Single hen

[chooks a go go]

I went to buy supplies for my chooks recently and the owner asked how the chickens were... and were they laying etc. During the course of the conversation I told him I only had two and they lived in an Eglu.

 

Blimey, I wish i hadn't said anything! I won't quote verbatim but the gist of his mini rant was that eglus were a gimmick and the worst thing that had every happend to chicken keeping. He said they aren't well enough ventilated and the fact they are made from plastic is bad because it doesn't breathe and that his cousin had one and lost a chook. He had 3 birds in there mind, and imo two is cosy enough. But blummin' heck, I was so taken aback! I just said I didn't have any problem with it all and that my chooks were fine and healthy living in their eglu.

 

Has anyone else ever come across such negativity regarding eglus? I'm still stunned.

[Guest]

The thing about Eglus is that they provoke strong reactions from people - i think they're a love 'em or hate 'em kind of thing, and people who are used to traditional ways of keeping chickens can be hard to sway.

 

I've never met anyone who had actually kept chickens in an eglu say a bad thing about them - they're easy to clean, they don;t harbour red-mite or other beasties and they help bring chicken keeping to many people who wouldn;t have been able to have chickens otherwise (me included).

 

I had 5 in my Eglu for a while, and never had any problems with their health becuase of keeping them in an Eglu, and i doubt very much that the death of the chicken that that chap knows about has anything to do with them being kept in an Eglu!

[The Dogmother]

Somone else posted almost the same thing a while ago - I can't remember who it was - but the discussion was almost the same I think; perhaps they went to the same feed supplier.

[Popcorn]

Awwwww....that's awful. There has been some of this around, but take comfort knowing that your chooks are happy and you've experienced the Eglu first hand and can make a better, more informed argument than somebody that hasn't. I've yet to meet anybody that actually owns an Eglu that thinks they are dangerous for hens.

 

Don't take it to heart. You have two happy hens and that's all that matters, not his opinion.

 

Omlet would not put hens at risk. Thier product has been well tested and proven to be just as good as any other type of hen housing.

[chooks a go go]

Well I did think that just because a hen died it didn't automatically mean it was a direct result of living in an Eglu....and if there were ventilation problems...maybe he didn't keep it clean enough...I don't know. Thank you for your objective and supportive comments anyway.

[Rhapsody]

There's a guy down this way who a few of us have met who is anti-eglu too, although in his case I felt it was jelousy that he hadnt thought of making such a wonderful and successful product.

I've noticed since I moved to the Sticks that some people (esp in farming and equine ) have a real problem with folk who dont do things 'their' way, they seem to take it as a criticism of thier own choices and get quite defensive..............

[The Dogmother]

I've noticed that too Rhapsody, some of my 'hens in wooden coops friends' are die hards and wouldn't ever consider anything other than what they've always known... fine by me, at least they don't diss the eglu. Others of them used to laugh at mine, but now have eglus of their own after spending last year's hot summer cussing and treating for red mite.

 

*shrugs* just the way some folks are

Edited September 26, 2007 by Guest

[Popcorn]

There's a guy down this way who a few of us have met who is anti-eglu too, although in his case I felt it was jelousy that he hadnt thought of making such a wonderful and successful product.

I've noticed since I moved to the Sticks that some people (esp in farming and equine ) have a real problem with folk who dont do things 'their' way, they seem to take it as a criticism of thier own choices and get quite defensive..............

 

 

A very limiting way to approach life don't you think Rhapsody? I say embrace everything, give the benefit of the doubt, then when you have it first hand you can make a respected and educated opinion from experience, rather than from hearsay. It's a shame people feel this way.

[chocchick]

Well I did think that just because a hen died it didn't automatically mean it was a direct result of living in an Eglu....and if there were ventilation problems...maybe he didn't keep it clean enough...I don't know. Thank you for your objective and supportive comments anyway.

You should tell him about the 1000s of happy hens on this forum that beg to differ

[chooks a go go]

I think I'm just going to try and find another supplier...he did come across as a bit "bull in a china shop, stuck in his ways and he knows best" sort of bloke - pleasant enough until I mentioned Eglus... His store is located in the Black Country btw - I don't want to name him, but this might give some folks a clue as there aren't that many townie chicken, horse etc feed merchants around.

 

And NOW I feel a bit silly for letting his silly comments bug me so much! As you rightly say chocchick there are THOUSANDS of happy chooks that would beg to differ.

 

Thank you, you cheery lot - I feel MUCH better now. I can see Suki from here pecking away with her knickers in the air...lol...and she looks just FINE.

[Popcorn]

Chooks, I'm from the Black Country (Rowley Regis). I haven't ever bought supply's from over there as I live in Leicester...but you'd do better finding a farm.

 

We go to a great little farm that keep chickens on the main dual carriage way (A456) to Kidderminster....I'm trying to remember the name and it's totally gone! It's got a lovely little farm shop and greenhouse beyond it, and chickens and goats too.

 

 

I'll post the name when it comes back to me

 

There used to be a guy in Blackheath that sold large quantities of Straw, hay, Garlic etc but he was situated behind the outdoor market, which has now gone. I'll ask around for you. I might be able to help with something at least?

[Egluntyne]

Erm.........so is that chap saying that hens who live in wooden houses never die?

 

Are battery hens immortal too?

 

You get some anti Eglu rants from time to time. they run their course.

We've heard it all before.

 

Would the Omlet boffins have won prizes for their design if the Eglu had been a killer? I doubt it.

