[archiesgems]

Why would a big breeder have and eglu ?  Surely they are just for back garden pets like mine !

because they are good for using if you are selective breeding, and make damn good broody pens

[Aunt Sally]

Well I know dozens of people with eglus Jason.  I can only speaks as I find.  Red mite is a rare problem in them and one that is easily dealt with.

[Aunt Sally]

Why would a big breeder have and eglu ?  Surely they are just for back garden pets like mine !

because they are good for using if you are selective breeding, and make damn good broody pens

Yes, your right they would be brilliant for that as they are so hygienic

[archiesgems]

Well I know dozens of people with eglus Jason.  I can only speaks as I find.  Red mite is a rare problem in them and one that is easily dealt with.

Im nod disputing that auntie what i was disputing was your statement about someone that you dont know who has a fantastic reputation. eglus are hygenic and they dont over heat easy to clean, easy to move about but look so damn ugly, should be called uglus really, certainly not everyones taste x

[Aunt Sally]

And I'm sure your friend has impeccable hygiene Jason.  I was just trying to draw you out a bit as you seemed so grumpy  

[Aunt Sally]

It's a matter of taste really Jason.  I think the eglu is rather stylish.  I agree the cube is rather blocky and ugly though 

[archiesgems]

certainly agree with you there, i did have an eglu but i much prefer natural materials, and my birdies like too roost up high, it would be like living in a wendy house for all of your life, another downside to them is cost, they really are over priced for what they are

[Aunt Sally]

I live in a bungalow and I'm used to sleeping downstairs 

I recon my eglu should last a good 30 years (maybe a lot more) and no treatments to buy.  Just a scrub with plane water and a sprinkle of diatom - just in case     

Sounds cost effective to me

[joyfull]

well I like both the cube and the egloo - they come in such pretty colours as well. If I could afford them I would either have 3 cubes or 10 eglus but I can't even though I don't need the run part.
As for redmite in wooden sheds - so far not had them (touch wood) but then again I've not had my girls that long - big shed creosoted and poultry shielded, all arks poultry shielded and all of them have diatom every week on the big clean out. Yes I know creosote is possibly carciagenic but my shed came ready treated, small arks didn't so thats why they are poultryshielded. May try the stuff foxy and roughlee have both recommended - think its milbenex - if I do get them, unless I win the lottery then omlet here I come 

[kelsgirlsx]

  sorry if i've caused a stir! Thanks for pointing out that red mite can still take a fancy even to eglu's. i would have gone nuts if i would have spent all that money and still got them. i surpose if you are going to get them, you are going to get them. you can only try to prevent and treat if you do. i know people that have wooden houses and have kept chooks for years and never had them. i guess i was just unlucky. i dont have anything against the eglu look wise, i fact i think they look lovely and tidy, they are just so expensive! especially when i have already spent about £400 on housing already. i was hoping to keep the cost of keeping the chooks down. as i said keeping them is my thing really and not something my other half enjoys. i dont expect him to fund my crazy ideas and as i am at home with the kids i am on a budget. wished i would have got it right the first time.  thanks for all your posts. hope all you guys and chooks enjoy the long w.end and the chicks are enjoying the lovely sunshine 

aunty, can i ask you if you need to shut the girls in the eglu at night or is the run safe enough to leave the door open. i only ask because sometimes we like a lay in  and i dont like to leave the chooks waiting in the morning. also would want 3 chooks that would spend most of the day in the run, freeranging for a couple of hours a day. would the run be big enough or need a extention.

[kelsgirlsx]

forgot to add that i had rhonde island hybrids and a light sussex hybrid last time. i was thinking of getting the some again or possibly welsummers. does anyone have any experience of welsummer bantams. do they lay well and is the egg size very small. i bake so any suggestions for nice natured hens that lay well and would be happy as a trio in a eglo appreciated.

[Aunt Sally]

No stir caused at all kelsgirlsx  

£400 already    You could have bought an eglu for that  

Do remember that even if you get red mite in an eglu, which is unlikely in a back garden as opposed to a breeder who has a source of infection from other sheds, they are extremely easy to get rid of without having to buy expensive treatments !

[Aunt Sally]

nice natured hens that lay well and would be happy as a trio in a eglo appreciated.

I think you mean three hens - a trio is for breeding and always has two hens and a cock 

[nzdunn]

I house my 3 girls in a plastic wendy house that used to belong to my kids, i fixed in a perch and nest boxes at the back, its made a fantastic house,   in fact im going today to get another plastic storage thing and im going modify that into a hen house, it looks a better option for winter than the wendy house, when it gets really really cold im going line the inside of it for extra insulation.   I wont buy a wooden coup not with reading all the red mite stories, i know red mite can still occur on plastic but easier to get rid of.    I find cleaning the plastic very good also.    If i had the money i would certainly have an eglu i think there fantastic bits of kit, maybe one day in the meantime my wee plastic houses will do the job

http://www.ruleworks.co.uk/poultry/coop-shed.asp
This is wot im getting but will not be putting in the pop hole, it has two big doors at the front so i can just open one of those and leave one shut.   

[Aunt Sally]

Do you insulate it against the heat as well as the cold nzdunn ?

Don't forget the law - photos are essential