Omlet Coops: The Five Directives of Eglu Excellence

Get out your torches and pitchforks, friends! It's time to talk about everyone's "favorite" prefab: The Omlet Eglu.

Every spring, I'll see several newcomers on BYC asking about Eglus. "Should I get one? How many chickens does it hold? Does it get hot in the summer?" And these are great questions! The answers are: "Eh", "Not as many as they say", and "Yes". If you would like to know more, or have 20 minutes to kill (sorry, didn't realize I could yap so much about Eglus), please read on.

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent those of BackYard Chickens. I purchased an Omlet Eglu with my own money and am not being compensated in any way. This article is meant as a light-hearted and informative guide on how to keep chickens with an Omlet Eglu. I'm not claiming to be the authority on Eglu coops; this is just an account of what works for me and my flock after lots of trial and error.

I'm game. What's an Omlet Eglu?

Omlet is a prefabricated plastic coop manufacturer based out of the UK. Their coops are called "Eglus" and come in 3 different sized models (as of August 2025): Go, Cube, and Pro. They are marketed as red mite-resistant, insulated, and easy to clean.

And what qualifies you to write an entire article about them?

I've used two different models, kept two different types of flocks in them (large fowl and bantam), and have gone through all four seasons with the Eglu as my only coop. I also understand what a coop should be, versus what the Eglu actually is. I like to think I'm pretty impartial. I'm not trying to sell you something, but I'm not necessarily trying to talk you out of it either. I believe Eglus have a place in backyard flocks if they're used responsibly.

Really? I see a lot of negativity towards Eglus on BYC, and your opening photo suggests you're not nuts about them either.

Well, I'm not. And most of the criticism you'll see on BYC is completely valid. However, if someone is going to go the prefab route, I do believe that Omlet Eglus are one of the better options (with a few adjustments).

So, I should get one then, right? It's clearly good enough for your fine standards!

Whoa! Slow down there, buddy. First, you must understand the Five Directives of Eglu Excellence.

The five what-?

Directive 1: I will keep my Omlet Eglu in full shade at all times.

Sounds pretty extreme, but hear me out.

The Eglu's walls and ceiling feature twin-wall insulation. They are surprisingly thick and have a sizable air gap, which maintains the inside temperature longer than an average coop. For example: Let's say the overnight low was 60F, and the daytime high will be 85F. It will take longer for the Eglu to reach 85F, allowing your hens to enjoy a cooler nest box in the morning hours. Unfortunately, this is a double-edged sword. That same insulation feature, combined with this coop's biggest drawback (weak ventilation), will mean the Eglu also takes longer to cool down. So when your flock goes to bed, it's going to take a bit more time before the temperature lowers to match the outside. If you do not keep your Eglu in full shade, you will remove the benefit on twin-wall insulation in the warmer months.


If you don't believe me, check out one of the Omlet Facebook groups. Well-meaning folks lose hens every summer due to overheating in the nest box. An Eglu sitting in full sun on a hot day will EASILY exceed the forecasted high. To make matters worse, the lack of head clearance (an Eglu is only about 2-feet tall) means your chickens are sitting directly in the hot air that's trapped against the ceiling. We'll discuss how to correct this later, but it's essential you take steps to limit how hot the coop gets in the first place.

But there's zero shade on my property!

Same! Thankfully, you have options. Omlet Eglus are not large coops. Take advantage of that and stick it under your covered run, in the most shaded corner. Take a look at my setup below. You can see where the sun comes in, as well as how I positioned my Eglu to minimize the impact. Keep in mind that the angle of the sun will change throughout the year. In my case, I need to put a shade cloth along the rightmost wall from June - August to block morning rays. It's only for a couple of hours, but it makes a big difference in maintaining those cool overnight temps in the nest box.



Other Eglu users have put their coop under a pop up tent, canopy, or even just surrounded it with smartly placed sun blocks, like fences or lattice.

Sounds like something I can do. But what about winter? Do I still need to keep my Eglu in the shade?

