an eglu!

Former Member

i have decided i am getting one at some point in the future..how coooool

http://www.omlet.co.uk/products_services/products_services.php?view=Chickens&about=the%20eglu

Former Member

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah it is actually my dream to have chickens in an Eglu but they are pricey I love it

Former Member

I knowww

one day though..

Former Member

Yep I'm holding out hope!

Seriously though when we get our own house I want chickens. The Eglu is more expensive than a traditional wooden house, but they can be quite expensive too! And its so funky its worth it. There's often second hand ones knocking around on ebay for as little as half the price if you keep an eye out

Former Member

they look cool, but someone on another MB keeps chickens and doenst think theyre very good but i cant remember why

Former Member

I may have a look. I can't get one yet because we have 5 cats and although the website says the chickens can usually hold their own I wouldn't want to subject them to the evil that is George.

When I have my own place and a back garden then definitely

Former Member

They look so good!

I want to adopt some ex battery hens: Battery Hen Welfare Trust. I also want some Buff Orpintons and some Indian Runner Ducks

This is on my little farm that I'm going to have. Along with my house-on-the-beach :yes: *drifts off into daydreams*

Former Member

I want to keep chickens when I have my own place one day! Give some ex battery hens a better life and fresh eggs for breakfast!!

Former Member

Knee High Stripy Socks wrote: »

They look so good!

I want to adopt some ex battery hens: Battery Hen Welfare Trust. I also want some Buff Orpintons and some Indian Runner Ducks

This is on my little farm that I'm going to have. Along with my house-on-the-beach :yes: *drifts off into daydreams*

I was talking to a guy that came through the drive-thru the other day with a whole load of wood chippings and stuff in his car and he said it was for his chickens. I said I was gonna adopt some battery hens and he said that that's not really a good thing to do because they're so accustomed to the life they were living and they basically end up dying of shock. I was sad .

Former Member

Franki wrote: »

I was talking to a guy that came through the drive-thru the other day with a whole load of wood chippings and stuff in his car and he said it was for his chickens. I said I was gonna adopt some battery hens and he said that that's not really a good thing to do because they're so accustomed to the life they were living and they basically end up dying of shock. I was sad .

Really? I know of a couple of people who've rehoused ex battery hens, and also Hugh Fearnly Whittingstall did it with his Bristol Freehold

Former Member

kangoo wrote: »

Really? I know of a couple of people who've rehoused ex battery hens, and also Hugh Fearnly Whittingstall did it with his Bristol Freehold

He did seem pretty insistent, and it does make sense kind of. I guess you have to be really really careful with them.

Former Member

Franki wrote: »

He did seem pretty insistent, and it does make sense kind of. I guess you have to be really really careful with them.

Yeah probably have to ease them in gently :yes: Poor things

Former Member

My sister in law has that exact one Think she gets on ok with it, her hens are certainly happy

Former Member

I want a giant egglo to keep ostriches. Those giant eggs would bring me through short times.

Former Member

Franki wrote: »

I was talking to a guy that came through the drive-thru the other day with a whole load of wood chippings and stuff in his car and he said it was for his chickens. I said I was gonna adopt some battery hens and he said that that's not really a good thing to do because they're so accustomed to the life they were living and they basically end up dying of shock. I was sad .

There's always that risk but on that website they explain reallly well how to help them adapt and what you should do. I think it's possible to do so, especially given the success stories on the website. Also if they did die I'd imagine it's kinder than being a battery hen, however having never been a battery hen or indeed dead I can't say for sure

Former Member

Am I the only one who thinks of the word 'igloo' when they see this thread?

Former Member

Gee, I guess they never thought of THAT play on words when they were naming the thing!

Former Member

Knee High Stripy Socks wrote: »

Gee, I guess they never thought of THAT play on words when they were naming the thing!

"Gentlemen, this is our finished product, THE EGLO!"
"Erm.. sorry to interrupt, did you realize it sounds similar to Igloo?"
"Wow... never noticed. Let's make this our marketing gag, we actually named it after "Egg and Loo" because chickens can lay eggs and piss in there. Great work, give this man a raise!"

Former Member

My friend has an Eglu for his 2 chickens. Seems to get along with it pretty well, and the Eglu does it's job. You have to move it around your garden every so often so that the grass can recover.

Former Member

I mentioned it to my mum last night and now she seems really taken with the idea...So I think we are getting two chickens and an Eglu now after I do some more research. Our garden would be perfect for them as it's pretty large but still a bit concerned about the cats attacking them.

Former Member

do they come in human size?

Former Member

clementine_the_tangerine wrote: »

I mentioned it to my mum last night and now she seems really taken with the idea...So I think we are getting two chickens and an Eglu now after I do some more research. Our garden would be perfect for them as it's pretty large but still a bit concerned about the cats attacking them.

Cats can't get inside the eglu.

If you let your chickens out of the eglu, then cats could obviously get to them, but by all accounts chickens can hold their own for a little while.

Former Member

Mist wrote: »

Cats can't get inside the eglu.

If you let your chickens out of the eglu, then cats could obviously get to them, but by all accounts chickens can hold their own for a little while.

I know but with the large garden it would be a shame to keep them inside the pen all the time. Obviously I would supervise them at first but I don't want them to get freaked by the cats.

edit: we've decided on two chickens

Former Member

Cats aren't a serious problem.
Get chickens now while you can.
It is becoming so popular that prices are rising rapidly.
Two chickens will give you a dozen eggs a week and you won't want to go back to shop ones in a hurry.
They supply you with top quality fertilizer for your flowers or veg.
Your garden will become as good as slug free without the use of any chemicals ...no slugs ...better plants.
Dead cheap to feed.
Any leftovers in the house...chickens will eat them.

New laws coming in about battery hens soon.
Meaning ...eggs are going to become very expensive.

Former Member

Knee High Stripy Socks wrote: »

There's always that risk but on that website they explain reallly well how to help them adapt and what you should do. I think it's possible to do so, especially given the success stories on the website. Also if they did die I'd imagine it's kinder than being a battery hen, however having never been a battery hen or indeed dead I can't say for sure

Well to be fair, if they're not adopted they're killed anyway, so it doesn't make any difference either way.

Former Member

They look good but quite small?

I used to keep chickens when I lived with my parents and we made a huge run for them during the day and then shut them in at night.

Unfortunately the fox got them in the end, but I plan to keep chickens again in the future once I've had my time in London and move back to the country.

Former Member

Yeah the run does look quite small but I plan on letting them have free rein of the garden which is pretty large (supervised!).

Really excited

They are going to ring in the next few days to sort out a delivery. Can't wait. Bit chicken mad at the moment.

Former Member

for how long do chicks lay eggs?

They surely have some kind of menopause.

Former Member

The two chickens I'm getting are at the right laying age..I think they have just started laying then it decreases as they get older.

Former Member

Yeah and they start laying funny looking ones when they get old too

Former Member

Eglus are ridiculously overpriced; you're better off building your own chicken coop bigger and significantly cheaper.