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Chicken keepers

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Original poster

why are there so many eglus on ebay?

16 replies

namesaver · 26/01/2011 13:50

Most of them say they are just a few months old and are stained and have rust. Am I better avoiding eglus and going for wooden chicken run? I know the eglus will be easier to clean. Not sure

OP posts:
Acanthus · 26/01/2011 13:54

Because chicken keeping is a fad and people get fed up with it

ChickensHaveNoEyebrows · 26/01/2011 13:54

I think a lot are on there because most keepers end up wanting more chickens and upgrade to a bigger coop. The eglu is great if you just want a couple of hens in your back garden, but I don't find it the best design for siting permanently (no kick board around the run, door way too small to get in to if needed etc etc.).

ChickensHaveNoEyebrows · 26/01/2011 13:55

Also, Acanthus has a point. There are people who get sucked in by the pretty pictures and then realise that the reality is harder work than they were led to believe.

bronze · 26/01/2011 13:58

Most I have come across are because people want to upgrade to a cube. Of course a few are because people realise chickens aren't for them or just need to sell because they are skint.

Would be surprised if one that was a couple of months old had much staining or rust. My eglu itself is 4 years old and is very slightly faded, no staining to speak of and only slight rust where I haven't put it together very well and scraped the coating off the wire.

Punkatheart · 26/01/2011 15:48

I have had mine for three years - no rust, just marks on the top where the girls have jumped up.

Yes, people upgrade to a cube. Of course there will be the hobbyists who don't do their research properly - it is also too expensive an item to leave in a shed. So they sell.

My eglu has been brilliant - very easy, warm in winter and secure. Wooden coops can be prone to red mite and they do stain badly.

I know that Omlet did have a special offer on eglus but they may well have been snapped up.

TBH, if the seller has said that it is only that old but there is rust - I would be a little suspicious. It is probably much older, even second-hand.

LaurieFairyonthetreeEatsCake · 26/01/2011 15:52

I've had mine 6 and a half years and it's still in great condition - how could it rust? not one bit of mine is metal apart from the 'door' handle.

I'd sell it as it's not being used now after my chooks died but I may get more chooks next time and then would upgrade to a cube.

Original poster
namesaver · 27/01/2011 12:40

I'm glad you all that because to me the plastic design is bound to be easier to keep clean. There is a cube for sale that's on for £495! Seems like they keep their value too.

OP posts:
Hellebore1 · 28/01/2011 13:25

Personally I think a lot of people get chickens not realising how much is involved and then sell up. Hellebore1

saltyseadog · 29/01/2011 21:19

I have a Cube (and some wooden houses) and it's great. I think as people have said it's either a) people get hooked and want to upgrade to more chickens or b) they tire of it as a hobby.

I love my chooks but like keeping any animals it is a 365 days of the year responsibility.

AliceWorld · 29/01/2011 21:23

I'd also say the upgrade thing. And also because they keep their value so there's a good market for them. I bought mine in Ebay, and I considered that if I did make an awful mistake I could resell.

AliceWorld · 29/01/2011 21:25

And yes where would the rust Confused Maybe on the metal bar that keeps it all together at the bottom.

Doodlez · 29/01/2011 21:25

I think there's another reason why people are selling - been on my mind for a while this!.....

Chickens CAN be kept in an urban garden and for the most part, they're no trouble BUT....they can be very noisy in the early mornings, especially through spring and summer. I think people are getting rid because the neighbours are getting (quite rightly) cross!

I'm an expert on keeping hens quite at 5.00am now!

AliceWorld · 29/01/2011 21:29

Yes I am thankful I have a long garden with no one at the back. I was late the other morning as the earlier light caught me out and when I went out they were shouting Blush

bronze · 31/01/2011 18:19

I think the rust would be on the run. I have a few nicks in the coating where it has rusted slightly. It has taken a fair battering though

brambleschooks · 31/01/2011 18:31

No rust on either of nine, although a little on the eglu where the screws attach the washers for the run. No rust on run as it's covered in green plastic coating.

orangemarzipan · 01/02/2011 16:52

We got an eglu because we thought it would be easier to transport to relatives when we went on holidays. However we had problems with the amount of light it let in. Our chooks normally get up about 9 when they sleep in their wooden house which is pretty dark. With the eglu, they were awake and calling about 6. We gave up and put it back on ebay and went back to the wooden house.

Eglus aren't good unless you're an early riser in my opinion.

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