That's up to you. Chickens do much better in the cold than in the heat. I allow additional light into my run during the winter months, but I don't go out of my way to move the Eglu to a different spot. And I don't know about you, but New England weather tends to be all over the place. Just when I think things have cooled down, we'll have a surprise heat wave. I feel better knowing my Eglu is always protected and in the best position.

You mentioned Eglu's are weak on ventilation. Isn't that like, THE most important thing in a coop?

It sure is, so hold that thought! We'll be discussing ventilation several times in the next few Directives. Stay with me until then.

Aye aye, Captain.

Directive 2: I will respect the occupancy limits of my Eglu.

Everyone wants to know how many chickens they can "jam" in an Eglu, and I'll be honest: I hate this question. Technically, you could fit an unreasonable number of birds in the Eglu Cube. It's also possible for you to ride in the trunk of a car instead of the passenger seat. Just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should.

The standard rule of thumb is 4 square-feet per bird in the coop, with 12 inches of roost space per bird. You are not going to hit that first number with an Eglu, but you MUST hit the second. It's the least you can do for your poor chickens that are resigned to sleeping in a glorified cooler. However, because we're not meeting the 4 square-foot rule, there are a few extra limitations to Eglu use:

• Directive 2A: I will never shut my chickens in the Eglu unless they are sleeping.
  
  I don't care if there's a storm raging outside, an active bear attack (this is hyperbole), or if you need to get the chickens out of your hair for a while. It cannot be done. During the longest days of the year, my auto door opens just before dawn (5AM) and closes well after dark (9PM). Because you're not shutting your chickens in the Eglu, this means they'll need a place to go during the day to escape inclement weather, like a covered run. If you free range, or have more of an open-style enclosure, make sure to build a few shelters that have food, water, and dust bathing opportunities. This will have the added benefit of giving your chickens a place to hide from aerial predators. Check out 3KillerBs' "An Outdoor Shelter For the Feeder and Waterer" for inspiration.
  
  
• Directive 2B: My chickens must "get along" to share an Eglu.
  
  This one's challenging for a number of reasons, so let me try to unravel the rat's nest. The phrase "get along" means no one is actively being bullied, particularly at bedtime. Chickens that are best buddies during the day will roughly peck and jostle for position on the roost bars. It's 100% normal and expected behavior. What you don't want is a bully-victim dynamic carrying over into your tiny Eglu coop. There's nowhere for the victim to run, so the risk of injury is MUCH higher. This is part of why I adhere to Directive 2A and leave my Eglu open for an extended period of time. The more dominant birds will head in first and claim the back roost bar (just like how the "cool" kids will claim the back seats on the school bus). Lower ranked birds will head in later, once things are a little darker, and settle into open slots. But on a final note, PLEASE keep in mind that chickens - especially young pullets - will get along great until they don't. Relationships can change overnight. Reaching point-of-lay, broodiness, a molt, or "just because" are all valid reasons why two flock members suddenly won't get along. Depending on your Eglu model, the flock may also be sharing a communal nest box (like with my Cube). Not every chicken will be a fan of this arrangement, and it's another tight space where bullying could get out of hand. Consider offering additional nest boxes outside of the Eglu to give your birds another option. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. Milk crates, cat litter boxes, or even just a simple tote can be made nest-worthy with a fake egg and some cushy straw.
  
  REALTIME UPDATE: In the process of writing this article, I started having a violation of Directive 2B. Not because of bullying, per say, but because one of my new layers has become very gung-ho about the pecking order. She did not have an issue until she needed to spend a few days in broody jail. Upon returning to the flock, she's become bossy towards a lower ranking chicken at bedtime, and the confined space of the Eglu Cube does not allow them to resolve it peacefully. I will be following Directive 5 in response, so stay tuned.

• Directive 2C: I will integrate new birds with extreme caution and have a backup plan.
  
