What do I need with an Omlet Cube please?

[FingonTheValiant]

Hello all,

I’ve got my finger hovering over the order button for an Eglu Cube. It’ll be our first chicken house. But I’m slightly unsure what I need to go with it, and it’s all so enticing setup is for 4 bantams for sure, and friend trying to persuade me I should add two bigger ladies to them.

I think I’m going to get one without wheels, as we have quite uneven ground, but also I’m not sure how much I’d actually move it. We live in France where we haven’t had the flockdown, so for now I’m planing to get the 21m fence set to make a 27m2 roaming area for them and put the Cube with a 3m run inside that, so they have somewhere safe when we’re at work. If they announce a lockdown I’ll order a big roofed run (almost certainly not an Eglu one, attractive as it is, as it’s pricey) and cover it. My understanding is that during flockdown you weren’t meant to move runs anyway, and I’m not sure I see us doing it that often.

So Cube with 3m run, no wheels and fencing is my basic. But I’m umming and ahhing about an automatic door. It’s pricey, don’t think DH will like the idea, but I also know I’m not a morning person

Also, is it worth ordering any extra covers from them? It come with a 1m green one, I though about ordering a 2m clear one. But now I’m thinking back on it, I’m not sure what my thinking was... (muppet)

Thanks so much for any pointers!!

Are they actually any good? I know someone that kept their Guinea pig in an omlet hutch/run combo and it overheated and killed them :(

I've got the cube, get the wheels it makes is so much easier they are quite and awkward to move without them - you'd be surprised how heavy they are...
I bought the automatic door, after I bought the cube, and I couldn't do without - now - wouldn't do without it ! My hens were let out at 5;45am this morning while I was still in bed, I'm not an early riser and at the weekends you won't want to have to run out in your pajamas because they are making a noise to be let out, personally its a must !
The probably wouldn't bother with a clear cover, although that would be useful if their is another "flockdown".
I personally love my cube and because they are plastic they last forever and are so easy to clean !
Hope that helps x

What @Escapetothecatshome said.
They are fab, so easy to clean, the automatic door is extra but well worth it. I have mine in an enclosed area of 250m2.
No more poux rouge as they can't hide in the joints you get with wooden coops.
My Guinea pigs have an Omlet hutch too and are very happy. Don't know how it's possible for them to over heat as they have a double skin (the hutch not the piggies)
I'm in France too and an ambassadeur for Omlet if you want a 5% discount!

Aargh, I’m not sure what happened but MN didn’t tell me there were replies...

Thank you so much!

@Escapetothecatshome okay you’ve sold me on the automatic door it wasn’t hard and now I’m rethinking the wheels... I guess moving the cube and attached run would be helpful if they’re spending the work day in there. Our neighbours let their ladies out into a fenced bit during the day, but I’ll need to be more confident about predators first. Our cat is tiny and a wimp and definitely won’t defend them thank you!

@samthebordercollie ours will be able to roam the whole garden if we’re outside with them, but it’s basically unfenced, so I want a fencey bit for when we can’t be on chicken-watch. Although once the potager is properly established I might have to fence that off too.
My boys are saving all their birthday and Christmas money this year for guinea pigs and an Omlet hutch. Could three live in one? They’d like a pig each Do yours live outside all year?
It seems cheeky, but I’d love a discount please thank you!

Thank you both

Oh, and I think can make perches etc with logs and bamboo and stuff, but is the swing worth getting. It looks fun

The Eglu Cube is great, and the auto door is fantastic, but the runs are completely inadequate, size-wise. Large fowl should have 2 sq m each, bantams a bit less, but putting 4-6 chooks in an Eglu 3m run is just asking for trouble. They will fight and peck, and peck feathers out if they haven't enough space to get away from each other. Rethink your run plan.

@FingonTheValiant can you send me your email address by Pm? I'll add you as a prospect. It's 6% discount in fact, not 5.

Re the piggies, I have 3 in mine and they are outside all year, but I'm in Brittany it doesn't get very cold. You can shut them in the hutch part and I bought the cover for the outside hutch to protect from the sun and rain. There is à mangeoir which is fab as Guinea pigs hate eating things which have been on the floor of the cage.

My chickens love the wooden perch bars that go across the run. They spend a lot of time on them (I got two). I also got some run extensions to make the run bigger. I’ve had my cube for years and years and I bought it second hand from eBay. It’s an old mark 1 one. The automatic door is great.