The Omlet Blog Archives: April 2019

Deep-cleaning an Eglu Go or Eglu Go Up with a Steam Cleaner

Using a steam cleaner to clean any Eglu can be a very effective way. It will not affect the plastic, whereas all surfaces are cleaned, disinfected, and all killed mites, insects and dust are blown away by the power of the steam. As a bonus the surfaces will be dry in no time, because the plastic is warmed up.

Deep-cleaning an Eglu Go once or twice a year is extra easy if one follows these steps:

1. Take of the top panel (lid)

2. Unscrew both side panels and bumpers, and take these off as well. For a complete cleaning you may want to disconnect the run as well.

3. You now have access to all inner and outer surfaces. Clean them thoroughly with the steam cleaner, if required using an old dish brush as well.

4. Clean the bumpers, panels and top lid in the same way.

5. Re-assemble the run and the coop.

This cleaning method has been used for several years now by our Dutch team-member and is guaranteed to keep your Eglu in a top condition, without damaging any parts!

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This entry was posted in Chickens on April 30th, 2019 by linnearask


FREE Feldy’s Chicken Pecker Balls with First 40 orders of the NEW Caddi

To celebrate the launch of our NEW Caddi Chicken Treat Holder, we are including a pack of the exclusive Feldy’s Chicken Pecker Balls with the first 40 orders of the Caddi. Simply quote discount code CADDI at checkout to claim your treat ball pack.

The NEW Caddi Chicken Treat Holder is the ideal way of feeding your chickens fresh fruit and vegetables. The Caddi Treat Holder keeps food off the ground, which is healthier for your hens, improves run cleanliness, reduces food wastage and keeps pests away. As an added benefit your chickens will enjoy the fun and interactive experience of foraging their treats from the swinging feeder.

The Caddi measures a generous 20cm top to bottom and 8cm across. It is made from heavy duty welded steel with a waterproof rain cap, and thanks to the adjustable nylon string you can hang it in all types of chicken runs, including the Eglu runs and Omlet’s Walk in Chicken Run.

A range of quality, high energy chicken feed balls has been developed specifically for use with the Caddi Treat Holder. Feldy Chicken Pecker Balls are ideal for placing in the treat holder for your hens to peck away at, and they offer a high quality and practical treat solution for your hens. This high energy feed supplement helps to improve your flock’s condition, feathering and health and features added calcium for the production of top quality eggshells!

Use the code CADDI at checkout to see if you made it in time to get a free pack of Feldy Chicken Pecker Balls with your Caddi order!


Terms and Conditions
Free pack of 6 Feldy’s Chicken Pecker Balls is only valid with orders of the Caddi Chicken Treat Holder and Caddi Chicken Treat Holder Twin Pack. Use code CADDI at checkout. The first 40 worldwide orders of the Caddi Chicken Treat Holder will receive the FREE pack of Feldy’s Chicken Pecker Balls pack. If the promotion code does not apply to your basket, the first 40 orders have been placed and the code has now expired. The free bundle are subject to change. Subject to availability. Omlet ltd. reserves the right to withdraw the offer at any point.

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This entry was posted in Chickens on April 29th, 2019 by linnearask


Fun and Mentally Stimulating Ways to Feed Your Dog

Dog asleep on Omlet Sheepskin Blanket next to Omlet Dog Food Bowl

For most pet dogs meal time isn’t very challenging time of the day. Typically owners only put the food bowl down and leave them to it. If this suits you and your dog that’s absolutely fine, but they would without a doubt not have been served food in this way in the wild. Instead they would have had to scavenge and hunt for their meals, keeping both mind and body active. If you feel like you would like to challenge your dog and enrich their daily routine, then making some changes to their meal times can be a good start.

Adding more mental stimulation to your dog’s life can have several benefits. It keeps them busy and tires them out in a similar way to a long walk. Many dog owners forget about challenging their dogs mentally, and when they encounter problems with boredom and linked behavioural issues like chewing, pacing, jumping and barking, they just presume they need to increase the physical exercise. This helps, but it doesn’t satisfy your dog’s hunger for mental stimulation.

Mentally stimulated dogs are not as hyperactive, and they tend to adapt more easily to stress. This is useful if you’ve got a very worried pup who shows aggression towards other dogs walking past the house, struggles with separation anxiety or gets stressed during thunderstorms or fireworks.

Brain games are therefore a brilliant way of tiring your dog out for the evening, or before you leave for work in the morning. By combining this with their normal feeding time, it won’t take much longer than normal, and your dog will love the extra challenge. Additionally you don’t have to worry about giving your dog too many treats as they are rewarded with food they would have eaten anyway.

