An Eglu Cube Experience

[gryeyes]

Quote:
This is the biggest "secret" of keeping chickens. I never woulda thunk it, but I'm glad I discovered it. I find it the most important aspect, above free fertilizer, bug catching, and eggs.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

OK, it's been four days and the ladies love everything EXCEPT their glug. It's a nipple waterer and I don't know if they aren't using it because they can't figure it out or if they plain just don't like it. Rather frustrating really; the glug is easy to fill and holds enough water to keep them for days -If they'd use it.

I've been keeping their old chick waterer in their coop to make sure they don't get deydrated but is that just enabling their not-use of the glug? I even tried adding vitamins to the glug water to make it tastier. They always kill the water when I do that, but not this time. Any tips?

 

[featherz]

All my chicks, even day olds, use nipple waterers but they won't use em if you have regular water in there. I'd try taking the regular water out unless it's really hot where you are right now! Keep an eye on em to make sure they drink, of course.

 

[usschicago1]

Love it

 

[bleith]

I am looking to get a Cube. do understand you right? do you have one? if so where did you get it. Any info appreciated

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Quote:
You can buy through mypetchicken.com or omlet.com. I chose MPC for ease of customer service (no need to do math to figure out time zones when you want to talk to a human being). Ordering from Omlet directly might be cheaper but I'm not sure and I don't know if it would be just as easy or more difficult with regard to shipping. They have everything listed online so you can figure out what color you want, how long you want the extention on the run to be, etc. Then you need to call them (can't order directly online) and order through customer service. It took about a month to get to me. I get the impression that they order in larger batches to keep shipping costs down. And some colors might not be available (don't know why but two colors weren't available when I ordered). Overall an easy process.

Also, I found a coop heater that fits just about perfectly into the dropping trays. I got one to counter the cold snaps we can get out here (Colorado). Between my ladies body heat and the heat from the mat it gets relatively warm (I put them outside at 6 wks and didn't want to risk them getting too cold).

http://www.shopthecoop.com/mm5/merc...re_Code=STC&Product_Code=HCM&Category_Code=He

Let me know if you have any other questions!

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Ok, the First Cleaning. I pulled out the trays, dumped and replaced the contents. Needed to take out the roosting bars too to sweep out what had fallen out of the trays (I was only keeping half of the roosing piece in so the ladies could decide if they wanted to roost or get into the wood shavings, so things got kicked around a bit). All in all it took about five minutes.

 

[bleith]

thanks for the info on the Cube. unfortunately I have a crummy neighbor who is trying to put a stop to all of this. We will see what happens.
keep us posted on any pros and cons.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Ok, latest developments.

First, I notice yesterday that even though the ladies are approaching twelve weeks old they are still stepping and 'falling' between the roosting bars. It doesn't hurt them or anything like that but it's just like they take a step and there's a 'stair' there they weren't expecting. There legs reach all the way to the pan beneith, it's just a bit odd.

Second, the top of the Eglu is getting harder to move. I have to lift it a little and give it a good shove to slide it forward to get in. This probably has something to do with the larger gap forming on one side. I'm going to guess that this is because we manufactured our own side piece/mounting bracket but I'm not sure. It looked and felt secure with what we put in there, but maybe it's allowing shifting??? Either way I can still get the top open and the gap isn't going to get the girls wet either so we should be good.

Otherwise the girls are happy and chirping away. I do wish I had gotten the extra extension though, give them a little more room to run.

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

Sheesh, the white one in your avatar (Sunny?) looks identical to my EE hen when she was 10+ weeks old! See for yourself!


11 weeks

Notice how she grew in more in more brown feathers as she grew older!

24 weeks!