  I'm not saying you can't integrate new birds or pullets into an Eglu coop, but don't count on it or force it to happen. There's simply not enough space and ties directly into Directive 2B. Managing disputes between brooder-mates is tricky enough, nevermind trying to unite different age groups. If you're dead-set on making an integration attempt, start by familiarizing yourself with the process and read BigBlueHen53's "Integrating: A Pictorial Guide". She goes over the see-no-touch method, as well as a timeline for bringing the two flocks together. However, if you're like me, and already see the headache of playing referee in a plastic box, you've got other options. If you've been using an Eglu successfully and want to stay the course, you can simply add another one. They're certainly small enough. I've even seen people stack them on homemade racks to save space. This gives each sub-flock its own coop and allows you to focus your integration efforts in the run or during free-range. Even better, you can take this as a cue to finally build a real coop. BYC has a massive collection of build ideas with all different sizes and configurations for all different types of climates. You and your birds will likely be happier with the end result, and you'll be future-proofing at the same time. OR, maybe... just maybe... don't add more birds? It's an insane suggestion, I know, and not so straightforward when you have an aging flock that's dwindling in numbers. But to my point, Eglus are not integration-friendly and require a more thoughtful approach than a traditional coop with ample space.​

Alright, we're ready to hit the real question on everyone's mind.

YES, finally! How many birds can I keep in an Eglu?

First, let's circle back to the number I said you MUST hit: 12 inches of roost space per bird. But before we all go running off with our tape measurers, I'm going to show you a photo:



This is the inside of my Eglu Cube and contains two full-grown Black Australorps. Australorps are a large fowl breed, but they are not that large. Brahmas, Cochins, and Orpingtons will be even meatier. So, now that you've seen this photo, how many large fowl birds do you think can be kept in an Eglu Cube? I can already hear your answers drifting to me through time and space: "Zero!", "Two!", "Omlet said six!" And yes, Omlet does claim their Eglu Cube holds "6 Large Hens", but c'mon... look at the photo! Here, I'll share another one:



Here's the same Eglu Cube, this time with my 3 bantam pullets, one of which is very small. Omlet claims their Eglu Cube holds 10 bantams. Seeing a pattern yet?

Yeah, but my chickens like to smoosh together and cuddle.

Mine do too, at least when they're young. But shouldn't that be optional and not a requirement? Think back to Directive 1: an Eglu will get hot in the warmer months. Often times, my Cube's thermometer will read 82-85F around bedtime at the peak of summer. Your chickens deserve the opportunity to spread out and vent their wings without a butt in their face. Not only that, but keeping the number of occupants down will help with the Eglu's lack of ventilation.

How so? Doesn't Omlet claim to have an "expertly designed ventilation system"?



I have bigger gaps around my front door. Depending on who you talk to, some will say a coop should have 1 square-foot of ventilation PER BIRD! This clearly isn't happening in the Eglu. And don't let the ventilation panels at the back fool you; most of the hot air sits above them, trapped against the ceiling.

Look, I'm not a ventilation expert. In fact, you should dump this article and go read Repecka Illustrates Coop Ventilation to get a good idea of how much the Eglu is lacking. That said, it's not as bad as it seems IF you keep your numbers down. Chickens poop all night, every night. Poop contains moisture (which is very bad in winter) and ammonia (which is very bad ALL the time). Chickens breathe air. Chicken breath contains moisture (which is very bad in the winter). You may have noticed that I've said "moisture" more than once. That would be because moisture in the coop is never, ever good.


All this to say that the less chickens you have in your Eglu, the better. We'll also be talking about how to minimize moisture and improve ventilation in Directives 3 and 4.

Got it. Now can you PLEASE just tell me how many birds I can keep in an Eglu?

Fine. These are the absolute maximum numbers I would be comfortable with for an Eglu Cube:

• 6 bantam breeds (d'Uccles, Cochin Bantams, Silkies, etc.)
• 4 medium breeds (Eggers, Legbars, Polish etc.)
• 2 large breeds (Australorps, Orpingtons, etc.)
• 0 extra large breeds (Bielefelders, Brahmas, Cochins etc.)

