My eco solution to rat problems

[Black RockStar]

When can us Cube owners expect them? I presume everyone has received Glug & Grubs on delivery?

[Rabbieboy]

I got a new Glug drinker on delivery last week but the feeder is just the standard Grub. I was expecting the new "Automatic feeder and drinker" I was a bit disappointed at first but I suppose they do the job. It's a pity that there was no info on the new type as I have just ordered another normal Grub so more than 2 birds can eat at the same time.

[buffie]

If you've got any probs just call Omlet, you'll see I've posted that they have more lines now and are ready and waiting to help with queries

 

BBx

[Sheilaz]

I mentioned this to James last week but we then started talking about something else, so the exact details are a bit hazy.

 

But, there has been a problem with the production of one of the items, and it just hasn't happened, & I had the impression that's it, can't be done.

But, the other item will catch up in production soon & they'll go through the list (please let's not compare dates! ) and send them out to people who are still waiting.

 

I can't remember which way round about production problems, I think it must have been the feeder that didn't work, but don't quote me. Do you mean you have a new style drinker with nipple, Rab 1609?

 

Although I was disappointed about the one that hasn't worked out, the Grubs are good, and I'm so pleased with the Cube, it's only a small thing in the grand scheme of things.

[Gallina]

Several people already have the nipple drinkers: I think they started sending them out with the Cubes last week. I've seen pictures of them on this forum. I wish they had a proper name: what about the Udder?

 

I hope they will soon start sending out the new drinkers to those of us who have been patiently waiting since May (not).

 

Is there any news about the new shade for the Cube in a better material? I am keen to buy one of those.

[Rabbieboy]

Yes Sheila it was the new "Nipple" drinker I got last week.

[Sheilaz]

I was being careful not to have to moderate myself back there.

 

Thanks for that Rab, I think it confirms that the drinkers will be on their way (sometime, Gallina ) but that new feeders won't be happening at all.

 

I wouldn't expect anything else new for a while, even if the covers aren't ideal. I've not heard of any plans about covers, but I would guess that they are giving them out as extras with the Cube, but many people will improvise with something else.

 

I haven't seen a new drinker in action yet, what is the verdict on them, Rab & others, do they work well for the hens?

[Rabbieboy]

I was being careful not to have to moderate myself back there.

 

Thanks for that Rab, I think it confirms that the drinkers will be on their way (sometime, Gallina ) but that new feeders won't be happening at all.

 

I wouldn't expect anything else new for a while, even if the covers aren't ideal. I've not heard of any plans about covers, but I would guess that they are giving them out as extras with the Cube, but many people will improvise with something else.

 

I haven't seen a new drinker in action yet, what is the verdict on them, Rab & others, do they work well for the hens?

 

 

I'm still at work so I haven't seen the new Glug yet but I asked my girlfriend about it and she says it works fine. We only have the 2 hens just now but plan to increase that next week when I'm home, we shall see what it's like when they queue up to drink. I have a run extension and extra shade being delivered next week which should be fine for the few weeks of summer that we might have b but I think it would be easy enough to make a decent heavier duty cover for the winter months.

 

I plan to move my cube to a permanent position next week and it should be pretty sheltered from the worst of the weather, and probably most of whatever sunshine we get but atleast with the cube the birds can sit underneath if it get to wet.

[Gallina]

Re the new run shades in the better material. I asked Johannes back in May when I had him pinned down in my garden (if only, everyone is sighing) whether we were supposed to buy the straight-edged cover designed for the extensions to the Eglu to serve as a winter shade on the Cube's extended run, and he said not to do anything, as there was going to be something much better in a different material soon.

 

I think we are all beginning to learn that "soon" in Omlet speak means "under a year with a bit of luck, barring acts of God such as floods"

[buffie]

 

Gallina pinning Hanns down...naughty

 

BBx

[Egluntyne]

That is quite an image to be carrying around in our heads for the rest of the day!!

[ubereglu]

I think he'd had quite a lot of people saying how badly the shades wore-Including me.

[Sue and the Spice Girls]

"another normal Grub so more than 2 birds can eat at the same time"

 

All 4 of my birds eat at the same time!

[Rabbieboy]

"another normal Grub so more than 2 birds can eat at the same time"

 

All 4 of my birds eat at the same time!

 

I plan to have at least 6 birds in the Cube, my order has been delivered now and as we only have 2 birds so far I have used the extra Glug to hold grit. We are going out this afternoon to view some chooks but it is very wet here, not a nice day to introduce new girls into the run.

[bronze]

any new ideas as to when the udder drinkers are coming? I'm really needing mine now and don't want to have to pay out for somethign else for it to arrive days after

[Twiglet]

My cube came on Tuesday with the old Grub but new nipple-type glug.

 

The chooks seemed to find it ok to drink out of especially as they already used to try & get the drops out of the tap on our rain butt.

