Poorly chicken

[cazzybabs]

Please help me decide on a coop. If I go for a wooden house is red mite going to plague me. How much extra hours of cleaning a week is it going to be? If I go for a plastic house is it going to be less clearning?

 

The advantges for wood is that I cam have an automatic door opener which would be easire for finding people to look after the chickens when we go away - plus they look nicer BUT am I going to regreting it when I am itchy and my girls are plagued with horrid insects?

[angeluk69]

I have a wooden coop and all I can say is as long as you disinfect regularly and dust with diatom, you shouldn't have a mite problem.

 

I cleaned mine thoroughly last week, it's second hand and to scrub the perches and the tray and the nest box, took approx 30mins.

I then let it dry and dusted it with diatom, I also made sure I dusted the girls.

 

As long as you pay attention to dusting all the little nooks and crannies like the edges of the perches and in all the little corners you shouldnt have any problems.

 

Red mites apparently don't like humans so you wouldn't have to worry about that bit.

[superkitty]

I have an eglu classic and it takes about 10 mins to dismantle, power-wash, dry, spray and put back together. So VERY quick and very convenient. Having said that, it's not immune to bugs because my girls had a nasty case of northern fowl mite AND I had red mite in the eglu soon after I got them. Now that I've started using a product combo that works, I haven't had any problems since. Good luck with your choice

[jackian]

I have two wooden coups because of cost and have never had red mites or any other type....Yet

I clean it once a week and dust all the corners with diatrom ..The girls have diatrom in their dust bath as well.

It takes me about 45 mins or so as I have 2. I also spray it inside and out with diluted jayes fluid put in an old spray bottle.

I scoop any poo out of the nest box each morning as they like to sleep in there .

[cazzybabs]

thanks - it is good to know

[Redwing]

I have wooden and plastic coops and the key to success is good design regardless of materials

 

A wooden coop where you can get at all the nooks is every bit as easy to deal with (if not easier) than an Eglu, big access doors and removeable perches and nestboxes are all good

 

Regular checks for red mite help as you can nip it in the bud then

[laurmurf]

you don't necessarily need a door opener with an eglu when you go away. Many of us never shut the eglu doors at all, even in the winter. When i go away i leave the run door shut and the eglu door open so the chooks can get up in the morning and put themselves to bed at night. My sitter only needs to come once a day to top up food and water.

[fluffy chick]

I think by asking on here with lots of people having eglus you might get a biased opinion, so it's good you've got boths views. I've had both and although I (she says touching wood) I've never had mites, I got rid of the wooden coop as it never really seemed clean to me. The wood absorbed smells but I guess this varies from coop to coop. Personally I wouldn't go back to wood

[Sammiboo]

i have never had a wooden coop, to be honest i was looking at them but my OH insisted on the cube.

 

i love my cube and classic, i suggest you go to a local country store and have a look and play with the wooden coops and i am sure one of our lovely members will let you pay a visit to them and give you a full tour of their omlet house