Adding a Coop + Autodoor -- Any thoughts?

[Hentrovert]

We are expanding our flock in the spring, and to prepare for our new chickens we are intending to add another coop and branch of our chicken run. Currently we have 6 hens living in 2 Omlet Eglu Cubes (usually 3 and 3 split evenly, but sometimes 4 and 2 depending on the night) that have served us extremely well, however, I'd love to have a coop with larger interior space in case the new pullets + our old flock all want to pile in to one area. We are not interested in wooden coops at this time, so we have narrowed our choices to the Omlet Eglu Pro + Omlet Autodoor *OR* the Nestera Wagon Coop + Run-Chicken Autodoor. We are also considering the Nestera Aspen 10 with an Omlet Autodoor.

Does anyone have experience with both brands? Nestera is still expensive, but less so than the Omlet. The interior space looks superior with a lot of head room, and the perches appear to suit a chicken's natural instincts better. However, I'm extremely confident in the Omlet coops' security, and not sure about the Nestera door design. Also, the plastic is thick on the omlet and more pliable on the Nestera. I'd also love to hear about the Run-Chicken autodoor as an option, and whether you feel it is reliable and secure. Is the bluetooth model upgrade worth it?

We are still ending up with a relatively small flock (we're adding 5 pullets), but I want to ensure that they have as much space as we can give them.

Thanks! Research has me going back and forth a LOT.

 

[RojoMarz]

I can offer nothing coop related...just a suggestion to update your thread title to include Nestera and Omlet. Maybe that would get the attention of members that have those coops and get you some responses.

 

[Hentrovert]

I can offer nothing coop related...just a suggestion to update your thread title to include Nestera and Omlet. Maybe that would get the attention of members that have those coops and get you some responses.

Thanks, I’ll try that!

EDIT: I'm ... not sure I can change the topic?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Thanks, I’ll try that!

EDIT: I'm ... not sure I can change the topic?

I don't think you can unless you are a Premium Feather Member (paid membership).

 

[Mother of Chaos]

We are expanding our flock in the spring, and to prepare for our new chickens we are intending to add another coop and branch of our chicken run. Currently we have 6 hens living in 2 Omlet Eglu Cubes (usually 3 and 3 split evenly, but sometimes 4 and 2 depending on the night) that have served us extremely well, however, I'd love to have a coop with larger interior space in case the new pullets + our old flock all want to pile in to one area. We are not interested in wooden coops at this time, so we have narrowed our choices to the Omlet Eglu Pro + Omlet Autodoor *OR* the Nestera Wagon Coop + Run-Chicken Autodoor. We are also considering the Nestera Aspen 10 with an Omlet Autodoor.

Does anyone have experience with both brands? Nestera is still expensive, but less so than the Omlet. The interior space looks superior with a lot of head room, and the perches appear to suit a chicken's natural instincts better. However, I'm extremely confident in the Omlet coops' security, and not sure about the Nestera door design. Also, the plastic is thick on the omlet and more pliable on the Nestera. I'd also love to hear about the Run-Chicken autodoor as an option, and whether you feel it is reliable and secure. Is the bluetooth model upgrade worth it?

We are still ending up with a relatively small flock (we're adding 5 pullets), but I want to ensure that they have as much space as we can give them.

Thanks! Research has me going back and forth a LOT.

I have a Nestera coop that sits on a raised platform inside a very secure 8’x15’ run. It’s a size large, just the most basic model (no legs.) It’s great, but outside of Northern Europe (including Britain and Ireland), you will have to provide dense shade in summer.

I like it, and the girls like it. FWIW, the first three shared it at night for months and were happy. Then we added two more pullets, and at the same time added an outside (but within the run) L-shaped roost during the heat of the summer. Now the older three sleep outside (next to the Nestera) and the Littles (no longer little) in the coop. We’ll see what happens when it gets really cold. I suspect that they may sleep inside when it gets down to the teens (Fahrenheit), but that it will wind up becoming the flock nesthouse.

I don’t have an automatic door, and in fact, the door is now open all the time, along with the back, which leans up along the side of the run. I now depend on the run, a hardware cloth palace, for security.

So tldr: Nestera - good, sensible coop for maybe 6 fullgrown standard sized chickens, needs serious protection from direct sun outside of northern Europe and similar latitudes. The two nesting boxes are maybe enough if you don’t have a girl who likes to take hours and hours laying an egg. Buffy, your sisters and I are looking at you.

Adding @Perrin for additional comments, including an astonishing number of grown chickens willingly cramming themselves in at night.