 

The only thing is, the clips are really hard to attach to the run so the guy who fitted it said they were not designed to be taken on & off like the old ones but filled up with a watering can or such like. However, I can see a problem with this as I think the glug may get a bit slimey at the bottom if left in place all the time so should be cleaned but as it's so difficult to get off, might wreck the bars on the run.

I might even revert back to the old glug if it proves too stubborn or get the old Stanley knife on thr clips and re-model them.

 

Has anyone else found them a problem?

 

I've also found that in the heavy rain, there are quite a few drips get into the cube, I've got one that drips into the nesting area. I know it's only a little thing but niggles me all the same, the old eglu was so watertight.

 

Again, has anyone else found any "niggles" about the new cube.

[bronze]

I too have a drip that gets into the nesting obx

Now thyre sending them out I wonder if its worth ringing about the drinker. I don't want to nag but it'll help me loads if I have it

[Gallina]

As far as I can see, Omlet are sending out the new drinkers with the new Cubes, but are not sending them to the people with the earlier Cubes who have been waiting for months. There are rumoured to be problems with the udders, so perhaps we will be luckier in the end if they manage to sort them out.

 

And I only have one purple Grub, which isn't enough for six chickens and certainly wouldn't be for the ten the Cube is designed for.

 

Oxford (which sorts all Oxfordshire's outgoing mail) is having a practice postal strike this week (ready for the national strike). But Omlet are so near the county border I would have thought that they could get their stuff posted outside Oxfordshire fairly easily.

[Sheilaz]

......I've also found that in the heavy rain, there are quite a few drips get into the cube, I've got one that drips into the nesting area. I know it's only a little thing but niggles me all the same, the old eglu was so watertight.

 

Again, has anyone else found any "niggles" about the new cube.

 

Twiglet...and Bronze....yes, James is aware that I had this problem. They are currently working on solving this.

 

May I suggest 2 things to anyone finding this.

 

One; Phone James and log your problem with him directly so that he knows.

 

Two; Meanwhile, try shifting your Cube a bit if possible. Since I turned mine slightly so it's at a different angle, and also taken off the back & lid & put them back, it hasn't leaked.

Omlet need to know about it, but this has solved the short term problem for me.

 

My happiness with the Cube still outweighs these niggles.

[bronze]

I took it apart fully the other day to clean it (lice ugh) so wills ee whats happened tonight. Afterall its rained all day.

 

With the drinkers I can see the logic of sending them out with the cubes, saves fuel miles but is rather unfair to those waiting

[urbanchick]

as it's so difficult to get off, might wreck the bars on the run.

Or break your fingers! I kept moving mine until it was at the right height and it was very heavy (with water in it) and very difficult to prise off the bars, always resulting in me spilling it all over the run floor and nearly taking my fingers off with it. I did have to ask for a replacement for one of the nipples that was dripping, and Omlet sent that quickly. I have had to tie a magazine over the top of it to stop the chickens perching and pooing in it, as clearly I don't want to move it again. It is a lovely design and the chickens seem to get on with it fine. I do think it should have some sort of cover though.

 

I have noticed a collection of water in the nest box door, which spills into the nest box when I open it (like I've got any eggs to collect yet!!), but that could be because the eglu is slightly leaning to one side until I have time to level out the ground it's on.

 

When I take the droppings tray out I often notice a bit of poo (especially the runny ones) spilt over the edge onto the base below the tray. Not having had an eglu before, I wasn't sure if this was to be expected. It is a bit annoying as I have to wipe it out every day.

 

I suppose there will always be imperfections but I am still pretty thrilled with my cube!

[Twiglet]

Clearly it's not just me who finds the drinker difficult almost impossible to move but surely this can't be right, even if you don't remove it to fill it, surely we should be cleaning it regularly? then what?

 

I can't move it as it needs to stay where it is, but it does seem to have a lot of areas where the drips get in!

[MaggieMcHen]

Me too , for both glug/udder thingy and rain getting into the nesting box at the back. Not a lot - but still annoying. I suppose some hemcore under the straw would deal with the excess water in the nesting area and it was VERY heavy rain today!

 

The water drinkers are great for the hens but I agree it is nigh on impossible to get them off the run once they are on. I am afraid the 'hooks' will break off if I have to move it again to clean it. Washing it in situ isn't an option either as it is very difficult to empty it without removing it.

 

I will ring James and log the (small) winge . Very happy with chickens and cube otherwise. Even husband, who was NOT very impressed with my chicken keeping idea, keeps going out to look at them and introducing them to friends!

 

Good night all

 

Maggie

[Guest]

Me too with the wet nest syndrome - I covered mine with a plastic tarpaulin sheet which you use for covering chairs.

 

James is aware of this - so registering is a good idea - I understand that a minor modification part is being developed to fix this.

[Couperman]

Our Cube doesn't seem to leak at all as far as I can tell. I built ours and it doesn't have large gaps either side as I tweaked it to fit together 'properly' as I saw it at the time! I don't think the gaps would make much difference though.

 

Could it be condensation from soggy chooks?

 

Kev.