So what are some fun ways of mentally stimulating your dog during meal times?

The aim is that it should take your dog 10-15 minutes to finish their food. Make sure you supervise your dog the first few times you’re trying a new way of feeding.

Our first tip is nose work. Using their nose comes naturally to dogs, and searching for their food will definitely add stimulation to their daily routine. Scatter the food in the garden so that your dog will have to sniff around to find it. You can also do this indoors, but it might be good to choose a room that’s easy to clean and where the pieces of food won’t get stuck under furniture. If you want to make it even more challenging you can hide little heaps of food under a bush, on a window sill or behind some flower pots. If your dog doesn’t get the game, start with something that smells a bit more than their normal dry food.

Our second suggestion is puzzles and food dispensing toys. The Classic Kong is the most well known food dispensing toy, but you can also find treat balls and complicated puzzles that provide your dog with a harder challenge before they are rewarded with food. The idea with most of these is that your dog will have to move the toy around the floor or press certain parts of the toy to make the food fall out. Dogs absolutely love this, and as they get rewarded again and again it can keep them entertained for hours.

If you don’t want to buy toys you can make some yourself. Try putting the food in a cereal box and taping it shut, in a toilet roll with folded sides, or in a plastic bottle with some holes cut out where the food can fall out. This can get a bit messy, and definitely noisy, but it’s worth it when you see your dog running around trying to get into the box, tail wagging with excitement.

You can also use mealtime as an opportunity to practice tricks and teach your dog new ones. Don’t ask your dog to do the same tricks every meal time, as it will just become a part of the routine, and not challenging or mentally stimulating. By using this time for training you are able to give your dog more than just the one treat at a time, as it’s the food he or she is supposed to eat anyway. This will form a stronger positive association, and your dog might learn faster.

Another thing you can do to change the daily routine is to change the texture of the food. If your dog normally gets wet food, try freezing it into little discs or cubes that they will love crunching on. If your dog gets dry food you can mush it up with a bit of yoghurt or water. It’s all about novelty and enriching your dog’s daily routine!

Labrador eating fruity frozen yogurt treat for dogs at picnics

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This entry was posted in Dogs on April 25th, 2019 by linnearask


Should I Shut the Door to My Eglu at Night?

Omlet Eglu Cube Chicken Coop shut with Omlet Autodoor - Automatic Chicken Coop Door

Here at Omlet we often receive calls from aspiring chicken keepers who are seeking chicken keeping advice before getting their first birds. Some of the most popular questions we get asked are, what should I feed my chicken with or how can I protect my chickens from predators? One question that keeps coming up is, do I need to shut the Eglu door at night?

Often people ask us this question because the idea of adding another task to their daily routine might be one of the reasons which puts them off chicken keeping. Much like you wouldn’t like to sleep with your front door open, unfortunately for chicken keepers, nor do your chickens, therefore most nights we would recommend you close the chicken coop door.

But having to close the door doesn’t necessarily mean that it would need to be done by the chicken keeper themselves! Have you ever thought about automatic door system? Well luckily for chicken keepers, Omlet has recently launched a new Autodoor which will solve all of these problems.

Even though our Eglus are specially designed to keep your chickens warm in winter with a unique twin-wall insulation system which works in a similar way to double glazing, leaving the door open overnight would let the cold enter inside which might result in having frozen eggs after a freezing winter night and could make your chickens feel unwell. Therefore, we strongly recommend you use the handle on top of the Eglu and simply lift and twist it to close the door in one convenient motion each evening after having make sure all your flock are inside.

As important as it is to close the door to protect your hens from the cold, it is also important to do it to protect them from potential overnight predator attacks. Most predators would wait for the night to attack your chickens therefore by simply closing the door it would protect your flock from being attacked by predators such as racoons, foxes and coyotes.

Having said how important it is to close your chicken coop overnight we understand that not everyone has the luxury of being at home every night to close the coop door especially for people working late shifts that are often home well after the sun sets. That is why we recently launched an automatic chicken coop door that can be attached directly to any wooden chicken coop, wire or the Omlet Eglu Cube Mk1 and Mk2.

Much like a personal chicken coop concierge, the Autodoor will always make sure your chicken’s coop is securely closed at night even when you’re running late. Whether you decide to use the light or time mode, the Omlet secure and safe Autodoor will either open and close at dawn and dusk or at specific times that you have programmed it to. In addition to being designed to be used in different modes the Autodoor has a unique safety sensor detecting any blockages to prevent your chickens from being injured when they decide to stop half way through the door.

