Run wanted

[tixy]

could anyone tell me, is the new cube winter insulation jacket sold here on omlet website for £99.00 has an opeining to get to the handle that you pull out to shut the door. it says you can get to the litter trays and egg port but doesnt mention this. Needed to check before I order it.

[mimi5]

Hi there. I had a post on here a few days ago about the jacket, but "Ooops, word censored!"ody had a good word to say about it!!! Also I think i remembered someone saying on here before that it's a pain unzipping it it access the pop hole opener/closer!!?? I'm not getting one as it's alot of money and I'm not convinced there's proper justification!!

 

If you need confirmation just ring Omlet about any of their products, I've always found them very helpful! If you get one you could let us know how you and your chooks get on with it??

[tixy]

Thanks for that.I know it is a lot of money but the winter before last we has ice and snow for almost a month in the December and I worried about them.Thats why I was trying to find out more about it.I did try to search for some posts about it but didnt find any.

[The Dogmother]

I wouldn't bother - they'll be warm enough without, and snow on the cube adds extra insulation.

[libby22]

I have only two girls in my cube now so I have invested in the jacket in an effort to add some warmth. The jacket hooks onto the run so you just unhook a couple of the hooks and it folds back for you to gain access to the door opener and the same for the trays and the egg port.

 

Hope that helps.

[tixy]

thanks for that I think that answers my question. I have 3 at the moment and in the colder months they tend to sleep in the nesting box making a mess in the process !I presume you think it is ok.

[libby22]

I think if I had five or six girls in there, I wouldn't worry too much, as long as it was dry and clean, as they would have the extra body heat too, but I do worry with just the two. You can feel a difference in the morning when you open up - not too warm as to cause them problems with being out during the day though. My girls sleep in the nest box as there is a draft coming in at the back of the cube I think. When they cover is on - i only put it on when it falls below freezing - they don't bother with the nest box, so it does seem they are happier with it on. It is very quick to fit - literally seconds and so you can get access to any point quite easily.

[good_egg]

I (or more accurately hubby) weakened and bought the cover as our girls are still quite mini and take up hardly any room in the cube. We are quite exposed sitting on a small hill facing the estuary and our neighbours got completely snowed in before we moved here (4x4 got stuck and dogs disappeared into gardens as waist height). Don't want to make the girls soft but had also read cold drafts are bad for chooks so opted to be a soft touch (probably more for me than them). Have put it on once so far when we had a hard frost forecast, cover was covered in ice in morning that you could peel off in sheets. Miss being able to peek in and found with the clear covers on the cube run there was a lot of overlapping - we actually used Velcro cable ties to attach the front which makes it easy to peel back and open door. Don't need egg port, so no probs there. Only wish you could open lid still for a night time stroke, cos the cover attaches at front you can't slide lid.

[libby22]

I do agree there! I give my girls a nightime stroke via the egg port at the moment, but once the cover is on they move to the roosting bars and I can't reach

[Cheeky Chooky]

I wouldn't bother - they'll be warm enough without

Totally agree. This is what Omlet say about the Cube - taken from their Website:

 

Insulation - The twin walled insulation and draught free ventilation keeps your chickens warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

 

Apart from the obvious (being covered in feathers), chickens have a higher body temperature than humans and are perfectly happy without 'Extreme Temperature Jackets'

[sandyhas3chucks]

but it isn't draft free is it. it has more drafts than any other coops ????

around the door around the roof ventilation holes on the front, side and gaps around the removable panel, AND huge gaps by the drawers???????? oh and huge ventilation gash at the top back.

I have 5 in mine, and am not esp worried about insulating it but have already used a cover over the top blocking drafts sides and top, and am working on something for drawer gaps for when it gets much colder and something for 3/4 of the top gash on the back..

Wonder why omlet don't respond?

the Go has nothing like the gaps and holes that the classic ir cube have?????????????

[sandyhas3chucks]

Further interest to my last post, I have today used rolled newspaper in the drawer gap. it does not quite fit..

