Chicken Memorials

[garethcope]

All,

 

We have acquired an Eglu Classic as part of a house purchase and I made some enquiries over the weekend with a couple of chicken breeders. Both responded by saying that they do not sell chickens to people with Eglus because the conditions are not suitable for the lifespan of the bird, it is considerlably shorter for any bird which is kept in an Eglu due to the fact that the birds cannot perch. The Eglu has a slated floor, this is not a raised perch and

so the birds sit down at night cramping the inner organs and not standing and stretching as birds need to do.

 

Can anyone offer any advice?

 

Gareth

[Mercedes55]

There are a few more old fashioned type of breeders who seem to have something against Eglus, but I can't believe for one moment that there is anything 'bad' about using an Eglu, in fact when it comes to things like red mite they are much better for hens.

 

Although the Eglu does have roosting bars rather than perches I can't really see it makes any difference to how they sleep at night. We have wooden perches in our run and all our girls go on them and they tend to start off standing on them, then they sit down and I can't really see any difference in how they sit on those to how they sit on the roosting bars.

[Bramble]

I'm probably not experienced enough to advise on this properly, all I can say is that I did huge amounts of research before I went into keeping chucks about 18 months ago, I was very torn between an Eglu and other types of housing, but everytime I balanced up the pros and cons the Eglu kept coming out on top. The big disadvantage (I suppose) of Eglus is their cost compared with other types of housing, but I have to say, I think they are worth every penny (just for ease of cleaning alone).

I do sometimes wonder if some of the Anti-Eglu feeling comes from retailers who don't actually sell Eglus (maybe I'm being unduly cynical there ) and so want new chicken keepers to buy whichever type of housing they do sell?

[Mum]

All,

 

We have acquired an Eglu Classic as part of a house purchase and I made some enquiries over the weekend with a couple of chicken breeders. Both responded by saying that they do not sell chickens to people with Eglus because the conditions are not suitable for the lifespan of the bird, it is considerlably shorter for any bird which is kept in an Eglu due to the fact that the birds cannot perch. The Eglu has a slated floor, this is not a raised perch and

so the birds sit down at night cramping the inner organs and not standing and stretching as birds need to do.

 

Can anyone offer any advice?

 

Gareth

I've had an Eglu for years; in my opinion (which is just as valid as theirs, but with actual experience to draw upon ) poppycock!

 

Just curious, what do these chicken breeders recommend as suitable for the lifespan of a bird?

Do they sell that type of housing?

Which breeds are they selling? What is the lifespan of those breeds?

What on earth difference does it make to them how you house your birds, anyway? (Some people convert sheds/playhouses/have them living in doors with them!)

 

I have had a traditional woodencoop, plus eglus and my vote will be an Eglu any day - but then I do admit to being biased and as I said earlier, my bias is based on a) having something to compare it to and b) experience of both.

[The Dogmother]

Well, I think that my happy flock of bantams, the oldest is a healthy 6.5 years old, speaks for itself.

 

Unfortunately, as with any radical new design, you will get naysayers but I think that a quick read through the forum (which has eglu owners and wooden coop owners alike) will allay your fears.

 

How lovely of the previous owners to leave you their eglu - did they leave any hens?

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Straight answer, no . There are too many people on this forum who use them with no problems at all for the answer to be yes. I think people who say that either have never seen one in the flesh or just think it's a new-fangled invention which can't possibly be as good as a traditional coop .

[Tweety]

Two of my original Omlet hens, who have lived all their lives in an eglu or cube, are coming up to their 5th birthdays and none of my other chooks, of varying ages and sizes, seem to be suffering as a result of sleeping on the eglu roosting bars!

I think that some breeders are prejudiced against the eglu without having experience of keeping chickens in one, just because it is plastic and different from the traditional wooden henhouse.

If there was a genuine problem, I think it would have been fairly obvious by now - Eglus have been around for a while

[Christian]

Many breeders hate anything that isn't wood. SImple.