Benefits of the Omlet Automatic Chicken Coop Door:

  • Easy to install, no maintenance required
  • Operated by light sensor or timer
  • Powered by battery
  • Works with all wooden chicken coops
  • Improves coop security and insulation
  • Compatible with the Eglu Cube
  • Reliable in all weather conditions
  • Built-in safety sensors
  • Can be used with any chicken run or mesh

To summarise, closing the coop door is definitely the recommended action for every chicken keeper in order to protect their chickens from the cold and predators however this task can easily be completed by an Autodoor.
Check out the review below to see what one of our Autodoor owners thinks of this new product:

Thank you Omlet for a wonderful product and great service. The door arrived quickly, very well packaged and my concerns over fitting it were unfounded as I was able to complete the task completely unaided. The door is easy to operate and means my girls are safely tucked up at dusk and I do not have to get up ridiculously early to open the coop and stop them hollering!” – Wendy

Read more reviews

Chickens outside in their Omlet Eglu Cube Chicken Coop and Run

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This entry was posted in Chickens on April 24th, 2019 by linnearask


8 Quotes Every Chicken Keeper Can Relate To

1. ”I’m thinking of selling the TV, I just watch the chickens anyway.”

 

2. “I’m feeling a bit low today, so I’m just going to hang out with the chickens for a bit.”

3. “Yes, we had a lovely holiday. But I spent most of it worrying about my chickens.”

 

4. “Sorry I’m late, I just had to check on my chickens before I left.”

 

5. “I tried to have a lie in this morning, but my chickens were hungry.”

 

6. “A day when I don’t get to hug a chicken is not a day worth living.”

 

7. Colleagues: So, have you got any exciting plans for the weekend?
Me: Chickens.

 

8. Me then: 3 sounds like a good number of chickens.
Me now: ????????????

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This entry was posted in Chickens on April 23rd, 2019 by linnearask


WIN 1 of 5 £200 Omlet Gift Vouchers this Easter

To celebrate the long Easter weekend we are giving you the chance to WIN a £200 Omlet gift voucher to spend on your pet. All you have to do is tell us how many rabbits are hidden in the image below… Head to the competition page here to submit your entry!

There will be 5 winners chosen from the Omlet community so don’t miss your chance to enter to win this amazing prize and a chance to treat your pet.

 

Terms and Conditions

This competition closes at midnight on the 22nd of April 2019. To enter you must complete this competition entry page. There are 5 x £200 Omlet gift vouchers to giveaway. The winners will be randomly selected from all those entrants who have provided the correct answer and notified within 7 days of the competition closing. The 5 winners will be notified via the email address you provide when entering the competition. If we do not get a response to the email within 7 days, the prize will be offered to a runner-up.

Prizes cannot be transferred to cash. This competition is not open to Omlet employees or members of their immediate families. Likewise, it is not open to the Employees of Omlet Partners who may be involved in promoting this competition. Omlet may cancel or amend any competition, competition information, or these terms and conditions without prior notice. Any changes will be posted either within the competition information or these terms and conditions. No responsibility can be accepted for entries that are lost or delayed, or which are not received for any reason. No prize will be awarded where any entrant has committed any form of misconduct (as determined by Omlet in its sole discretion). Only one entry per household. Any personal information relating to entrants will be used solely by us in accordance with applicable data protection legislation. All prize-winners agree to participate in any reasonable post-competition publicity as requested by Omlet.

By signing up to the Omlet Newsletter, you will be the first to hear about offers, competitions, new products, recipes, pet advice and much much more! You can unsubscribe from the Omlet Newsletter at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails

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This entry was posted in Competitions on April 18th, 2019 by chloewelch


7 Expert Tips When Introducing Your New Dog to a Flock of Chickens

You’ve seen it on some TV programmes or driven past small-holdings and seen canines and chooks living in harmony.  Maybe they’re a working dog? Maybe they’re a family dog? How do they do it?  We’ve put together 7 expert tips to help you introduce your new dog to a flock of chickens.

Black dog looking at a nesting hen in their Eglu Cube Chicken Coop

Understand how dogs and animals learn

Our canine companions, on the whole, are super intelligent and trainable, providing we know how they learn and what we need to do to train them.  Introducing them to our chooks can be done and co-habiting harmony does exist. It’s through this small thing we call desensitization. Stay with us for a short Psych 101 and we promise it’ll be worth it.