 

I'd be inclined to buy my supplies elsewhere.

[Popcorn]

I'll post the name when it comes back to me

 

 

HODGE HILL FARM

 

 

 

Phew!

 

 

It's the Birmingham road on the way to Kiddy. Worth a visit just to see the hens.

[Krysia]

When we bought our incubator (Knowing full well if they hatched that i would need a cube!!! ) the guy asked how big the house was. We siad we had 2 eglu's and were considering a third or even a cube if they all hatched, He was very anti the Eglu too.

 

until.....

 

He tried to flog us some red mite powder and we said we haven't got any and never had. He was amazed. Apparently this year has been really bad for mites.

 

I said that the eglu was so easy to jet wash and there was no where for the mites to hang around, We have had chooks for over 2 years and have never had any mites to deal with at all. We worm twice a year and alternate citricidal and Apple cidar vinegar in the water. Other than that layers pellets and treats / s"Ooops, word censored!"s is all we do for them.

 

Some people are just not forward thinking,

 

 

On the other hand yesterday at work a friend asked about the chicks and if we were getting another Eglu and a girl joined the conversation saying ooo you've got an Eglu... Designer hen house... you are so luck I wish I could afford one!

[Jools]

The world is full of small-minded bigots and I'm sorry to say that the chicken world seems to have more than its fair share . Ignore the miserable git and get on with enjoying your eglu and hens!!

[Egluntyne]

Designer hen house... you are so lucky I wish I could afford one!

I've had that said to me several times.

 

When I did my initial "homework" before buying an Eglu, I found that there was little if any difference in the price of the Eglu and a well made wooden ark from a reputable company.

 

Of course you could make your own (beyond me) or buy something cheap and possibly ramshackle...but this expensive designer nonsense has become an irritating urban myth.

 

It was the fox and red mite resistance that sold it to me in the end. Plus a visit it Chocchick!

[xChicken04x]

Killed by an eglu, i highly doubt it!

 

xx

[ubereglu]

I doubt that too. When my Henrietta died it certainly wasn't because of the eglu, she'd had a stroke and it was just best to have her put down.

 

I wonder why all these wooden coops have got red mite, as our one never has and we've had in since August '05. With chickens living in it until October 'o6 when I got the eglu. I mainly suspect it's because on most chook coops people use roofing felt, which makes a lovely place to hide mites, and ours has a steel sheet roof. The young ones are currently living in it!

[lost-sheep]

people shouldn't judge things if they have never actually tried it themselves!

 

.... so his freind lost a chook (im not saying chickens aren't worth something ) but hens die sometimes for no reason so why blame it on the house.......

 

......sounds like the supplier was looking for faults in this funky design it's v cool.... when i showed a picture of ours to my mate she thought they were REALLY cool (and she is hard to please )

[SueSteve]

Before ordering my cube/eglu I checked out the internet, did my research. I discovered that those who have eglus love them, and those who don't hate them!

I went for the cube/eglu as I felt it was the easiest to clean, and therefore less chance of getting mites, rats, flies and diseases. Also the fox deterant.

[missuscluck]

I am a wooden house keeper as I was fortunate enough to given one to start me off then when we decided that hen keeping was for us, OH built a super coop in the garden attatched to our shed in which they have an indoor nesting box.

My Friend has had her eglu deliverd today with her 2 ginger nut rangers and its really cool. Ive never seen one 'in the flesh' before and it looks good to me. The run looks a lot bigger that I expected and Im sure her chooks will be very happy in their new home.

I think it is just an old school die hard hen keeping thing with the distaste of eglus. I have a lot of advice from a friend who is a very old hen keeper and I think his reaction to an eglu would be shock and horror also.

Find another supplier who is nice to you They are supposed to be, the customer is always right!!

[Cate in NZ]

Ignore the miserable git and get on with enjoying your eglu and hens!!

 

Jools, that was exactly what I was thinking

 

There's always going to be people with entrenched prejudices and opinions, and many of them may find it difficult accepting a different way of doing things. So be it.

 

If this guy sells good produce and knows his hens then fabulous, he could be a great source of hen related knowledge, so don't necessarily cut him off as a supplier. It may take him a few years yet to accept that there is a place for eglus alongside the more traditional style hen houses. He'll get there in the end. Horses for courses I say

 

Oh, and I've never had red mite yet either, and I did my sums carefully before I bought an eglu (Hubby tends to watch my spending ) and we worked out that an eglu & run wasn't much more expensive than a traditional coop (neither of us could build our own, so that wasn't a money saving option)................ and that was without factoring in the cost of red mite powder

[Lesley]

We've had terrible problems this summer with red mite - in the wooden coops, not the Eglus. We're busy replacing the wooden ones - with second hand Eglus.

 

Our farming neighbours have been very gracious in accepting us and our Eglus. They were a bit at first but have since accepted that they are fine.

[The Dogmother]

Why not befriend this supplier, if only for his occasional advice, then when you know him better - invite him to come and look at your eglu. It is probably very different from what he is accustomed to, so he will be resistant, but at least you've given him the chance to see one and know what he is slagging off.

 

I doubt that you'll change his mind, but it will be an interesting journey.

[Olly]

surely the fact that Eglus command such a good resale price on eBay suggests that lots of people think they are a good thing (apart from all of us on here!) If it was just a gimmick, it would have died away by now.

 

I bet I speak for lots of others when I say that I would never have contemplated getting hens if it weren't for Omlet and the Eglu. He should be grateful that so many people are keeping chickens and wanting to buy feed and supplies!