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Eglu owners please advise!

Date sort Score sort
mac_chooks

mac_chooks

In the Brooder
12 Years
Aug 24, 2007
27
0
32
SF Bay Area
All right, first off, yes, I live in the suburbs and I'm interested in an Eglu for convenience and because I cannot realistically have more than 3 hens. And I'm willing to pay for convenience.

That said, I know some folks here have Eglus. I have some questions that would help me really decide. Please no posts deriding my lack of imagination in cobbling together something from scrap wood. My neighbors would NOT be pleased. And, honestly, I wouldn't be either.
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1. Can you leave out the grub containers in the run 24/7 or will raccoons and other pest animals eat the feed? Do you/can you put them in the coop itself?

2. Do the chickens mind roosting so close to the ground? Any roosting issues?

3. How often do your chooks free range? In the winter when it's dark at the end of the work day, all they'll get M-F is the run. Will that be enough? Summer and spring they'll get let out whenever possible, especially on the weekends.

4. What color and why?
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OK, I totally understand, as I am very suburban too! However, though I was uninterested in making some kind of chicken-shack out of scrap wood as well (and, like you, am happy to pay for convenience!), the Eglu was NOT appealing to me. Too small, too plastic! What I would have done, had we not hired someone to build one for us (which you might consider, as it will be around the same price!) is the Chick-N-Barn and Chick-N-Run, seen here:

http://www.mypetchicken.com/Coops_without_Chickens-Chick_N_Barn_With_Run-P316.aspx

I think it is very aesthetically pleasing, and also enables you to house more than 2 or 3 chickens. Also, if you are only interested in 2 or 3 chickens, it gives them enough room to roam so that if they are in the run for the day it should be fine.

That's my vote! Sorry if it wasn't what you wanted to hear!

Answer to #1-- I leave my food out in the run portion, however, my run has welded wire on all sides and underneath, so nothing could get to it.


Answer to #2-- I think they would not be happy roosting so close to the ground, but that is only a guess!

Abswer ti #3- given above per the Chick N Barn, but in the Eglu, I dont' think it would be big enough. Sorry.

This is what we ended up doing...
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Hi, no problem I appreciate the ideas! How much was the total though -- if you don't mind?

Labor (skilled, legal labor that is) runs quite high where I live which is why I hadn't considered that. I adore several plans available in in the UK from kits but between the kit cost and the shipping I could buy two Eglus!
 
OK, I edited my original post while you were responding!

Cost for labor was free (we have a contractor friend that owed us!), so not helpful on that! Materials were about $700, the plan was $25 on eBay.

Our coop is big though (for a suburban flock!) it is 8'x4'. If you are only having 3 chickens, you could make it smaller--- for bantams, you could make it even smaller! We can have up to 10-12 bantams in ours. This is the reason we went with bantams, because we can't have like 10 standard sized chickens in our tiny backyard!

The other option we seriously considered was to get a big, wooden doghouse and have a run built with 2x4's and welded wire. Then put the dog house on a table or other support to elevate it, and put it in the run. That would be cheaper than building a coop like ours, but not as cute!
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Good luck! I have to say, I do think the Chick N Barn would be the easiest, and least expensive choice, though!
 
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There's also an e-bay site with several small UK coops that they're bringing in. Usually the buy it now price, plus shipping to the US, is similar to the eglu price. It's another option for a small coop:

http://stores.ebay.com/ALBANY-PETS-...W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ11562656QQftidZ2QQtZkm

I don't have anything against eglus, it just depends on the person. I gave you the other link, because I saw on a different thread that you were considering various options. Hey, by next fall, Omlet USA might be selling the cube over here! I wrote in and asked.
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I use a 4 x 7 Royal Outdoor shed with a doggy run....blends in the neighborhood and its a snap putting it together and easy to wash down. I loved this type of shed and wont go into wood type coops if I am to wash down my coop twice or three times a year depending how my girls dirtyied it up.

I paid $400 dollars for the Royal Outdoor shed, bought $40 dollar doggy door, made a ten dollar basement window for the shed (you will have cut it out) and dog run for $200 dollars. I dont have to bend down to clean up in tight spaces or bumping my head. I use a horse rubber mat for the flooring which I got it on discount at Menards for twenty dollars. The shed is now four years old and still going great. You can get deals out of hardware stores for windows, doors, etc.
 
Egganic has the Henhaven. A smaller version of the Henspa, which I have. It is nice in that it is all self contained and moveable. Food is inside. Water is on the outside. At least the last time I looked at the site. They also sell a henhut for just a few chickens. http://www.henspa.com/
Steph
 
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As an Eglu owner - I have to say - listen to them.

I went with it due to being a single woman with no carpentary skills and it LOOKED easy to move by yourself - WRONG.

But with that being said my chickens are healthy, happy & safe. Something tried to get at them either in the night or while I was at work - totally dug out under the coop, they are fine.

I have pink - well they are girls.....

Edited for grammer....
 
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