[sandyhas3chucks]

stuff and nonesense

I have 2 exbats that are 3 years release.

they actually have never roosted as may ex bats don't.

so they sleep on there organs so to speak....

what a load of rubbish.

those that do roost often do it on the edge of the nest box.

NONE of mine will roost on the 2 inch square roosting bars that the wooden brigade recommend either, so where does that leave you...

[keyhole kate]

Welcome to the forum

There are a lot of members on here who have both traditional coops as well as omlet products. It is not the first time I have come across omlet envy gererally by those who think omlet products are expensive or by those who endorse other products because of financial benefit.

My original girls will be four years old in April a good age for hybrids I think anyone one here will agree they started there life in an eglu and now live in a cube best of all I can sleep at night knowing they are warm and safe. I think you are very lucky and I would be delighted to get an eglu in a property sale

Find a breeder who cares more about whether you have done your research and will care for your birds and not the housing you intend to keep them in

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Agreed, it's really none of their business what you choose to keep your birds in . Rest assured that there is nothing whatsoever wrong with an eglu or cube from a chicken welfare point of view. You should feel free to make your own choice of housing, whether wooden or plastic .

[Leeloo]

I remember several months ago there was a "bias against the Eglu" thread. One woman said that she had to tell a breeder she decided not to get an Eglu, when she actually had, in order for the breeder to sell to her. I saw a lot of negative sentiments about the Eglu when I was researching them- mostly that they were too expensive and suppositions that they would be too hot or cold. I had never seen anyone claim that the lack of perches were bad. If anything, I've read that flat bars or boards are better because the bird can cover all of their feet with their body and help prevent frostbitten toes in cold climates.

[majuka]

I have a traditional wooden ark which has a perch. As Sandy has mentioned, particularly with ex batts, they will roost where they want with no problems, on the perch, in the nest box and on the floor next to the perch. My girls have a spare wooden coop at my Dad's for when we go on holiday. This is a smaller coop from Forsham Arks and that has roost bars - similar to the eglu. So I wonder if they would be happy to sell to you if you told them you had one of them

[The Dogmother]

I think that the roosting bars issue comes about by way of a misunderstanding; letting a bird roost in the litter or bedding isn't good for them, not because of 'squashed organs' but because they could get burned by faeces or become a lice/mite magnet as the lack of air circulation around their nethers makes them warmer.

 

Working out the cost of annual re-roofing, creosoting and maintenance on a wooden coop, together with my memories of the continual spraying for red mites made Omlet products suddenly seem to be economic sense.

 

It's another case of each to their own.

[chestnutmare]

I can't imagine myself ever wanting a wooden coop. A lot of people just don't like something that seems 'different' and others who feel the same probably talk to each other saying how terrible it is.

 

I remember what it's like s"Ooops, word censored!"ing chicken poo off wood. I much prefer a hose pipe and bucket brush for my plastic Eglu.

 

As for the chickens perching (or did you mean roosting?), a perch can be made and put in the run. Or if it's a case of prefering the chickens to 'go somewhere higher' to go to bed, then place the Eglu on a table or similar.

 

I love my . Nuff said.

[Redwing]

I show my chickens and have three generations of the same birds, not a single one of them has ever perched at night even in a wooden coop and they have all lived in Eglus for extended periods too.

 

To show a bird it needs to be in tip top condition internally and externally

 

They seem to be doing ok

 

[Duncan08]

I'm no expert, but can't really see the logic. My girls when they lived in the Used to sleep in the nest box. Couldn't even get them to roost on the bars. If there was enough pressure to damage internal organs I am pretty sure they would have been far too uncomfortable.

The only thing I would say from upgrading to the is that the bars on the Are very close to the poop tray and if you don't clear it regularly then they clogg up in between the bars, a good cleaning routine and it's not a problem, not sure about the classic, I haven't seen one in Real Life

I love my omlet products, and would probably never have got into chicken keeping without their eglus.

