The Poultry Keeper

Lisa · Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2006 7:18 am Post subject:

Hi Lesley - glad to see you made it here Very Happy

OK - now you've got to explain: how on earth can the mark 2 be EASIER to clean than the mark 1? That looked so easy and quick already!

Unless the chickens come ready trained to do it for you Laughing

Hmmm..... pink.... Rolling Eyes

Tomsk · Joined: 06 Jan 2006 Posts: 5 Location: Kent

Hi, I thought I'd just add a quick reply to this although I suspect Lesley will explain it much better when she comes along.

I've got 2 eglus, a Mk 1 and a Mk 2 (all the comments about chickens made earlier are so right Very Happy

, 1 eglu simply wasn't enough Rolling Eyes

)
The Mk 2 differs from the Mk 1 in that the roosting bars come in 2 sections, whereas in the Mk 1 there's 1 section of joined together bars then about 5 individual bars to be slotted into place, so removing and cleaning them is easier. Also the base of the Mk ! (underneath the droppings tray) is mesh, which means that poo and hay (or whatever you use in the nesting box) can get trapped there, and it can be a minor pain trying to clean ot the drainage hole in the midle of the nesting box. The Mk 2 has a solid plastic base underneath most of it, but nothing under the nesting box, so a quick blast with the hose pipe and it's done, easy-peasy.

Anything I've missed out there Lesley?

To be fair both eglus are very easy to clean, mine are done every weekend by my slightly built 12 year old daughter, she'd prefer to do 2 eglu's than 1 traditional rabbit hutch, so I clean out her pet whilst she cleans mine Rolling Eyes

She dismantles and cleans them entirely unaided, just needs a little help aligning the top back on as she finds it a bit bulky for her to lift.

My eglus are fabulous, but that's speaking from the perspective of someone who keeps a few chickens in the back garden as hugely entertaining pets and also as part of a drive towards getting back to basics with our food, knowing where it comes from, eating healthily etc Very Happy

. I also think it's great for the children, so they can get actively involved.

Oh, and they're colourful. I've got an orange one, so cheerful in the garden- it brightens my day every time I look at it. But pink would be nice too Wink

Kate

Lisa · Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2006 10:45 am Post subject:

Ah... thanks for the explanation Kate. Only minor changes then Smile

ladylemoncurd · Joined: 06 Feb 2006 Posts: 22

This is what I am planning on getting, I cant wait Im soooo excited!!

fenwoman · Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 11:51 pm Post subject:

At only £245 the Westaway harfahouse is a good option too. It was desinged to be a traditional alternative to the eglu, offering more room. The chickens are not so cramped in the house at night.
It is also easy to clean.
Easier for some people as you don't have to be scrabbling about on your hands and knees.
It measures a spacious 4 feet by 2'6" and 49" high.

or if you have a little more room, the westaway showman 5 at only £265
Dimensions are: 5 feet by 4 feet by 38" high.The house area is 2 feet by 4 feet.
It has an internal nestbox and perch., ramp and closeable pop hole.

The chap also breeds and shows poultry so can supply the full set up like eglu can with pure bred traditional chickens and a traditional house too.
You can contact them here:
http://www.westawaypoultry.co.uk/index.htm
They don't have pictures of their housing on their present site yet so I have it on my website. If you click to email it goes direct to them.
They are nice people too. I don't know any large breeders who have odd pet cockerels wandering about simply because they like them.
HTH

ladylemoncurd · Joined: 06 Feb 2006 Posts: 22

Oooh lovely!!

LesleyC · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 2

richard · Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 258 Location: somerset

converted wendy house bought from Focus DIY for £99

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

Excellent house there, Richard

richard · Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 258 Location: somerset

what I liked about it was that it's made from good quality tongue & groove, not like some of the really cheap sheds you can get but it was hard work fitting the nest boxes & the fold-down door has warped now so I've got to replace that. I'll have to fit a sliding door if I'm going to get an auto opener.

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

Yes, they're much better than the sheds you usually get. If you're replacing the door it may be as well to consider a metal door ~ so there is no warping. That was the only porblem I had with my sliding door, although it was marine plywood, it still caught a couple of times. They also sell the metal doors with the auto openers if you want them, I think they fit to open inside the house ~ even better ~ foxy can't get his fingernails under the door to lift it!

richard · Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 258 Location: somerset

I'll have to have a look at the metal doors too but I must admit that when I looked at the price of the opener I was a bit shocked. It will have to wait a couple of months.
I'm not too worried about foxes as the ground is so rocky the fox would have to have a jcb to get in the run. It took me about 2 days with a pick axe to level the ground.

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

Yes, I almost fell on the floor laughing when it was first suggested to me to get the auto opener. But then as things progressed I saw it as a solution to a problem and for me well worth the money spent on it. But everyone is different as to their needs.
Good luck