us tend to leave the cube door open. benefits: fresh air; not having to get up too early!! having said that, I used to leave the cube door open before we had a WIR and lost several girls (and a bunny) to Mr. Fox. now we have the WIR everyone stays in there til I choose to let them out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Smedley Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Hi , I have an Eglu cube with 4 chickens & would love an automatic door for it. I used to work shifts & so couldn't keep to a regular routine but now , having retired on ill health & having good & bad days, again would love an automatic door opener. I have an enclosed run & so tend to leave my eglu cube door open but have been caught out twice over the years by a fox- who knew that foxes could climb 6ft up trees to drop in to a run then scale the chain link fence? (witnessed by my early rising next door neighbour who was a stunned as I was!) And of couse the digging variety of fox. I would prefer to close the door at night -both for safety & bad weather. Is there any news ? Are we any closer to an automatic door opener? Jenny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
counturchickens Posted April 2, 2011 Author Share Posted April 2, 2011 No news on an automatic door, we went ahead and ordered a cube and are planning on trying leaving the door open at night during the summer months, hopefully omlet will listen to the requests as i would really like an automatic door for the winter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 The trouble with automatic door closers is that any stragglers get locked out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Auto door openers are always more tricky to arrange on a door that slides sideways. if Omlet were to make a traditional pop hole on the cube it would make it hard to slide the roof so the cube isnt a design that easily lend itself to auto popholes A few bright sparks have solved the problem by having the cube in a walk in run and a wooden frame around the door and a vertical opening pophold fitted to that Personally I leave my coop doors open nearly all of the time. If the run is secure with decent small holed weldmesh then that is probably the best option, if the run isnt secure you'd have to ask yourself if you would be happy to entrust your chickens to a battery powered door.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 I would be happy with an opener.. I hear people with them though get up to check it has worked!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
counturchickens Posted April 2, 2011 Author Share Posted April 2, 2011 The main reason for an automatic door for us would be to ensure the girls are tucked up in bed at night, especially in the winter, I would certainly be checking for any stragglers, but can only assume they would get used to it, they certainly get used to other routines such as treat time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Smedley Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Hi, I think some good points have been made but I would definately like an automatic door. I back onto fields & although have pretty good security seem to have ninja foxes around! Also the last two Winters have been so severe, I'd prefer to close them up properly at night. I agree that the hens would get used to it and it could be set so that it closed at a time when all our girls were inside- you get to know their habits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Some have light sensors others timers the latter would be perfect as you can set your own time... Come on Omlet... Eventually WIR pleeeese an automatic opener. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MummyHen Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 I, like others, leave the door open all year round - even in the bad weather in January. Have you seen this http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=64905&p=953883#p953883 stehaggan fitted an automatic door to a cube Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henergy Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 I have an automatic door opener - he's ten years old and is very reliable I'm not aure he'll be quite so amenable when he hits teenage years though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
