My eco solution to rat problems

[Gallina]

A lot of you have been worried about the width of the cube + run. The length will not be a problem for anyone: at exactly 2 metres, the basic Cube + run is much less than the basic Eglu + run (3 metres), and in addition you don't need so much room at the back to pull out the poo trays, as they are smaller and much easier to manage.

 

So if you are sticking with the basic Cube without any extensions, you will actually find that you need more width than length, so you might even consider turning it 90 degrees and having it a different way round from your Eglu. I thought it was worth mentioning this, as I don't think anyone has pointed out this important basic fact, and it will influence your whole ground plan.

 

Although the Cube width including the skirt is only 1.6 metres (say 1.8 metres to be realistic), you do need access to both sides. It isn't easy to squash yourself into a width of under half a metre, so add a metre and the width becomes 2.80 metres. But don't panic!

 

Egg-port (on the right as you face the Cube)

The door here is much as before, so you don't need to be told about that. You can probably get your arm in without going right in beside it, so this can be as close to the fence as you can get it and still open the egg-port. You will be doing all your cleaning from the back, so the fact that you can't get properly into the egg port (and maybe not even take the door right out) doesn't matter. In the worse-case scenario, you could ignore the egg-port altogether and get your eggs by sliding back the roof of the Cube, but this would be a bit of a hassle.

 

Door mechanism (on the left as you face the Cube)

The handle has to be pulled out quite a distance in order to manipulate the door. It doesn't stay out, as there is a push-me, pull-me mechanism which I will describe below for those who can't imagine it. If the worst comes to the worst, you can stick the lever through your fence as Jenny has done. It will only jut out for a few seconds twice a day into your next-door neighbour's curtilage, and they won't even notice you are doing it. But you need to know which fence is yours and arrange the Cube accordingly!

 

If you have a big garden, the perfect width to leave for the cube and run is 3 metres. This gives you enough room to walk all around it, and it looks good with plants on all four sides. But those of you without much space mustn't panic: you can get away with less than this.

 

I hope this helps those of you who are measuring out your garden even as I write. I strongly recommend using garden line and preparing the exact space in advance. If anyone wants to come and see a Cube with an extension in Oxford, they are very welcome (PM me).

 

How the door mechanism works

TO OPEN CUBE DOOR

If Eglu is properly locked shut, handle will be in vertical position

(1) Pull handle right out

(2) Turn handle 90 degrees to the left (anticlockwise) so that it is horizontal

(3) Push handle right inside to open

 

TO CLOSE CUBE DOOR

If Eglu is open, handle will be in horizontal position

(1) Pull handle right out to close Eglu

(2) Turn handle 90 degrees to the right (clockwise) so that it is vertical

(3) Push handle right inside to lock

Edited May 19, 2007 by Guest

[AnnieP]

Thanks for posting this Gallina. Really useful!

[Egluntyne]

Am wondering how easy (or difficult!) it would be for one person (me!) to move the Cube with an extension (or two) added.

[bronze]

fab information. Thank you

 

 

 

Although the Cube width is only 1.80 metres, you do need access to both sides. It isn't easy to squash yourself into a width of under half a metre, so add a metre and the width becomes 2.80 metres. But don't panic!

 

 

Do I take it the 1.8 metres is the width including skirt. I have a walkway round anyway so this is what I am worrying about (youll see what I mean from my pics)

[Cinnamon]

Please be patient with me here..............

 

Can the door be left open without the handle poking out the whole time?

My girls have their door open 24 hours (they are in a pen) & I wouldn't want to change that or have a handle poking out the entire time either.

 

Also,ifcan the door be left partially open - say half open- so the hens can squeeze out (mine used to have the door half open & push out but I know it will be different with the cube as the door opens in a different way!)

 

Great post,by the way. Thanks

[bronze]

Please be patient with me here..............

 

Can the door be left open without the handle poking out the whole time?

My girls have their door open 24 hours (they are in a pen) & I wouldn't want to change that or have a handle poking out the entire time either.

 

 

Yes it can

 

I cant imagine the kind of lever it has means that you can leave it half open but we'll see what Gallina says.

[Gallina]

Here are some answers:

 

(1) There are two foot-pedals, one for each wheel. You step hard on each one in turn to bring each wheel down. This immediately makes one end of the run go up in the air (so it's best to get the chickens out of the way first). The Cube and run (and however many extensions you want) is then as easy to push as a pram. The only problem is going to be space: people with small gardens are not going to have anywhere to push it to, and certainly no hope of turning it around! If you have a big garden, however, you could have great fun taking it for walks.