Desensitization is a process where, through graded exposure, an emotional response is diminished and adapted to a specific stimulus. Now, what the heck does that mean I hear you yell?

In short, you expose your dog to your chooks, from a distance.  As they behave how you expect them to, you gradually move them closer to the chooks.  You eventually get to the stage, that through the gradual exposure, they’re not that interested in the chooks after all.  Their emotional response has diminished, and they have adapted which results in a calm response.

Stay safe

Start with your chooks in their chicken coop or a fenced in area.  Keep your dog on leash and feed them treats, providing they are ignoring the chooks.  If your dog is paying too much attention to them, move to a greater distance.  The aim is to find a distance where they are not having any emotional response towards them.

Grade the exposure

Providing your dog is ignoring the chooks at a certain distance, you can move gradually closer to them.  Say you start at 50 feet away, slowly reduce to 45 feet, 40 feet and so on.  Continue to praise and reward them for ignoring the chickens. Remember, you want their emotional response to diminish. Keep training sessions short, you don’t want to over tire your dog.  Some dogs get hyper-aroused just by being over-tired.

The big moment!

You’ve finally made it to near the coop or chicken fence, providing they are still pretty chilled out in ignorance of the chooks, ask them to sit next to the fence or coop. Praise and reward. If they behave how you expect them to, lengthen the leash, so they can move around the border of the coop or fence, and they can sniff and explore.  If they’re calm, the chooks may even come over to investigate. Stay calm. If they start getting excited or lunge/bark at them, remove your dog to a safe distance where they will ignore them again. You may need to do this a few times. What they learn is that to be around the chooks, I must stay calm. If your chooks will stay in a coop or fenced area, this may be where you spend the time repeating the behaviour and praising and rewarding. You may sit with them with a chew or just work on some commands. Again, the aim is to encourage them to ignore the chooks.

If you plan on having free range chickens, and canine and chooks will be mingling daily, read on.

The great escape

When you feel confident that your dog has so far, happily ignored the chooks and not shown any aggression or heightened arousal towards them, you can let them out of their coop/area to roam freely.  Keep your dog on their leash. Ask them to sit or lay down if this makes you feel more comfortable. As the chooks are roaming, providing your dog shows little interest, praise and reward them. Again, you may want to give them a chew or even a slow feeding puzzle game for dogs.  Your dog just needs to learn than they can co-exist with the chickens without interacting with them a great deal. 

Patience is a virtue

You may have to spend a significant amount of time working through these steps, but done in the right way, it will be worth it. Whilst on leash you can walk them through the chooks, they may sniff, and the chooks may also show interest too. The only behaviour you don’t want to see is aggression, lunging or chasing. If this happens, go straight back to the beginning and work on the gradual exposure again. 

Riding solo?

The most nerve-wracking part will likely be when you feel they’re ready to be let off leash to mingle on their own. Again, take your time. You may pop the chickens back in the coop and let them explore off leash around a fence. You may prefer to put your dog on a long line (50ft) when in with the free-range chooks. This way, they feel like they have more freedom, but you still have control if it goes pear-shaped. Be realistic though, some dogs just never quite make it to being able to mingle unsupervised with chooks, so watch the behaviour of your dog and make the call. 

Conclusion

Chooks to dogs are super interesting, like most things. The long and the short of it, successful introductions mean the chooks are no longer that interesting and your dog learns that to be around them, they simply just need to be calm.  Arm yourself with some high value dog treats, chews and any other slow feeder puzzles; start from a distance and encourage the behaviour you want to see.  Praise and reward when you do. Grade the exposure. Always stay calm and in control and don’t be afraid of going back to square one if things don’t go as you’d hoped. It may take time, but it will be worth it when you have canine and chooks living in harmony.    

Dog and chicken interacting with help from the Omlet Eglu Cube Chicken Coop


This post was written by John Wood at All Things Dogs.

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This entry was posted in Chickens on April 15th, 2019 by linnearask


Get 10% Off &Amp; Free Delivery on All Zippi Tunnels and Runs

Upgrade your rabbit’s and guinea pig’s home with the range of Zippi Tunnels and Runs – now all with 10% off AND free delivery for a limited time only!

This offer is available on ALL Zippi Tunnels, Playpens, Runs and accessories, so you can create your pet’s perfect play area and save 10% with free and fast delivery – just in time for spring!

Use promo code ZIPPISAVE at checkout for free delivery!

Connect your rabbit’s or guinea pig’s hutch to a brand new run with the Zippi Tunnel System, perfect for providing your pet access to more space to play and exercise via the safe, predator proof tubes.

