[Jae Dawn]

Hi,

  I have an Eglu Classic and am in the middle of introducing 3 new girls to my old 3 (2 cockerals and one hen).  I am a bit concerned that they will be a real tight fit in the Eglu classic since it is suppose to hold only up to 4 hens.  Mine are Polands and my original 3 tend to stand on the edge of the nesting box with their faces towards the nesting area.  So really they aren't even taken up much of the silly thing anyway. 

  I was thinking of getting the Cube but since the three seem to like to "roost" on the edge was thinking that getting a Greenfrog with bars would be a bit better.  I really want something that cleans real easy.  This winter I struggled cleaning the Eglu so can't even imagine a wood one.  Unfortunately I am set on a Plastic coop for the red mite and cleaning issue alone.  Just was wondering if most people here thought the roosting bars were better then the slatted floor. 

  Hoping also that someone else has used the Greenfrog and can give me their oppinion?

Thanks ....

[wolverine]

I have the egglu cube and I wish it had some roosting bars. I have even thought of modifying it a little and add some. Never heard of green frog I'll google it now

[Aunt Sally]

  Just was wondering if most people here thought the roosting bars were better then the slatted floor. 

I thought they were the same thing in an eglu

[joyfull]

the slatted floors are their roosting bars and the pooh falls through 

[Aunt Sally]

That's what I thought too.

[wolverine]

Yes they are supposed to be however I have read and I might be wrong but chickens prefer to roost a bit higher up can't remember the optimum height now. Am I talking nonsense?

[joyfull]

it is natural for them to roost high up out of any predators way which is why 14 of mine roost in trees, however the slatted bars with eglus etc are perfectly OK.

[hillfooter]

The chx will roost where ever they feel safe and secure they don't need to be elevated in a closed house.  A slatted floor is fine.
HF

[hillfooter]

Now I see the GreenFrog house I realise I have seen these in the flesh and thought they were a horrid design and personally I wouldn't contemplate keeping anything in them.  Dark and dreary looking and impossible to automate with a pophole opener.  A complete waste of landfill IMHO.

If plastic is your thing get an EGLU cube.
HF

[Jae Dawn]

Thank you all for your help!

  I do love the Eglu and realise that the chickens are suppose to think the slats are a roost but mine evidentally know the truth  cause they keep roosting on the edge of the nesting box.    

  Which was why I was questioning the Cube idea due to not elevated enough for mine since they think they know better

  Was wondering if anyone else had used the Greenfrog so guessing by the response knowone has,  and I completely agree that the look isn't as nice as Cube but it was the roosting bars that were the focal point.  Personally my requirement was the easy clean so to me if it was plastic it was a winner!   

[Totty]

I have a cube and was under the impression that the chickens natural instinct is to perch, therefore roosting by balancing on a branch, bar or anything similar. The slats in the cube have been designed with this in mind i would imagine and with it being up around 3 foot im sure they will feel comfortable roosting in there.

[wolverine]

one   of mine roosts in the round hole entrance to the nest box I just wish she would turn around as every day I get 3 eggs and a pile of poo

That's in a cube by the way

[Sassy]

I have no idea about these Eglus but the roost bars should, ideally, be higher than the nests box but not situated so the any poo falls into the nest box.

[hillfooter]

Chx do like to roost on the edges of nestboxes not just in eglus and cubes.  The enclosed space is warmer and securer than being in the open.  Closing the nestbox at night is the only way I've found of preventing them.  I have shutters on the nestboxes.  Do this at an early age trains them to use the roosts.  It's very dependant on habit.  I have identical houses and in 2 of the houses the birds always roost on the bars and on the other two they try and roost in the nestboxes if I let them.  It's down to the particular "house rules" I guess.  I've wondered about draping some cloth cut into ribbons across the entrance to see if this discourages them but not tried it.  Ground fabric would do the job.
HF

[Abacus]

The chx will roost where ever they feel safe and secure they don't need to be elevated in a closed house.  A slatted floor is fine.
HF

That's certainly true - two days after finishing their brand new extended roofed over hen run I came out one evening to lock them in the hen house and discovered all of them asleep on a piece of wooden plank lying on on its thin edge in the middle of the run...