 

(2) The width of the Cube including the run is actually 1.6m and I have amended my earlier message. I think you have to pretend it is 1.8m to be realistic, otherwise a rusty nail in the fence could stop you getting it in. This is exactly the same as the wide part of the old Eglu and run:

 

(3) I was only really thinking in my earlier message about people intending to buy the Cube with a run. If you are buying the Cube on its own, it is only 120cm wide, which is much more manageable.

 

(3) The height of the cube/run is 120cm. This is quite high, so if you have your existing Eglu under, say, the bough of a tree, you need to be careful, as the Cube may not fit underneath:

 

(4) If you intend never to close the door of the Cube, then the long lever will be no problem at all. The door can be locked permanently open with the lever tucked away inside, and you can forget that it is there and put that side tight up against a fence. The lever stays in when the door is open, and it stays in when the door is closed. It only comes out twice a day, when you are operating it. It's quite hard to understand it unless you have seen it: it has a more complicated mechanism than you would imagine.

 

(5) If, however, you want to keep the door half open so that your chickens can just squeeze out, then the lever has to stay half out, I am afraid. It can only be pushed right out of the way when the door is either completely open or completely closed.

 

Please keep asking questions!

[Jill]

That is really helpful. I think I will be okay with the width. I am getting an extension as well so I think it will be quite large but hopefully will fit in the big pen. It will just mean they have more space in the run and less in the big pen if you see what I mean . Did you see the chicken article in the Daily Mail Weekend magazine today. They mentioned Eglu and are offering a cube as a prize.

[Jenny Smedley]

Just a few things :

I have a long, narrow pen ( 6ft wide & 36ft long) & my cube ( I didn't get a run) takes up most of the width so I have decided to have access to only three sides ( eggport , front & back) and have the door lever side hard up against the fence .

1. I have snipped 4 strands of wire to get acess to the door closing lever night & morning & it's working brilliantly .The hole in the fence isn't too big either- certainly not a security issue.

2.I decided to move my cube to the far end of the run ( but with enough room to get at the back for emptying the poo trays) to maximise my access to the pen for cleaning & replenishing bark.After getting the cube up onto it's wheels by pushing both silver levers at the back ( a doddle) I pushed it to the rear of the pen. I have to say that it's as easy as pushing a shopping trolley - in fact I have had more difficult shopping trolleys!

3. All of my hens ( 5 new ones @ 18 weeks old & 1 older hen @ 1 yr old) are managing the ladder , both up & down, with ease. They'd cracked it within three days.

I cannot find fault with my cube & I'm so pleased with it and believe me ,I'm very picky!!!

[U Ling]

 

How the door mechanism works

TO OPEN CUBE DOOR ....

Thanks for that Gallina. Very helpful. I was quite worried and going to post a question about the handle sticking out - I could just see myself wandering down in the dark, walking into it and breaking it off.

 

Another cube order going in now.

[Aunty e]

My cube is snug against the fence on the handle side, which at first I was worried about, but I can JUST get the handle out to the right length and turn it properly. I never do though, as "Ooops, word censored!"ody walks/is thin enough to get along that side, I leave it sticking out. It's easier.

 

Things I would like: A handle on the lid. A back door so I don't have to climb in the run to grab kitty and put her to bed. A bigger door. The new feeders

 

I love my cube, I love my cube, I love my cube.

[Gallina]

I love my Cube, but I would also like a bigger door so that I could easily get inside to put feeders at the opposite end for the scared babies (who get barricaded under the Cube by my huge old thugs).

 

I would like to see Omlet make an extension incorporating a large human-sized hatch at the side. This extension could be attached either (1) to the end of the short run or (2) between the two parts of the extended run People could choose which side they wanted the door (the symmetry of the Cube makes everything so much more versatile).

 

Perhaps if we Cubists all write to Omlet suggesting something like this they might take notice. But we had better give them a few more weeks before we start.

[The Dogmother]

Good ideas Gallina, and an even better one to wait a while until the lads are less overwhelmed. Perhaps it might be an idea to start a suggestions thread and then send the link to James, or even all of them, when you have a collection of constructive suggestions.