An Eglu Pro is double the size of a Cube, so you can double the above numbers. The Eglu Go is their smallest model, and I would recommend you only keep 2-3 bantams in it.

I don't like your answer. It's too high/low or doesn't match what I want to do with my Eglu.

Listen, you can do whatever you want. I'm not stopping you. I'm just some random person on the internet, though I do hope you'll try to implement some of the other Five Directives to keep your Eglu at peak performance. Let's keep going with...

Directive 3: I will maintain the droppings tray to the highest standards.

Chicken poop is the enemy of air quality and (low) humidity, especially in a poorly ventilated coop like the Eglu. It's our responsibility to negate that as much as we can. Thankfully, this plays to one of the Eglu's biggest perks: the droppings tray. It's Omlet's version of the much beloved shelf that you see incorporated into many coop designs, and makes battling the perils of poop as easy as A-B-C:

• A: Adhere to Directive 2 and respect the occupancy limits of your Eglu. Less birds = less poop.
• B: Be sure to use a product in the droppings tray that will zap the moisture out of their... uh... droppings.
• C: Clean consistently.

Okay, this A-B-C thing was kind of a mess, but the advice is solid.

My absolute favorite products to use in the droppings tray are hemp bedding or PDZ (aka zeolite). Hemp is incredibly absorbent and perfect to use as an insulator in winter. I hand pick the poops with a disposable glove, which is not environmentally-friendly, but I've yet to find a scoop that won't waste too much product. Hemp is expensive, though if you keep it clean, it will last forever. Not literally. You should still freshen the entire tray on a schedule. PDZ, on the other hand, feels and behaves like a kitty litter. You can mix it into any bedding to absorb moisture and odors, but I find it shines best on its own in the summer. I don't want to insulate the droppings tray when it's hot out, so a layer of PDZ over newspaper (or puppy pads) works beautifully to dry out the poop and make for easy cleanup. Finally, remove droppings daily. You can push it to every other day, but why would you? It's only a few minutes of your time and makes such a difference for your chickens to go to bed each night in a fresh coop.

As a side note, I don't recommend using anything that's heavily scented, like commercial nest box herbs or some of these new zeolite products that contain peppermint or eucalyptus extracts. They're probably fine in a traditional coop with lots of head space and ventilation, but the odor gets way too concentrated in the small space of an Eglu. Imagine having to sleep in jar of your grandmother's "English Garden" potpourri. No thanks, right?



Are those wooden roost bars in your Eglu? What's wrong with the plastic roosting bars that come with it?

Hey, good eyes! You question is the perfect lead-in for our next Directive:

Directive 4: I am willing to make modifications to improve my chickens' comfort.

You've already dropped an uncomfortable amount of money on an Omlet Eglu. Are you willing to drop even more? I will admit that most of the ideas I use in my coop were inspired by Omlet Facebook groups. We may not see eye-to-eye on some of the Directives, but these folks care about their flocks' well-being and are willing to go to the extra mile for them. Like, really go the extra mile. I've seen welded builds for screen doors and droppings trays, and all sorts of crazy stuff that I have no shot of doing myself. With that said, these are the "mods" that I've made to my Omlet Eglu and their associated benefits.

• Battery-Powered Clip Fans: These are the MVP's of summer to improve ventilation. Yes, they're an investment, but we also use the batteries in our power tools. The clip fan itself runs about $20-30, depending on deals, and I use two on the back vents. The airflow is not meant to hit the chickens. Instead, it knocks the hot air off the ceiling and out the ventilation ports. This does a couple things: It makes the Eglu more tolerable to be inside when it's at peak temperature (for late layers and at bedtime), and it cools the Eglu down faster at night by drawing in cool air while pushing out heat. A larger battery will keep the fan going on low for at least 24 hours. Keep in mind that you can't just throw these things outside in the rain without it being a safety hazard. My coop is weather protected in the run, and even then, I'll add an extra shade cloth on the wall behind the fans to block driving rain. Rechargeable batteries can also overheat and uh, explode. It's rare, but it happens. So there is a risk/reward factor to having ANY electronics around your chickens. Use your best judgement.

