dippy bird Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 I have ditched the wooden coops and bought a plastic one from doodlhouse. It's gorgeous! I just hope it's the end to our red mite problem! We tried everything to irradicate them, but nothing worked. Our girls refused to lay in the coop which was really sad. So in the end we said enough is enough. This isn't fair on the girls. And bought a plastic house ( we couldn't afford a cube ) But, this one is looking good so far! Easy to build, easy to clean! And no mite! Result! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 I've not heard of those, but I'm sure it will be so much better than what you had. The Cube's are rather expensive and quite honestly there are cheaper options. I know someone who uses a plastic wheelie bin shed for her girls and they are fine in there. Look forward to seeing a pic of your new coop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 Are they building them in plastic now then? The only ones i have seen were in plyboard with the designs laminated on; bits weer falling off and other sections weer warped and didn't fit together I hope that yours is better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dippy bird Posted August 24, 2011 Author Share Posted August 24, 2011 They are built in recycled plastic. Easy to build. Easy to clean. Lovely design. The girls love it. Two nesting boxes which is great, and for the first time ever, only one chicken sleeping in the nesting box! Also roosting bars( not that my girls have ever roosted) but you never know, new house and all that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 Aaah, they must have changed the design then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaspersmum Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 Oooooh!! These look interesting... How many ladies can a doodlehouse accommodate? Says 5-6 on their website but the house looks quite big? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy chick Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 i looked at these for my cochins but when I asked the people there said it'll probably be too small for them. I love the designs on them which did you go for? Would love to see pics when you're set up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 I like the look of these & was tempted to get one for my pekin & her chicks. However when I looked further I felt they weren't too well insulated & we are very, very cold here in the winter.Despite this I'm wavering & I'd be very interested to hear how you get on. Alli x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 Are they building them in plastic now then? The only ones i have seen were in plyboard with the designs laminated on; bits weer falling off and other sections weer warped and didn't fit together I think we had a wooden one with a red design, and a white plastic one with a blue(?) design on, at work Clare. They were fiddly to put together and yep a few pieces did break off. They may have updated them a bit recently though - hope yours is better and that it gets rid of the dreaded red mite! Now you've had them you may want to prevent regularly against them using Diatom or Buz Busters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 I really don't like their website at all. I found it quite confusing as the things that you need to click on are well down the page and can't been seen without scrolling right down the screen Great photos though and the houses look good Glad you are happy with your new coop though and that you are mite free finally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 I hadn't seen these before - aren't they pretty! Which design have you gone for? I agree the website is a pain though! It does say that they have discontinued the wooden houses and are only making them in plastic now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 I really don't like their website at all. I found it quite confusing as the things that you need to click on are well down the page and can't been seen without scrolling right down the screen Great photos though and the houses look good Glad you are happy with your new coop though and that you are mite free finally I thought it was just me Chucky Mama. Honestly it's the most difficult site to navigate round, doesn't inspire one with confidence about products if they can't even get their website right. However the coops do look pretty, although they don't seem to be as sturdy as the Omlet houses from the pics. I'm not too fond of red or blue either to be honest. A nice pink or purple would be more up my street Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiffs Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 When this was posted a while ago a bunch of us sent feedback to the company about the usability of the website, and one person got a response! they said they were going to redesign it http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=78809&p=1104945&hilit=doodlehouse#p1099397 I got a nice reply from Doodlehouse when I wrote to them to say that their website was not exactly user friendly. They agreed that it was time for a web redesign. The lady said that she had designed it herself as she was sick of dealing with red mite and getting somewhere, then nowhere, then somewhere ... and was also sick of having her head hanging in the coop to clean it out. She says it was a business that happened by accident about two years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 It is a horrible site. Far too dificult to negotiate. I can find everything but the price, info which should be immediately obvious, not something that you should have to dig around for, so if I was buying, they'd have lost a customer as I lost interest in finding my way round it. Shame, because they do look interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiffs Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 White small house = £244.80 incl. VAT Coloured large houses = £348 incl. VAT White large house = £300 incl. VAT (Click 'enter', click 'products', scroll down and click 'chicken coops' and then choose 'large coops' or 'small coops') I do think they need to put the VAT on the price before you go to checkout though, for sure. And the shopping cart could be more obvious to find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 I nearly gave up on the site too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 By pass the website and drop them an email. They are really nice people Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 I agree, terrible website . Also not quite sure why they say "Omlet" and "Eglu" on their main page . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiffs Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 I agree, terrible website . Also not quite sure why they say "Omlet" and "Eglu" on their main page . it's a tactic most websites employ to increase their hit rate. Although most coders are adept at making it look discreet. Basically it's to ensure that if people search for 'omlet' or 'eglu' their website will come up in the search results (albeit not as the first one, but it does increase the hits). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Yes, I know that. What I really should have said was why they are allowed to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiffs Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Yes, I know that. What I really should have said was why they are allowed to do it. Because everyone else is allowed to... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 I nearly gave up on the site too I dropped them an email and received a response this morning. It would appear that they do not have a great business model shall we say with the website being a low priority Perfectly nice people I am sure but not really geared up for the prospect of high volume sales it would appear. I agree, terrible website . Also not quite sure why they say "Omlet" and "Eglu" on their main page . it's a tactic most websites employ to increase their hit rate. Although most coders are adept at making it look discreet. Basically it's to ensure that if people search for 'omlet' or 'eglu' their website will come up in the search results (albeit not as the first one, but it does increase the hits). Google bots and other bots are too sophisticated now to pull up a website for using 2 words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiffs Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 I nearly gave up on the site too I dropped them an email and received a response this morning. It would appear that they do not have a great business model shall we say with the website being a low priority Perfectly nice people I am sure but not really geared up for the prospect of high volume sales it would appear. I agree, terrible website . Also not quite sure why they say "Omlet" and "Eglu" on their main page . it's a tactic most websites employ to increase their hit rate. Although most coders are adept at making it look discreet. Basically it's to ensure that if people search for 'omlet' or 'eglu' their website will come up in the search results (albeit not as the first one, but it does increase the hits). Google bots and other bots are too sophisticated now to pull up a website for using 2 words. I didn't say it was a good technique - it's very obvious that their IT skills leave a bit to be desired, I'm just saying why it's on there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiffs Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 that being said - doodlehouse is the second individual result when I search 'omlet eglu' http://www.google.co.uk/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=omlet+eglu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 I think we are veering away somewhat from the original topic. dippy bird ...any chance of some pics of your doodlehouse? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
