The new Omlet Go, anyone got one, seen one in action ? Are they are good as they look ?

[SausageRocket]

Hi all

I'm new to this bit of MN. I am seriously considering getting a pair of hens in spring next year and I have been looking at the Omlet site, initially with a view to buying an Eglu.

I noticed that they have brought out a new house called the 'Go' which looks to be more minimalist in design and perhaps a little more spacious, due to the less fussy design (and suprisingly, a little cheaper).

I am completely new to chicken keeping personally but my best mate has 5 girls (in a Cube) and my mum has 6 (in a brick built former piggery). Mate recommended Eglu as she started with her girls in a wooden hen house but had a real problem with recurring redmite infestations despite constant maintenance with redmite powder etc. They were impossible to get rid of long term as they (mites) laid in the wood and it was impposible to kill the eggs, whereas the cube has nowhere for the little beggars to hide so it is much easier to disinfect and keep on top of any creepy crawlies that may decide to take up residence. Plus you don't get the issue of the wood soaking up the urine and rain and rotting.

What are the downsides of the Omlet designs over the traditional wooden chicken houses ?

Have you got a Go ? Would you recommend it ?

(I decided to wait until Spring next year to get the hens because I want them to be tame and used to being handled, obviously when the weather is drier and better we will be more inclined to be out there with them more.)

any chook chicks around ?

We have an eglu, and we are very happy with it. I think the Go is just a redesign and will be very similar to the eglu.

We have only kept chickens since last August, and so I do not have any experience with wooden houses. Some people prefer the look of a more traditional chicken house, but the plastic accomodation seems very practical to me. Possibly the plastic houses can get too hot in the summer, but we keep our eglu out of direct sunshine in a shaded part of the garden.

The main downside to the eglu is that the run is not very big. Our chickens prefer free ranging in the garden, and hate being confined to the run. The chickens have also totally wrecked our garden. We never did have very good quality grass, but it is now worse than ever.

Thank you mad sometimes

the run is FAR too small for 4, and not v big for 2, altho as it's easy to move that might not matter too much. I wonder why the hens don't jump out the back when you open the end?
I've only had wooden houses, and never had a problem with mites.