• Hardware-Clothed Vents: To complement the Ryobi fans, we also replace all the ventilation panels with 1/2-inch hardware cloth in the summer months. You can reuse the same screws and just add washers to pinch the hardware cloth in place. I do reinstall the ventilation panels once the weather cools, as they help aim any drafts up and away from the birds. But for summer, hardware cloth is an easy way to improve airflow.

• Remote Monitoring: In the photo above, you can see I mounted a wireless camera to one of the hardware-clothed ventilation panels, and it has a Govee Hydrometer/Thermometer hanging off of it. The camera is great for nighttime head counts and to ensure I'm not violating Directive 2B by having the chickens at each others' throats. The Govee is a STRONG RECOMMEND for any Omlet Eglu model. It costs about $15, connects to your phone through Bluetooth, and lets you know if your coop is getting too hot or too humid. If you scroll way back up to the first photo in this article, you'll see that I also have one hanging outside the coop for comparison readings. This gives me enormous peace of mind, especially in the winter when I'm able to see that the humidity inside the coop is LOWER than the outside - all thanks to the Five Directives of Eglu Excellence.
• Creature Comforts: I mentioned having an auto-door in Directive 2A, and Omlet makes a decent one that's compatible with the Cube and Pro models (the Go has its own brand-new version). It can run off a light sensor to open at dawn and close at dusk, or be scheduled to open and close at specific times. My flock is happy to be out and about ASAP each morning, and I'm happy that I get to sleep in. We also upgraded our original Eglu ladder to the new and improved "Ultimate Ladder", which you can see in the first photo of the article. I'd argue this is a must have, if it's not already included at purchase. My young bantam pullets had no problem using it (versus my large fowl pullets that struggled with the original ladder). In fact, the chickens like it so much that it warrants frequent cleaning - if you know what I mean. Lastly, we did add some wooden roosts to supplement Omlet's roost bars. Almost every chicken I've had prefers them to the plastic bars, and they allow the birds to warm their feet in the winter by getting them completely tucked underneath their bodies. I use untreated pine 2x3's for the bantams and 2x4's for large fowl. We add small pieces of furring strip underneath to get them slotted and secured over the plastic roost.

If you're looking for even more ways to modify your Eglu, particularly in the hot summer months, check out the thread "Help - Omlet Eglu owners - how to ventilate the roost?" You'll see me babbling in there, as well as a few others that have even bigger and better ideas.

At long last, this brings us to:

Directive 5: I will give up my Eglu if it's no longer working for my flock.

It's been a long journey, friends, and the last Directive is truly that simple. Omlet has an extremely generous return policy of 180 days (as of August 2025), with no return shipping charges. So if you really want to experiment with an Eglu, you have nothing to lose. In my case, I was able to try the Eglu Pro and found that it didn't quite work for us. My Eglu Cube I own outright. That model worked beautifully for my large fowl (though we would have had to upgrade once they outgrew it), but that hasn't been the case for my bantam flock. They care a lot more about pecking order. Like, A LOT more, especially now that they're starting to lay eggs. My flock's welfare has always been a top priority, so now that the Eglu Cube no longer works for us, I'll retire it and move on.

Geez, that's kind of a depressing ending. So this is really it for your Eglu?

It is, as far as being my primary coop. I'll still hold onto it, though. It could be useful if I need to separate a sick bird (or isolate new ones) and could also be used by a broody hen with a few changes - like removing the roost bars and setting it closer to the ground for chicks.

But anyways, now that we're finally at the end, why don't you answer your earlier question. Should you get an Omlet Eglu?

Only if I can follow the Five Directives of Eglu Excellence!

That's what I like to hear.


Thanks for reading, folks. This was a long one. Seriously, if you read the entire thing, I feel like I owe you a handshake or something. I tried to cover the essentials without covering everything, so if you have a question, post it in the comments and I'll respond as soon as I can.