Ammonia smell in coop-first time owner

[egglicious]

Why is it that some folks hate the eglu with such a passion? I have been on some other chicken forums and if you so much as mention eglu people either say they really want one or they attack at full force. Just about every thread i've seen has someone claiming they can "make the same dang thing outta' a dog igloo" (so not true). And then they go on and on about the price and how the chickens will hate it, freeze, get too hot, and so on.. all of this of course only comes from people who have never owned or even seen one! And as far as the price, I have done a ton of research and you basically can't find anything wooden that is comparable for any less, and usually the shipping is CRAZY. So I just wanna give a shout-out to all my eglu brothers and sisters! Hooray for our fabulous eglus!!!!!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Hear, hear . It's pure ignorance that makes people diss the eglu (or perhaps it's jealousy ).

[lindafw]

I did loads of research too and eglu was definitely the best value for money...they hold their value too. Wooden ones only rot!

[The Dogmother]

I did loads of research too and eglu was definitely the best value for money...they hold their value too. Wooden ones only rot!

 

My reasoning exactly! It happens time and again; I can understand that (as with everything) some folks prefer one type over another, but in this case, feelings always seem to run high.

[peckingham palace]

These people are best ignored. I absolutely love my cube, the girls are cosy, safe and the cleaning is an absolute doddle. As far as we are concerned, everyone is happy at our house with eglus.

[jennym]

Before we got our classic I did loads of reading and I have to admit, some of the eglu-haters almost put me off. One of the main concerns was space but a) the space per bird doesn't seem too bad to me and b) I'm more concerned they have enough outside space, and combined outside/inside space. They are only locked inside when they sleep and they all cram up together in one corner anyway

 

The price seemed very high at first (even for our second hand one) but you can't beat the resale value, and other, similar-featured hen houses either had big negatives for us (no/flimsy run) or cost around the same.

 

That said I'm sure people with different requirements and space availability will choose different options. I just wish people weren't so negative about the eglus. I hardly ever post on any other forum than this for fear of being attacked!

[Henslaved]

Well I don't have an eglu and I find that this is the friendliest, most helpful chicken forum there is .

 

Hope I haven't opened myself up to being attacked for not having an eglu

[Egluntyne]

 

Hope I haven't opened myself up to being attacked for not having an eglu

 

Not on this forum.

[Redwing]

What never fails to amaze me is that Eglu owners normally have a 'live and let live' attitude where some wooden house owners are almost evangelical in their hatred of the Eglu Some breeders wont sell birds to people with Eglus!

[ashjc]

I remember when I went to buy my chickens from the local breeder. She almost didnt sell me the chickens because I told her I had an eglu. I wont repeat the words she used as this is a family orientated forum but it wasnt pretty. I had to lie and tell her I had changed my mind and had a wooden one so she would sell me the chickens.

 

She inferred they cause nothing but stress to chickens and are unhealthy. My chickens have laid 2 eggs every day bar one since I have had them (6 weeks).... certainly not the sign of chickens who are stressed!

[Olly]

It's amazing that these stories still persist, the Eglu has been around since 2004 I believe, and I think if it caused stress/overheating/deformed feet/any of the other things that are reported, I think we'd know about it by now!

 

The wooden coops look lovely and I can see that in some gardens they might seem more in keeping, and I'm sure the hens are perfectly happy in them. I love the funky shape of my however, wouldn't swap it for anything!

[Leeloo]

I'd been wanting chickens for years. My husband is the one who found the Eglu and insisted on it. His parents had chickens when he was a kid and he remembered how difficult the wooden coop was to clean, it smelled bad, and was just plain ugly! I was put off by the price and some of the comments on message boards. One accusation was that they would be hot and uncomfortable in the summer and since I'm in Florida, that was a major concern. I've had the chickens for a couple of weeks now and it has been scorching ever since! I put the Eglu Go in one of the shadiest parts of the yard, but there's still a period of a few hours from mid-morning to just after noon when the sun hits it. I checked on the hens during that time Saturday. One was in a hole dug out just in front of the Eglu door and the other was sitting inside, so, obviously, she wasn't roasting in there!

 

I get the sense that a lot of chicken people pride themselves on their resourcefulness and thrifty ingenuity. They like to build a coop and brag about how little it cost. I don't have the time or the skills for that, though!