Available with a number of accessories to suit your needs, your very own Zippi Tunnel System can be easily designed with our online configurator, complete with lockable doors, hay racks, look out stations and more, or choose from one of our popular starter packs.

Designed to be easily connected to the Zippi Tunnels, the new range of Zippi Playpens and Runs provide a movable solution to giving your rabbit or guinea pig more space, making them happier and healthier.

The Zippi Playpen is an open style exercise and play space that provides easy access for children and pet owners alike and is great for interactive play. The Zippi Run offers a secure space for your rabbit to exercise unsupervised and comes with an enclosed roof and an option of underfloor mesh or a surrounding mesh skirt.

Don’t forget to complete your pet’s new play area with the range of Zippi weather protection so that playtime can carry on whatever the weather!

If you already have a Zippi Run you can now provide your pets with even more space, thanks to the Zippi Run Extensions.

 

 

Terms and Conditions
10% off and free delivery promotion is only valid from 12/04/19 – midnight on 26/04/19. 10% off requires no promo code. For free delivery use promo code ZIPPISAVE. This offer is available on all Zippi tunnels, accessories, playpens and runs only. Free delivery applies to order containing Zippi products to the minimum order value of £100. Offer applies to Standard Delivery Service only. Free delivery offer is not redeemable on pallet deliveries. Omlet cannot take responsibility for third party supplier delays such as courier service. Free delivery is only valid for orders shipped to the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Austria, Italy, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Denmark, Sweden and Spain.

Subject to availability. Omlet ltd. reserves the right to withdraw the offer at any point. Offer is only valid on items from our Zippi range and cannot be used on existing discounts or in conjunction with any other offer.

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This entry was posted in Offers and promotions on April 12th, 2019 by chloewelch


Make a Super Yummy Carrot Cake This Easter!

Omlet super yummy carrot cake recipe

INGREDIENTS

Carrot Cake:

  • 175g dark brown sugar
  • 175g caster sugar
  • 150g softened butter (unsalted)
  • 100g natural yoghurt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons mixed spice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 medium-sized eggs
  • 300g shredded carrots
  • 3cm fresh ginger
  • 180g self-raising flour (sifted)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

For the Icing:

  • 50g icing sugar
  • 200g cream cheese
  • 1 lime
  • 100g walnuts

METHOD

1) Heat oven to 170 degrees. Line bottom and sides of two 20 cm round springform pans with parchment paper, then lightly spray pan with cooking spray. Whisk butter (room temperature), yoghurt, caster and dark brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, mixed spice and salt. Add the eggs one at a time. Stir in the grated carrots and ginger. Use a spatula to fold in the sifted flour and baking soda.

2) Pour the mixture into the springform pans and bake for 55 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If any wet mixture clings to the skewer, return to the oven for 5 mins and check again. Leave to cool in the tins for two hours.

3) To make the icing, beat the cream cheese, icing sugar and lime juice and zest together. Remove the cakes from the tins and sandwich together with half the icing. Top with the remaining icing and walnuts.

 

Omlet super yummy carrot cake recipe, slice of cake

Freshly baked carrot cake will keep well for about 1 week in the fridge when properly stored.

Best eaten at room temperature.

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This entry was posted in Recipes on April 11th, 2019 by linnearask


How to convince your family to let you get chickens

Girl with mother playing with chickens outside the Omlet Eglu Cube chicken coop

Wondering how to convince your family (or roommates) to let you get chickens? You aren’t alone. There are many misconceptions about chickens and their care that cause many people to baulk at the idea of owning them. But, like most reservations, most of these concerns are unfounded. Here is our best advice on how to get others on board with the idea of getting chickens. Bust common myths and put care concerns to rest — and you’ll soon have your entire household clamouring to keep chickens.

6 myths about keeping chickens 

Debunking some common myths about keeping a flock will be your first step in convincing your family to let you get chickens. While this is not an exhaustive list, these are the main concerns raised when families consider keeping chickens. 

Myth #1: Chickens smell bad 

While it’s true that hens’ droppings smell, hens themselves have no odour.  If their coops are kept clean there will be virtually no stench from your chickens’ setup. Our easy-to-clean chicken coops ensure that your hens’ home stays fresh and clean from just minutes of cleaning each day. 

Your hens will keep themselves clean by preening their feathers and taking chicken dust baths. Choose odour-absorbing material like pine pellets, sand, or finely crushed rock for the base of your chickens’ run to eliminate any outdoor odours. Finally, use a pressure washer or soap and water on the interior surfaces of your chicken coop once a week, and you should experience little to no odour from your garden flock. 

