Eglu and bantams, UK

[Philosorapteuse]

Hey folks! Interested in opinions re: the Eglu Cube for bantams. We’re in the UK, so no worries about raccoons or similar, and the climate’s not especially harsh.

We have a wooden coop right now, but we’re considering a switch to plastic because we’re having real problems with persistent red mite. Partner is about at her wit’s end - our current one is an immense hassle to deep clean, and I gather red mite can be almost impossible to eradicate in wooden coops So the Eglu’s easy cleaning and plastic construction with minimal hidey-holes for mites is starting to look extremely attractive. However, they’re not cheap even secondhand, and they do seem to be quite divisive regarding size and ventilation.

We have six bantams - five small, one more verging on medium sized. They happily free range in the garden the entire day, so we wouldn’t be bothering with a run. I assume the Eglu Go wouldn’t be large enough, but how about the Cube?

I’m inclined not to worry toooooo much about size, given that they’d literally only ever be in there to sleep and to lay, with the free run of the garden at all other times? But ultimately the point of this is the chooks’ welfare, so don’t want to go and buy something unsuitable!

 

[NatJ]

I have no personal experience with Eglu coops, UK weather, or UK predators, but for any coop:

--check that there are enough nestboxes (most prebuilts have more than enough)

--check that there is enough roosting space

--check that the chickens have enough space to move around, eat, and drink even in bad weather. This might be inside the coop or not, depending on your individual situation.

--if you shut the chickens into the coop at night, be sure it has enough space until you let them out (2+ square feet per bantam), and be sure it is sufficiently predator-proof.

--if you do not shut the chickens into the coop at night, be sure the area is sufficiently predator-proof, so a predator doesn't walk into the coop and help itself to the chickens while they sleep.

You can search the forums for Eglu to find previous threads with people sharing opinions and experiences, and I'm also seeing a few popping up at the bottom of this page under the heading "Similar threads."

 

[Philosorapteuse]

I have no personal experience with Eglu coops, UK weather, or UK predators, but for any coop:

--check that there are enough nestboxes (most prebuilts have more than enough)

--check that there is enough roosting space

--check that the chickens have enough space to move around, eat, and drink even in bad weather. This might be inside the coop or not, depending on your individual situation.

--if you shut the chickens into the coop at night, be sure it has enough space until you let them out (2+ square feet per bantam), and be sure it is sufficiently predator-proof.

--if you do not shut the chickens into the coop at night, be sure the area is sufficiently predator-proof, so a predator doesn't walk into the coop and help itself to the chickens while they sleep.

You can search the forums for Eglu to find previous threads with people sharing opinions and experiences, and I'm also seeing a few popping up at the bottom of this page under the heading "Similar threads."

I’m aware of the general guidelines, yes. I’m interested in more personal experiences.

I’ve spent quite some time searching already, but the overwhelming majority of what I‘ve found on here doesn’t answer my question due to focusing on US issues, setups where they’re primarily confined to a run, and larger breeds than ours. Hence the specific question

 

[aart]

but the overwhelming majority of what I‘ve found on here doesn’t answer my question due to focusing on US issues

Might try posting here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/anyone-in-england.2199/page-79
or here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/uk-member-please-say-hi.655508/page-661
or here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/peeps-in-europe.1288348/page-277

 

[DustyDivas]

Hello from Cambridgeshire

I looked at getting an eglu cube when I started out with my chickens April 2020. Soooo expensive, so instead I bought a plastic double walled shed online for £205.00

You can see it (& whole set-up) on my coop page if you like
I easily adapted it into a coop and it has been brilliant so far

 

[woodworm]

I'm not sure of the size requirements for bantams but the Eglu Cube is approximately 9sq ft which sounds too small to me.

I like DustyDivas shed more even if they were the same price.

 

[Perris]

hi @Philosorapteuse
I'm in the UK and opted for Green Frog plastic coops rather than Omlet's range. They are equally expensive, but they hold their value, are snapped up almost immediately second-hand, and are bomb-proof (so keep their condition), so when the time comes to sell up, you'll get it back by selling on ebay or suchlike. They are also bigger and easier to clean than Omlet's (access is fantastic via a completely removable back). And they're made of recycled agricultural plastic, so help with the circular economy rather than yet another virgin plastic product. If you do go for a Green Frog, the stand to raise it off the ground (easier access) and the poop trays (makes cleaning a doddle) are worthwhile accessories.
Edited to add that if they need a deep clean, they're easy to pressure wash, or disassemble completely.

 

[Philosorapteuse]

Thank you folks! Those are some really helpful thoughts!