Solitary chicken - need advice

[Willow]

Although I only have 2 chickens so far I want to get more next spring and am interested in getting a cube. However I am completely put off by the little hatch in the run as it would make cleaning out the run quite hard (I know from having an eglu).

 

So does anyone know if omlet have any plans to redesign the cube run ?

 

Thanks

[Egluntyne]

It's a common observation, Patricia.

 

Why not contact Omlet and ask...the more of us that mention it, the better....they might re-jig it.

[BeckyBoo]

It's rubbish isn't it? Trying to get inside the run (and there are various reasons why you need to on occasion) is awful - on your hands knees and elbow crawling through chicken poo! I actually think you could also do with the option of lifting up the whole end panel - that would make it really easy, and a panel in the roof would make filling the glug and super glug in situ much easier. But there you go, it's still a brilliant hen house. Get orange they're really

 

Mrs B

[ChookieCaz]

So far, I have got around the problem of getting at the ground the Cube is standing on by moving it. However, earlier on, I was wondering what I would do if Lizzie laid an egg in there as my younger daughter hadn't got back from school! Obviously, there is a risk of the run accidently landing on it if I move the run, especially if it happens to be a soft egg. We also need the eggs and haven't had any since the end of July! Also, if we have to race against Henrietta to get to any eggs to prevent egg-eating, we need someone to be able to get inside. Moving the run would take too long.

 

I know there are quite a few people who appear to have permanent sites for their cubes and eglus, so you are right in there being a need for a bigger door and hatches to gain access.

 

[Olly]

I have one of those metal 'shepherd crook' things, that is meant for hanging an outdoor lantern on.

 

It's proved invaluable for retrieving things - including eggs - from inside the Eglu run! If you have aubiose or similar down so the flooring is fairly soft, I have managed to 'hook' an egg out without breaking it. I know the Cube run is bigger, but I think it would do the same job.

[Fabergé]

I use a range of garden tools by Wolf http://www.worldofwolf.co.uk/menu/103/Multi-Change.html

where you fit different heads to the handles.

I fit a rake head to a telescopic handle for raking out poos from the run. I have the cube with extension & wouldn't be able to reach the part under the cube without it.

[Couperman]

Yes I agree that the Cube is not ideal from a mucking out point of view. I have some bit's and bobs on order to enable quick and easy detaching of the run from the Cube to save time with this. It will of course require modifying drilling etc etc, I will let you know how I get on!

 

Edit: these aren't Omlet bits and bobs by the way, and may not work out as planned! I will let you know either way

 

Kev.

[Gallina]

Is there any way we could start a petition on this site? It is silly of Omlet to spoil a brilliant design in this way.

 

It is so undignified crawling on your belly through a gap designed for a small dog. It is only the doorway that is the problem: once you are inside the run, it isn't too bad at all.

 

I have decided not to buy a cube extension until it is possible to buy (fairly cheaply) a new front with a big door to go with it. Maybe if more of us did this Omlet would sit up?

[BeckyBoo]

I'd sign it Gallina, it seems to be such a simple oversight and I can't help thinking the solution would be easily done as well

 

Mrs Bertie

[Olly]

I would have to be desperate to crawl inside the run - I have an Eglu, not a Cube, but I would rather dismantle the whole thing and lift it off the ground than get on my hands and knees knowing what I'd be crawling through!

 

It is one of my worries about getting a Cube, though - bigger area and not so easy to move. I'd sign a petition!

[The Dogmother]

I just use a rake to hook things out.

[Gallina]

I have to crawl in regularly into both the Eglu run and the cube run to fill in the escape tunnels my hens make under the skirt from the inside. I suppose this is one of the perils of having light soil.

 

Apart from that, the only time I have been in is when I have had new hens and they have needed to be put to bed.

 

I would like to be able to go partially in when I hang the food containers, as crouching and stretching for the second Grub is very awkward. I wouldn't be able to ask the old lady next door to look after my hens for me for this reason. It is too unpleasant and difficult.

[Lesley]

It was one of the things I mentioned right in the early days - 3 years ago!......... but back then, there weren't many Eglu owners and I was one of the few to ask.

 

There are many more asking for it now so hopefully, more power.............

[MaggieMcHen]

"have a plan to buy another one of those green tubular steel arches and put that behind the front panel so that the run will stand up with the front panel completely removed. I will then have another crack at putting hinges to the front panel..."

 

Good thinking - I am considering getting another extension but I agree that ordering another metal tubular arch would facilitate making the front a hinged 'human' door - the only real problem I forsee with hinging it is that it will have to have a lot of fittings to hold it in place to make it remain fox proof.

I did consider just making the top half drop down instead and then I could step in and out when necessary.

 

At the moment I also crawl in and out through the chickens door and really find it very annoying when the kit is so well thought out in many other ways.

 

I have however already suggested to Omlet that Mk 2 should have a handle on the roof, a double port hole and nesting boxes, and that they should supply more than one feeder for a Cube.

 

I'll sign a petition!!!!

 

Maggie

[little chickadee]

me too

[Los Tres Pollos]

"...I did consider just making the top half drop down instead and then I could step in and out when necessary... "

 

I do just that, only have basic run so don't really need to get in but it makes emptying/filling of the super glug easier as it's so heavy when full of water. Also makes changing the hemcore easier. I just have three clips which fasten it to the roof at the top, one at each corner and one in the middle. The bottom has about half a dozen fastening it to the bottom half to act as the hinge. Works a treat, been really good with the cold weather making it easier to remove the water to stop it freezing.

 

Kevin

[The Dogmother]

I mentioned a handle on the roof too, when I was manning the omlet stand at some shows - I kept skinning my fingers when I was closing the roof.

[Couperman]

I am going top modify ours where the run meets the Cube, by adding some brackets and screw in k"Ooops, word censored!"s, so that the run can be disconnected from the Cube without having to dismantle the whole thing.

 

At the moment I remove the end of the run which is a pain with those finger shredders.

 

Kev.

[The Dogmother]

I was wondering about replacing the bolts that attach the run to the eglu with some quick release snaps - they're under the front of the eglu, so not even a very clever fox could release them.

[MaggieMcHen]

[quote

. I just have three clips which fasten it to the roof at the top, one at each corner and one in the middle.

Kevin

 

What sort of clips and where from please?

 

Maggie

[Los Tres Pollos]

What sort of clips and where from please?

 

Just the normal green ones that come with the cube although I am experimenting with strong clothes pegs at the moment

[Jules.]

Dan have you ever considered a job designing at Omlet?

[The Dogmother]

That looks like a good partial solution dan - why not invite one of the omlet boys down to have a look and ponder on the design - send them your photos or a link to this thread.

 

I've told Phil to get his inventors hat on.

[The Dogmother]

Dan have you ever considered a job designing at Omlet?

 

Move over Simon

[The Dogmother]

I guess that they just didn't forsee the need to take off the front panel, which holds it all together like the eglu run end does.