[egglicious]

I don't mean to talk smack abou people who build their own coops. Many I have seen are beautiful and it would be great if I had the brains/time to do it, but I don't. Some diy coops i've seen, though, would not last five seconds in my neighborhood! They look like something oscar the grouch should be living in, not my pet chickens. And yeah, they really don't need to brag that all the materials came from the garbage because I can totally tell already! Sorry if I sound mean but don't diss the eglu if you can't take it!

[mostin]

I'm really glad to hear that it's making it's mark across the pond, and proving itself in the Florida sun!!!

 

I have a cube, an eglu, a rablu, some bought wooden housing and some DIY wooden housing. They all have their pros and cons but the eglus will always be easiest to clean, and will still be standing long after the others have bit the dust

[egglicious]

I was just thinking of all the ridiculous things i've read the eglu being compared to. First was the "dogloo" doghouse. Then the little tykes playhouse (which is actually quite cute converted into a coop but has to be insulated and such), and the funniest one was someone saying they could make the same thing using a plastic cooler! Seriously???

[The Dogmother]

There was some wag a few years back who was trying to sell a plastic chicken house on ebay... I think they even used the word Eglu in the description before it was taken down.

 

All it was was one of those plastic storage things which folks keep bikes or tools in sort of like this...

 

 

They'd rigged it up with makeshift roosting bars

[egglicious]

Just saw a pic of a person who made some nest boxes out of a plastic tub and declared it "just" like the eglu..

[ashjc]

is chuckling at the statement WAG followed by a picture of an outdoor storage container.... do you need to say anything else!... it speaks for itself lol... oh that has started my day with the biggest belly laugh.. thank you!

[hammy72]

I must admit I didn't tell the chicken farm because they assumed that I had bought a second hand wooden one and gave me advice on treated it so I just kept quiet. I think there is a degree of being proud of making your own coop but I am just not a practical person and it would probably fall down. I'd rather spend a bit more money and know that they are going to be healthy, safe and clean. btw. has anyone looked at the Doodlehouses? I love the way they look but want to know if anyone has road-tested one. As you can tell I am already thinking about a bigger coop and a walk-in run as last night I realised that the space behind out greenhouse would be perfect. The only thing is it is on concrete (so great for protecting from foxes) but how would I make the ground surface nice for the chickens? Also (as I said I am not a practical person) how would you fix down a walk in run to concrete?

[The Dogmother]

is chuckling at the statement WAG followed by a picture of an outdoor storage container.... do you need to say anything else!... it speaks for itself lol... oh that has started my day with the biggest belly laugh.. thank you!

 

Sorry, I should have explained that I used the term 'wag' in the old fashioned (and ironic) sense...

 

wag 2 (wg)

n.

A humorous or droll person; a wit.

 

 

 

hammy72, I have seen a doodlehouse in situ and found them to be very poorly made.

[Leeloo]

Just saw a pic of a person who made some nest boxes out of a plastic tub and declared it "just" like the eglu..

 

People love to feel like they've been clever and saved money. Sometimes it borders on ludicrous, though!

[ThinkingChickens]

Honestly, it's because we live in the states. Darn Americans always think they know better! LOL j/k I love my Eglu and defend it's honor. When others are talking about the red mite they have and the predator attacks and restaining their wooden coops I just go out and sit and enjoy my low maintenance Gos

[The Dogmother]

It happens a lot over here too - there's one company (who shall remain nameless but a few of us know who they are ) they have a stand at most of the poultry shows and used to refuse to serve you, or be very rude to anyone who had an Eglu or was wearing an Omlet shirt

 

What's the point?

[Henergy]

It happens a lot over here too - there's one company (who shall remain nameless but a few of us know who they are ) they have a stand at most of the poultry shows and used to refuse to serve you, or be very rude to anyone who had an Eglu or was wearing an Omlet shirt

 

What's the point?

 

Oh no !!!

 

I find all this quite bemusing. We are pushing the button on a cube in a minute & have looked at alot of wooden options. When it came down to it - the cube best fits our lifestyle, but that does not mean I now have a hatred of wooden ones. In fact I still think I like the look of the wooden ones more (once painted) - they look more traditional & country cottage. Whats with some people ? There are slightly more important things in life than getting het up about someones choice of henhouse !!!! So long as the hens are well cared for & happy then thats what counts

[egglicious]

It all comes down to one thing.. they are !!!