tags: Ecology, Garden, General, Nice Things
Eglu Chicken Coop
May 17th, 2005, by Rich.
There are some things in life that are just plain cool. Totally bonkers, but cool.
This is one such thing, the Eglu, by Omlet. Some call it the iMac for chickens.
Some call it really rather expensive (at a shade under £400 for the whole thing, including 2 live animals, but without hard disk). Some, however, factor in the cost of 6 free range eggs and quickly realize that it’s not such a bad deal after all. With the added bonus that chickens aren’t chicken, and will stand up to the local cat population, they make a rather interesting guardian of the garden.
Granted the more practically minded among us could build a chicken coop, but could we build one that looked like an iMac? (At this point I’ve seriously started to consider looking on [goog]ebay for a second hand iMac[/goog] that I could strip the innards out of, but anything I could make wouldn’t have the handy litter tray.)
I want one. I’m not going to get one until I’ve had a good read about chickens to see if I’d actually be a suitable owner; but these seem way more sensible than a puppy because they don’t need walking and their waste makes good compost, oh, and they lay eggs.
April 26th, 2007 at 11:39 am
Dear all, I was actually really interested in an Eglu and some sort of egg laying device (Hen, chicken, rabbit or Tesco delivery man I am not bothered), but clearly I am not intelligent enough or have the requisite languages skills to own one. Pity, does it run PC applications or is that an iMac
May 29th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
Foregoing the arguments over grammatical anomalies, I am getting an Eglu (with 2 chickens/hens) for my birthday next week. I have been assured that they will get on well with my Border Collie and will ‘put her in her place’ with a swift peck to the nose!
Bearing in mind that E.U. regulations allow hens to be legally kept in a tiny space, I’m not feeling too guilty about letting them roam around my 44m2 garden…
June 13th, 2007 at 9:18 pm
anyway, ‘chicken’ describes to the species with particular reference to food, rather than the age of the bird; ‘chick’ is the word for a baby baby hen here in England, whoever that American-bashing pedant was…
June 24th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
check out http://www.omlet.co.uk
August 12th, 2007 at 10:20 pm
I would really like to get an Eglu, but am worried about the health implications in association to the risk of “Bird “Flu”. I have read the DEFRA website’s comments, and have even called Omlet with my concerns, to which I was offered the facts that no reports have been made of any related infections, and I should simply use my own discretion upon reaching a conclusion. I have noticed a great many wild birds in my garden, and am concerned about potential cross-infection via feces, etc. Would anyone with any experience please advise me on their own concerns, and their methods of guarding against them? (12/08/07)
September 2nd, 2007 at 8:09 am
As a veterinary surgeon I have recently seen a chicken that had been injured by wrongly angled split pins used in assembly of an Eglu - not serious but a point worth considering.
October 31st, 2007 at 9:07 pm
I say everybody should own chickens!! There are so many
cool types to choose from! If you don’t have a rooster, then
they are quiet. They are so cheap and give you eggs everyday!
Thank you chickies!!! Some one ask about vet bills? no! They
just need a box to roost and lay eggs. I keep their feed in a
big trash can. You can’t grow anything in your coop, sorry. They
will eat it. Even the seeds, or the sprouted seeds, or the trees,
or grass. I read somewhere that thyme can grow, I’m going to try
it.If your dogs don’t kill chickens, let them roam your yard, and
they’ll go home to their coop at night
Get some Chickens guys!!!
January 27th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
i like it
February 1st, 2008 at 10:45 pm
Can I have chickens if I have dogs?
February 2nd, 2008 at 10:39 am
Hi Alison. One thing I will note though is that whilst travelling around Cambodia, in every one of the tribal villages we visited, dogs, pigs, ducks, and chickens were often living in the same communal spaces and got along fine - so I suppose it depends on your dogs really.