Hello from Buckingham

No such thing as a perfect coop, I think, and on here we all spend a lot of time discussing/comparing/moaning about them!
Omlet coops are good quality, they will last much longer than wooden ones, and like all plastic coops, are much less likely to get redmite, and if it comes to that, are easier to deal with. There will also be more than enough space in a Cube for four hens, it will hold six quite easily.
However, my friend has an Omlet Cube and as I look after his hens when he's away I have noticed one or two design problems. The nestbox is on a level with where they perch, so of course they do choose to sleep in there. Hens always choose the highest place for roosting, so a coop should have perches higher than nestboxes. Also, in Omlet coops there aren't proper perches which they can grip with their claws, they roost by squatting on a sort of toast rack grid, which is harder to keep clean because the poo sticks on the grid, instead of just falling to the floor behind a proper perch. The trays for poo are convenient, but I prefer to be able to easily remove the whole back side if my Green Frog coop and get in to inspect and clean it easily. Ventilation in the Cube is by a few holes, not adjustable, and unless you keep the door permanently open, in my opinion is not adequate, especially on hot summer nights. Green Frogs have a suspended roof with high-level ventilation all round, plus two adjustable ventilators on each side, with a door that can be opened variable amounts as well. I think Omlet coops are pretty expensive compared with some of the newer kinds of plastic coops, especially Green Frog, who I suppose are now the market leaders for simple, functional coops that work. I think you pay for all that fancy insulation in Omlet coops, which is really not necessary - chickens just don't need to be kept warm but they do need to be both dry and well ventilated.
However, please don't feel you have to invest in Coop no. 4 - what you now have is much better than 1 or 2, and all this is a matter if opinion, lots of people are very happy with Omlet coops and they hold their value well, when, like Lucylou, you want to move on - again ......l
 
My next coop will be plastic even though I have had no trouble with red mite.

I have looked at the various websites and am probably going to buy from either Solway Recycling or Green Frog. I like the look of the Solway Smart Hen House or Maxi Hen Loft, but houses from both companies look chicken friendly and practical and are almost half the price of the Eglu range.

I like the Green Frog website as they understand and explain to potential buyers the needs and behaviour of chicken and have not designed something that looks pretty without thinking of the practicalities.

I see what Marigold means about the perches in the Cube. As it is a grid I imagine the chicken will either roost in their own poo on the perches or in the nesting box. The Eglu range looks as if they are designed by someone sitting in an office with no knowledge or experience of chicken behaviour.
 
Agree with your last comment, 3441 Sussex. I see Omlet now produce an 'Extreme weather jacket' to cover the already insulated Cube, completely covering the ventilation holes, 'to keep your chickens warm and protect them from the cold weather.' Only £99.00!
See
https://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/chicken_keeping/eglu_weather_protection/11989/extreme_temperature_jacket_for_eglu_cube/
Coop must be running with condensation in the morning and there would be a big temperature difference for the chickens when they emerged.
 
I did look at the Green Frog coops, but to be honest I didn't like the look of them. I'm happy thus far with the cube, although I do take your point about the perches. I will wait and see how they get on with them once they have moved in. Having a very able husband, if I or the chucks don't take to the 'racks' I will simple remove them and put in some perches. The cube will be underneath a tree so shade will be readily available in summer and the door will be able to be left open for as long as need be up until late evening.
I'm absolutely thrilled to bits with the run, we've worked really hard on it this weekend, with not much left to do now, so I'm really hoping I'll have my chickens by the weekend.
 
You have probably had enough of me already but here is a pic of what we have done in the past few days.


http://s297.photobucket.com/user/Kimbab_photos/media/74c68b87-d779-4a4b-aee7-a4612e27e81f.jpg.html
 
Think they will enjoy life in there Kimbab. Worth mentioning snow loading though. We had a weather alert here for a few cm of snow and got 12cm of wet snow in the night. Fortunately I fitted centre supports to all the runs as a precaution -if I hadn't they would all have collapsed. Now the threat of snow has passed I will take them all out again because they do get in the way somewhat.
 
Great idea Chris, will get hubby to knock something up for next winter that can be added and taken away as needed.

Yes Rick, going to get that in position this afternoon and bedding in etc.

Marigold, chucks are coming tomorrow!! Finally!
 
good luck - remember not to worry toooo much about them in the fist few days :) Worse than having new children
 
I'm thrilled to bits with my girls! I would have put up some pics but Photobucket has just frozen on me.
I have Agnes and Winnie (Oxfors Browns) and Gertie and Helga (Nera). I have a very stunning Oxford Blue called Blue Bertha, I will try and up load and add some pics later.
 
This is Agnes, Winnie, Gertie amd Helga
http://s297.photobucket.com/user/Kimbab_photos/media/imagejpg3-1.jpg.html

This is the lively Blue Bertha
http://s297.photobucket.com/user/Kimbab_photos/media/aa389f23e2e90d81523aadd01df104e8.jpg.html

And this is Gertie showing that she is indeed NOT camera shy!
http://s297.photobucket.com/user/Kimbab_photos/media/bc7586496915f085aa0579389f6e4f2b.jpg.html
 
Lovely girls! And what a BEAUTIFUL run for them to live in!
You may need to check that they've gone to roost in the coop tonight, as it's possible they haven't worked it out yet. If they're reluctant to go inside the scary darkness, try putting a torch inside a nestbox and gently herd them inside and shut the pophole. It may take a few days before they go in of their own accord, but don't try to help them too early - wait until it's really getting dusk and they're getting a bit worried about what to do next. Possibly use a length of netting or similar, to gently encourage them to walk in the right direction. Try to get them to go up the ramp of their own accord, if you lift them in they may panic, and won't learn to do it for themselves. They're like kids, they don't like to go to bed too early!
They may not perch at first, many young pullets have been raised in barns with no perches, so once they've got the hang of going to bed on their own accord, you may need to go down once they've settled and lift them on to the perches, to train them what to do.
 
When they arrived we placed them in the coop and left them shut in for half an hour to calm and settle. We then opened the pop hole. Three of them came out pretty much straight away, the two Browns had to have a little assistance.

6pm they all put themselves to bed and we closed them up.

Looks like they've already got it sorted!

They were kept in a large sort of barn with perches and nest boxes so they've already got the hang of that.
 
Couldn't wait to get off the train and back on WiFi to see the pics. I see it didn't take them long to find the food. Great stuff!
 
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