However on saying goodnight there is only 1 girl in the nest box.!

I have had these 3 year + girls since August and the cube came with them, the first night I looked in and all 6 were crammed in the nest box, the next night 5 and one perching over them in the hole.

I removed the partition, and one row of bars and made more nest box area, but some perched over the length of area...

I added a wooden roosting bar on top of the rear plastic bars and 2 often perch..

I reckon their bums vote for no draft. esp as here this the coldest it has been since they came!!!

[libby22]

I do agree - whereas if you have several girls, you won't need insulation, as you have the extra body heat, the girls do react in the cold weather by huddling in the nest box and I can only think this is due to the drafts coming in, especially via the trays. Once you take steps to block some of the drafts, they seem more relaxed and comfortable and spread out into the rest of the cube.

[sadietoo]

I'm a bit confused..I was lurking on here because my cube is leaking badly into the nest box and wondered if anyone else had the same problem. I've checked the drain holes and they are clear. But thought I'd look at this gap at the back by the poo trays as I've never noticed anything. My poo trays both fit quite snuggly. There is a bit of a gap underneath where the clip goes but surely that is under the tray and so not directly into the eglu? I have two big girls who have always happily slept on the roosting bars, but my three rescue girls all huddle into the nest box together and just lately my orpington has taken to perching on top of the hole entrance to the nest box....I am very worried that it is wringing wet in there this morning.

 

MY OH tried a fix by trickling some glue down inside the channel and letting it set to try to make the water take a different course iyswim, but obviously that hasn't been successful. But we have had biblical amounts of water just lately!

[The Dogmother]

Sadie, I take it that you have the plastic 'guttering' inserts in the drainage channels of the cube?

[sadietoo]

Sadie, I take it that you have the plastic 'guttering' inserts in the drainage channels of the cube?

 

I'm not sure that I do it's a second hand cube....is this a separate bit? I tried searching spares and nothing comes up. . I think the panel is just moulded to take the water away, but it doesn't it runs down inside, so OH tried putting a trail of glue in "to redirect" the water so as to speak, but obviously that hasn't quite done the trick....It's dark now but I will check tomorrow thanks DM

[The Dogmother]

That's the role that the guttering does; it was a later addition to the original design and is now standard on the cubes. If you ring Omlet, after Christmas they will know what you mean.

[mimi5]

Hi there! That's interesting as I've just discovered this week that my cube is leaking in to the nestbox too!!! I think all my leaks have been since I sited the cube and filled the run with woodchip to try and save my muddy, boggy lawn!! Have a theory that it's a combo of location and the cube not being level. I did speak with omlet and they didn't have any answers for me. I guess the wet weather has be exceptional this year!!! I think my cube is slightly slopping forwards, even though I tried to level the ground!!!! Hence when it's windy and rainy the water seems to get in!

 

Can I ask, is your leak on the right side of the nestbox? Mine is and I think it's from the vetilation duct in the back door. But I block off my nestbox at night with a small trug as the pekins would all go in there and probably get broody!!!!! Anyway, none are laying at the mo and it's clean, if a tad wet sometimes! Roll on spring!!!!

[The Dogmother]

Leaks can usually be traced to the cube not being level, try sorting that out and see if it helps. Mind you, we've had an awful lot of heavy rain in the last few days!

[sandyhas3chucks]

I found rain driving into the main area above the poo trays. I roll up a newspaper and wrap it in a plastic bag! One each tray. I get. Optimum water in the rear right side of the nest box. I too have snuggling ex bats. I also use a light weight. Green oblong cover across the top allowing. An over hang at the back covering the top holes, this seems to have fixed it lately

[lillybettybabs]

I have the cold weather cover for my cube, Many because of having an old girl who feels the cold and being in an

exposed position in the winter they were huddling up in the nest box and the poo n the poo tray was frozen which is a sign that they were not happy.

The are now roosting properly and I have had two eggs from the old girl over the last week so she must be happier and warmer.