Poorly chicken

[Belcherman]

We just set up our new Eglu Cube and run. The first thing we noticed is how easy the doors are to open. We live in the U.S. where raccoons are a problem. What do people do to secure the doors to the hen house and nesting box?

[Patricia W]

Hi from the U.K.!  We don’t have raccoons here so this is not a problem we have to contend with.  I’m assuming you have the MK 2. 

Mine is Mk 1 which has an opening system that requires you to pull, push an turn.  I think they might make it difficult for the wily raccoon.  I think the nest box door is particularly easy to open on the Mk 2.    I’d be inclined to email Omlet and ask their advice.  We do have members from North America but they don’t seem very active.  Omlet HQ may be in touch with some of them. 

Sorry not to have an exact answer for you. 

Edited April 22, 2019 by Patricia W

[Belcherman]

1 hour ago, Patricia W said:

Hi from the U.K.!  We don’t have raccoons here so this is not a problem we have to contend with.  I’m assuming you have the MK 2. 

Mine is Mk 1 which has an opening system that requires you to pull, push an turn.  I think they might make it difficult for the wily raccoon.  I think the nest box door is particularly easy to open on the Mk 2.    I’d be inclined to email Omlet and ask their advice.  We do have members from North America but they don’t seem very active.  Omlet HQ may be in touch with some of them. 

Sorry not to have an exact answer for you. 

It's the doors to the hen-house and the nesting box on the Cube 2 (MK2) itself. Those easy-open knobs are a little too easy-open for my liking.

[Cat tails]

Do they click/lock as the knob on the Go does? I think it should, but that might not be enough for dexterous racoon paws. I know people in the past used bungy cords around coops to add extra safety.

[Patricia W]

I think Racoons might nibble through bungees.  Am I dreaming it, or did we have a similar query a couple of years ago from North America? 

[Cat tails]

No not dreaming. Hence the bungy suggestion.

[Belcherman]

1 hour ago, Cat tails said:

Do they click/lock as the knob on the Go does? I think it should, but that might not be enough for dexterous racoon paws. I know people in the past used bungy cords around coops to add extra safety.

Both doors "click." The resistance on the nesting box side door is slightly greater than on the rear coop door, which has hardly any resistance. I know that you guys in the UK don't have raccoons, but I assume you have small children. I must say that I'm disappointed in this aspect of the Cube. 

Yes, it wouldn't take much time for a raccoon to chew through a bungee cord. Their teeth and claws are quite sharp.

 

[Cat tails]

Just read back a few of the old posts on raccoons. Think most opted for a self build run to place the cube in or electric fencing. Think the latter might be the easiest option.

[Belcherman]

1 minute ago, Cat tails said:

Just read back a few of the old posts on raccoons. Think most opted for a self build run to place the cube in or electric fencing. Think the latter might be the easiest option.

Well, no, the easiest option would be to return it or resell it. Both are options we are considering.

[Cat tails]

 

according this there was an additional locking mechanism for the Eglu Go, which locks in a similar way to the new Cube. Might be an option to give them a ring and ask. You are clearly not the first one.

[MamaCoop]

https://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/chicken_keeping/chicken_keeping_spares/14985/eglu_go_extra_security_brackets/?rf=0cb2b89fa7a6fee7baf5afcb4e563985

 

I saw these in the spares section of the website. Not sure if these would work or where they fit onto but could be a help?  As previously mentioned i would contact Omlet directly. I do find them helpful. 

[Christine Clark]

WARNING: The Eglu Cube is NOT Raccoon Proof!

The other night, a raccoon opened our Eglu cube's properly closed and latched outer nest box door and was entering our coop. Luckily, we were awake and alerted by the noise of the nest box door hitting the ground and our chickens squawking. The raccoon had his head inside our nesting box. Had we not been alerted to what was going on, the raccoon would have no doubt figured out how to slide the partition door open (it had just figured out how to open the nest box door) and cornered our sleeping chickens in their coop. There would have been no escape as they were trapped behind the "security" of a closed auto door.

This is a design flaw. There should be appropriate latches on both the nesting box and rear doors that can't be manipulated by a dexterous animal, perhaps secured with a carabiner and/or lock. These are expensive coops. We shouldn't have to head to the hardware store, drill into the plastic, and try to figure out how to actually secure our chickens from predation.

[Kath]

I agree wish I would have known before purchasing..  now have to coon proof. KAT