Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Chortle Chook]

Twice now I've run into anti Omlet feeling and I don't see why. I bounced up all enthusiastic like and said how much I like my chooks and how nice chicken keeping people are and our Omlet forum in paricular, and both sets of people got, well, frankly huffy. They were competitors in that one sold chook houses (one of which I have as it happens) and the other sold chickens, but I don't see why that should make them unpleasant. As I see it, Omlet is a successful business and has built a growing market because it recognised that us pet keepers are out there, so good for them These other people could piggy back on their success rather than being snotty. I know it is not just me, either, as on the post about 'The Domestic Fowl Trust', Sapce Chick mentioned that the lady there was not very nice possibly because Space Chick happend to be wearing an Omlet logoed item. Makes me feel rather narked.

 

It's not a case of pet keepers vs 'serious guys' either as frankly no 'serious' hen keeper, in it for eggs and meat only, would have been looking at either the chook house in question or the special breeds supplied by the other people.

[fluffy chick]

When I bought my first lot of chickens (a few years ago) the guy asked what my set up was and I told him but said I WANTED an eglu etc and he was like 'oh those horrible plastic things!) each to their own I guess.

[karlotta]

People will inherently slate what they don't understand. Most people who criticise them have certainly never used one and probably never seen one in real life...

 

To be honest I don't tend to mention what sort of houses I use... not because I've ever met any ill feeling particularly, it just hasn't come up.

 

I know that they suit me and my birds and thats all the matters.. I do however sing their praises to anyone thinking of getting chickens so our numbers can only grow!

[teacake]

I guess it's like marmite, love it or hate it.

mine arrives tomorrow - very excited!

[Sam]

I think it just boils down to price.

People with lots of chickens will need several cubes which of course could end up costing thousands, and I guess lots of people have chickens to make money. If they were roughly the same price, I'm sure omlet would totally take over.

[JillM]

Perhaps it's a good thing that the cubes are rather exensive..... Otherwise my garden would be covered in them!!

[percy049]

Where we got our 3rd lot of hens, they were annoyed with omlet because they asked to buy some houses to sell, but omlet would only give them gos to sell, and not the whole range!

[Sam]

omlet would only give them gos to sell, and not the whole range!

 

I noticed that. We wanted to go and have a look at them all but most of them only sold the Go, we only went to Cotswold chickens because we could have a look at the whole range. It was great, but we still only got the classic

[goodinparts]

One of the many lovely things about MiniMeadows was that despite not being an omlet outlet, Ben was really enthusiastic about the forum - said how he felt comfortable sending his birds home with mad omlet people (my phrase, not his!) because we were so good at sharing knowledge and asking when we needed help...

Mind you, he spotted me coming a mile off in that as we chose the girls he said "They're all going to have names and be terribly spoiled, aren't they..."

To which I could only agree.

 

But still, it was nice to be somewhere that it felt acceptable to be an omlet chickeneer

Some tweeting chicken breeders (Chicken Street springs to mind) tease me about the Fisher Price chicken houses - but in a thoroughly friendly way...I guess I'm just careful about those I talk to....Definite chill in some quarters

[scarlettohara]

I think there is an element of 'trendy chicken keepers' as well, some more old school chicken keepers think we humanise and spoil our girls. Some days my chooks are the only ones I talk to all day so I'm glad I do.

[chuckmum6]

I think it is more ignorance than the marmite effect. How many of these people have ever actually tried the Omlet products? I have owned a range of hen houses over the years from a converted sideboard to off the peg house to bespoke houses, none where as good as my cube. Maybe these people would have shunned the invention of the wheel too! I think that their negative comments shouldn't be taken heed of unless, they have real experience of what they are talking about ie owned one. Grrrrr let me at em, I feel like a ride on my high horse!

[fluffy chick]

Some days my chooks are the only ones I talk to all day so I'm glad I do.

 

 

I get more sense out of my chickens than my family

[Dolly]

I think it's because the eglu/cube are so unusual/innovative and are the first type of chicken coop which totally moved away from the traditional. When my DH tells people about our eglu who haven't seen them before, he always says to 'imagine if Dyson made a chicken house', again, you either love or hate Dysons!

[peckingham palace]

My non hen keeping friends have loved my cube and said it is "funky"! My boss just said "did you get one of those cubes they cost a bomb", yep, but I did research beforehand and felt an eglu of some sort would be my preferred option. Expensive maybe, but I happen to think that you get what you pay for and whilst we are definately not in the, "money is no object bracket" , we like to do the very best we feel we can when it comes to our pets. I love my cube, the chickens and service from Omlet have been brilliant and I would highly recommend them to both beginners like us and expert chicken fans. I have also had some fantastic advice from lovely people on the forum which is a valuable concept when you are new to something and ever so slightly anxious to get things right, so long live Omlet we say!

[C&T]

I always wonder a bit at the Money issue, and the perception that Eglus in particular are expensive. It really depends what you are comparing it too. A good quality wooden coop and run really isn't that cheap - you can of course get cheap wooden options, but not cheap Eglu options, and maybe that is what people see.