[Olly]

I'm going to nip up the garden and tell Sadie, who is five years old, that she's shortening her lifespan and would she please kindly perch on a branch instead.

 

I've heard all sorts of things - it's too hot because of the insulation, the slatted bars are bad for their feet, there's too much condensation and not enough ventilation. The Eglu has been around for eight or so years now (I think I'm right). If there were a problem, it would be pretty well-known by now.

[Redwing]

I agree

 

Most people who are against them have never seen one up close

 

Poultry breeders that visit me often ask about them and ask if they get condensation etc..

[Cinnamon]

It should also be pointed out that a LOT of breeders & sellers of poultry love the Eglu & Cube,as it has opened up chicken keeping to a whole new set of people.

4 suppliers who I have use regularly have all applauded it for its looks,convenience, practicality & durability.............& each & every one of them have said that they wish they had thought of the idea!

[scubababe]

If it wasn't for the Eglu I wouldn't be keeping chicken. The thought of all the maintenance associated with a wooden coop sends shivers down my spine. Don't get me wrong, they are very nice and some of them are positively palatial however it wouldn't have been right for me.

 

As has been previously written, the introduction of the Omlet range has opened up 'The Good Life' options to a lot of people who otherwise would have started then fallen by the wayside!

 

Good luck with sourcing your ladies.

[Redwing]

Thats a good point well made Cinnamon, breeders who wont sell to Eglu owners are almost certainly losing sales

[terp68]

Hi, sorry I realize this thread is a bit old but I just wanted to say that I constructed a raised perch/roosting bar for my chickens in the Eglu (classic) by just fixing a couple of blocks of wood to the roosting bars and sticking a single roosting bar across the top of them. It's sort of diagonally across, so there is space for them to use the original bars if they prefer. (I did this because my bantam cockerel used to sleep on the edge of the next box and clearly didn't like the provided bars). Generally they now all do choose this raised roosting bar to be honest. I do wonder why Omlet don't make a sort of A-frame roosting bar for the Eglu, or have notches in the lid which you could slip a single bar into. Me (and my chickens) would prefer that, although I agree it doesn't seem to do them any harm to sleep on the provided ones. I want to replace mine with the new plastic ones but I know the chickens will want me to build them a raised roosting bar on those ones too!

[jackian]

Welcome to the forum I have two wooden coups which have caused me no problems.When I started out I could not afford or know enough about eglus ... If I knew I would take to chicken keeping as I did I would have saved for an eglu .My girls have never in over a year slept on perches..all snuggle up in the nest box.

How lucky to have a freeby

[sandyhas3chucks]

Hi, sorry I realize this thread is a bit old but I just wanted to say that I constructed a raised perch/roosting bar for my chickens in the Eglu (classic) by just fixing a couple of blocks of wood to the roosting bars and sticking a single roosting bar across the top of them. It's sort of diagonally across, so there is space for them to use the original bars if they prefer. (I did this because my bantam cockerel used to sleep on the edge of the next box and clearly didn't like the provided bars). Generally they now all do choose this raised roosting bar to be honest. I do wonder why Omlet don't make a sort of A-frame roosting bar for the Eglu, or have notches in the lid which you could slip a single bar into. Me (and my chickens) would prefer that, although I agree it doesn't seem to do them any harm to sleep on the provided ones. I want to replace mine with the new plastic ones but I know the chickens will want me to build them a raised roosting bar on those ones too!

Interesting cos I have got girls that roost now, and I have done something similar. just ours is on the first bar of the double rear bars.. It is held in place with cable ties. but I think it reduces the room, for instance 4 exbats snuggled without any bars easily in there . However with my bar I think 4 would be awkward, 3 could roost ok on the bar as long as not big girls. I suppose that still leaves the side of the nest box (apparently nice place tro roost also )