Omlet Smart Autodoor - New in box

[nicola_009]

Hi,

 

I am currently saving for a Cube and sorting the garden out so I can fit one in (in otherwords moving the childrens playhouse out!!) along with some lovely hens.

 

I had previously budgeted for the cube and 3 meter run but having seen so many of the walk in runs mentioned on here and seen them on ebay, I am now if one of these would be better?

 

I am hoping that all you lovely folk, will be able to tell me the good and bad points to both to help me weigh up the costs and decisions. I won't have money to do both and will want the hens to have the space to move around, whilst they might be able to free range in the garden in the summer when my son and hubby are on their summer hols, I don't want them to feel cooped up (sorry for the pun!!) when they can't.

 

Thanks in advance, as I know that I will have lots of questions when I get the hens as well.

Nic

[Bantambabe]

A walk-in run is definitely the way to go if you have the space. Just being able to get into the run with the chooks without having to crawl through poop makes any additional cost worthwhile.

Also, my chooks aren't allowed to free-range any more since they rather trashed OH's railway line (don't ask ) so knowing that they have that bit of extra space eases the conscience for confining them to one area of the garden.

 

Well done on the decision to get the hens though

 

 

Some of the WIR are very expensive though so it's worth shopping around. I bought the panels for mine from an aviary place - they cost £80 for the lot (I have a 2m x 3m x 2m high run), with 3x corrugated plastic sheets as a roof (from Focus). I think the whole thing cost me about £100 - plus a day of putting it together, which was very satisfying. No one believed I'd done it myself, but it's still standing 4 years later.

 

Debs

[Mum]

I have a fabulous WIR from Bay Animal Housing (BAH)!

 

However, in hindsight, the mesh is nowhere near as strong as an Omlet WIR.

 

I went for (comparitive!) economy/size/strength; with hindsight? I would go a different route Why? Because a determined fox could easily munch through the WIR wire to gain access to the run. I have Eglu's within the run, which makes them safe; but, what if I awake and the wire has been chewed? Do I then have to keep my girls shut in their Eglu's while I am away all day?

 

I do have a back-up plan for incidental attacks to the mesh aka I would cable tie Omlet run mesh to any gaps; but, that is not ideal no matter which way one looks at it! Nor is it cost effective.

 

Just as when I had to make an education guess on my arrangements, I think you need to take each and every suggestion in context with the circumstances people describe: there is no "one best way"

[nicola_009]

Thanks Mum and Debs.

 

I have considered the DIY route (especially with finances in mind) as I also have a friend who is great with this sort of thing (as our allotment shows whilst she's owned it with me in comparison to my 3 years without her!!).

 

Debs, I would love to know more about a chickens fascination with trains but also know that the O/H also have to be kept happy!

 

I know my son is keen to be in with the chickens and helping out, so not crawling in poop sounds good. So now a WIR is sounding like a good idea, it's just do I go an Eglu or DIY version. Does anyone know where to get the same type of coated wire that Omlet use?

 

Thanks for the advice so far

[Duncan08]

Mines a vote fir the WIR too. I love mine. Been integrating the new girls with the old today so have spent almost all doy out with them (freezing)

Being able to get in with them and sit on my straw bale makes such a huge difference to my enjoyment of the girls

I have the same coated mesh on my WIR but the holes are a bit wider, it as expensive but worth it I think. My mum and dad made/paid for it for my Christmas present.

Will ask where they got it from and let you know

[Henslaved]

Another vote for the WIR here too.

 

No stooping or crawling when it's cleaning out time, changing water or filling the feed. In bad weather you can sit with your girls with a cuppa too .

[Cooks]

I would say go down the WIR route everytkme if you can afford it and have the space, it give the chooks so much more room and makes looking after them sooo much easier

 

I have added perches and mezzanine levels in mine and to be honest they love them!! They rarely sleep in the cube and prefer to perch high up all in a line

 

The DIY route is simple if you know someone with the skills, and to make it even easier yo can actually buy the ore made panels on eBay, I know others have done this, and you just screw them together and then put a roof and guttering on waaaay la

[Duncan08]

We got it from www.meshdirect.co.uk.

[nicola_009]

Thanks for all the great advice and the web address for the wire, I am having dinner with my friend who is great at DIY tomorrow...we are so going to have a conversation about making chicken runs!!

[coco]

Definately a WIR. OH made mine from scratch. We got the timber from B and Q ant the weldmesh online. I have a wooden house that OH built into the run, our local timber merchant cut all the wood to size for us. It cost about £300 and it 190 square feet so definately cheaper if you can DIY.

[clucker1]

WIR vote here too. Started with a cube and 2m extension, after 6 months wir erected. Have a look at the "we've all been building wirs" thread, or something like that. Mine is on there and I got LOADS of useful tips from that thread and still do. Next project is to add more "toys" for the girls to play with.

 

Henslave, you are very lucky to be able to sit and drink tea with your chickens. My girls slurp from my mug!

[nicola_009]

Thanks, will go look in the WIR threads and am definitely going down the WIR route after all these great suggestions!

 

Now it's purchase or DIY as a decision...lol

 

Do chickens like tea? Who'd have thought it, my dog used to like Marmite sandwiches and I know chickens do...is nothing safe?

 

I am not going to be eating breakfast with the hens, from the sounds of it I'll have nothing left except there food!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

My WIR is the best thing I ever got (bar getting chickens in the first place ). Makes life so much easier and gives you hours of fun planning it and then filling it with hentertainment .

 

Mine's in the link in my signature if you'd like some ideas!

[nicola_009]

My WIR is the best thing I ever got (bar getting chickens in the first place ). Makes life so much easier and gives you hours of fun planning it and then filling it with hentertainment .

 

Mine's in the link in my signature if you'd like some ideas!

 

Wow, that is some WIR and I am looking forward to the hentertainment!

 

I like the additions, it has definitely given me some ideas.

[Henslaved]

Henslave, you are very lucky to be able to sit and drink tea with your chickens. My girls slurp from my mug!

I can get away with tea, it's the glass of real ale my Rosie likes to slurp from .