 

I love my Eglu - and wouldn't swap it for the world - except maybe for a cube!!

[Duncan08]

I love my Eglu go, and I agree with others, I would swap it, but only for a cube

I havent met any "anti" Eglu people, everyone who has seen ours thinks it is great.

 

As a "pet" chicken keeper, I probably wouldn't have even thought about back garden chickens if it wasn't for Omlet and the Eglu.

 

It makes it so much easier. To keep it clean is a doddle, no scrubbing and treating wooden houses, the integral runs and the extensions are great if you dont have time / space to let them free range. And really feel secure.

I don't know that I would be so comfortable with a homemade run knocked up with batons and chicken wire.

Plus they look great.

I have a yellow Go and it looked amazing when all the daffodils were flowering around it.

Whilst generally I am a more "natural" products kind of girl, for the hygeine of plastic animal products you can't beat it.

They are expensive, and I would love to be able to afford a cube, but you do get what you pay for and it will be around long after any wooden ones have fallen to pieces.

 

I like that I can buy accessories, my second run extension comes today, and that the Omlet people are really helpful and interested in what you do. And of course the forum is great for help, reassurance, hints and tips.

 

From a true Omlet fan.

[Daffodill]

The first breeder I bought chickens from used the words 'another mad omlet woman' to describe me-should have realised then not to buy his chickens , but went ahead and got 6 extremley expensive and poor quality birds. One year later and wiser only 2 are left but I have the satisfaction that the most costly purchase - my cube- was the best one and still looks as good as new and contains 5 happy chickens. There is always someone around to rip-off beginers-but Omlet is not that sort of company.

[madchickenlady]

I've never noticed any obvious anti-Eglu stuff, but have heard concerns raised by some breeders that having the whole kit brought to your house including the hens could encourage the more feckless pet keeper. Most chicken breeders have their birds welfare at heart and have very fixed ideas on how they should be cared for I suppose. I personally have a wooden coop which cost more than a Cube, but I prefer the look of it in my garden. Horses for courses

[Jools]

Bahhhh (in my best Melchett from Blackadder voice) there's always someone who knows better! If you poke around some of the other forums you'll find anti-something or other comments on just about everything from housing to hybrids and feed to supplements etc etc etc. I'm a Forsham fan and a triangular house-above-the-run fan to boot, which obviously makes me insane when I could have bought several B&Q sheds for less money. Each to their own / live and let live / horses for courses / so long as the chickens are happy and healthy.

[majuka]

I've noticed anti omlet product feelings and I don't understand it. I actually have a wooden coop but that doesn't mean that I didn't like the look of the eglu or the cube. We have at most had seven chickens so we would have had to go for the cube, which to be honest was more than we wanted to spend (although ours was not a cheap house).

 

It's like with everything in life that differs from the traditional. When people ask what breed of chickens we keep and we say they are ex battery hens, some people are really interested and some just say 'oh' and nod slowly as if there is something wrong with our choice of girls. Their loss never to have come into contact with an ex batt

 

I lurked on a couple of chicken forums before joining this one and it is so friendly and the members so helpful, what's not to like?

[Old Speckled Hen]

It's because Eglu and Cube owners are perceived to be A have more money than sense and B Hobbyists.

You should see the reaction to the Beehaus on this forum and worse on the beekeeping fora

[chickenNutter]

Personally I think it is down to that perculiarly British habit of hating a success story (preferring the underdog) and let's face it, Omlet is a success story and has a lot to do with the growth in back garden chicken keeping.

 

It's just jealousy and sour grapes! I am a proud Eglu owner.

 

Ignore 'em!

[Old Speckled Hen]

No, I don't think people see Omlet as a successful brand, they are quite small still after all. I still think it's the rich beggar syndrome. When I talk to fellow chook keeping friends who have made do with housing over the years the one thing they always say is that middle class people "who always wanted to keep chickens" or Chooks! how quaint! let's have a go".... are what they associate with Omlet. I think that is the public perception.

[Chortle Chook]

I can understand that some people might not like the Eglu colours and funky appearance, or might think that plastic is not for them (though Omlet are not the only plastic houses). That is all up to individual taste. I can even accept that purists or real farmers don't like Omleteers if they percieve as as having "more money than sense and being hobbyists". What I can't understand is the reaction of other chicken outlets / suppliers who, I would think, should rub their little fat hands in glee when someone who they think has more money than sense comes along.

 

It could well be that they either don't like a success story (and Omlet is small but it is growing so fast), or perhaps because Omlet have not allowed them to sell their products or have set what, to them, appears to be too high a wholesale price. Either way I still think all chicken outlets should rub their little paws when they see an Omleteer coming along, rather than treating me as if I'm either engaged in industrial espionage, or have just crawled out from under a chicken pooped on stone.

[percy049]

Omlet are the most successful (that ive seen) plastic house maker ive seen. Eglus are more for pets, than commercial use, so I can see why breeders disapprove of them (especially the price)!. I do love my tho