Myth #2: Chickens take up a lot of space

Depending on the breeds of chickens you keep, most of them don’t require much space. Of course, your flock will be happiest with the most space possible, but there are options that will make the best use of the space available. Mobile chicken coops allow you to move your hens’ home to the most convenient spot, or relocate them whenever you need to. Your flock can help you mow your grass, control the bug population, or enjoy shady areas through the use of a mobile chicken coop. 

Don’t want your flock to have access to the entire garden? Chicken fencing or a walk in chicken run enables you to customize your flock’s area within the space available in your garden. 

Myth #3: Chickens are noisy 

Most of the time, when people think of noisy chickens they conjure up the image of a crowing cockerel. While cockerels are in fact quite loud, hens make quiet noises that are not likely to disrupt the neighbourhood. Occasionally, hens may make louder sounds, but these are usually reserved as warning cries. When they “sound the alarm”, it’s usually because of a perceived threat. 

Some breeds are more vocal than others, so if noise is a concern, it’s best to do some research beforehand. Faverolles, Polish, and Wyandottes are among some of the more boisterous breeds that you may want to avoid if noise is of concern. There are also some hens that will loudly proclaim that they have laid an egg. The ruckus is short-lived, but they will often get the entire flock going for a few minutes in a celebratory cheer. This behaviour is most common in young hens that are just beginning to lay. 

Myth #4: Chickens will fall prey to predators 

Chicken predators are a real threat, but the reality is that if you keep your flock in a predator-resistant setup, you can greatly mitigate the risk they pose. Heavy-duty wire weld chicken runs with anti-dig skirting will help protect your flock from the most common predators that would make a meal of your hens.    

If you have dogs or cats that patrol your garden, your risks of dealing with chicken predators are greatly reduced. And, for those that would strike your chickens’ coop after dark, an automatic chicken coop door can be added to your hens’ house to help keep them safe from nocturnal intruders.  

Myth #5: Chickens will prevent me frotravellingng 

Chickens are surprisingly self-sufficient, especially compared to other types of pets. Their main needs are: 

  • Safe housing 
  • A secure run 
  • Free-choice feed
  • Fresh water 
  • An established roost-to-rise routine 

Assuming these are met, you can safely leave your flock overnight. If you’re going to be gone longer than a day or two, it’s a good idea to get a chicken sitter. This is especially true if weather conditions are below freezing or uncomfortably hot to make sure your flock’s water remains palatable. 

Daily chicken care doesn’t take all that long, and usually, chicken sitters are happy to be compensated in eggs for their time. A neighbour or local friend or family member are great resources when looking for someone to check in on your flock while you’re away.  

Myth #6: Chickens need a cockerel in order to lay eggs 

This is one of the most common misconceptions that exist about chickens. But to put this notion to bed: hens do not need a cockerel in order to lay eggs. Most hens ovulate every 24-36 hours, which means they can produce one egg roughly every day and a half — with or without a cockerel. 

Winning your family over 

Next, it’s time to present all of the ways in which chickens benefit their owners. Many hens are social and bond with their owners — some even capable of learning tricks. But personalities aside, there are several other reasons to own chickens. 

Fresh eggs 

Probably the most obvious reason for keeping chickens is the prospect of providing fresh eggs for your family. The difference between store-bought eggs and fresh eggs is startling. Many families need only to see the difference between the two eggs to be fully convinced of the higher nutritional value of fresh eggs. 

To show your family the difference between the two, simply crack a fresh egg into a bowl next to a store-bought egg. Eggs bought in a store are lighter and thinner in appearance, while fresh eggs have a deep, rich colour to their yolks and a thicker consistency. 

Help in the garden 

Chickens can make for great helpers in the garden. They provide natural fertilizer through their droppings, and through the use of chicken tractors, your flock can till up your soil and control pests like slugs, ants, beetles, spiders, and even scorpions.  

Strategically placed chicken fencing or chicken runs can allow your chickens to prune overgrowth and provide weed control in your garden. And, mobile chicken coops let your flock graze different sections of your garden to help with mowing.   

Chickens as family pets with Omlet

Like other pets, chickens require time and responsibility, and it’s right that families take owning them into careful consideration. But with quality chicken-keeping products from Omlet, you’ll be able to start out strong and enjoy keeping chickens for years to come. Our chicken coops, chicken toys, and chicken runs are all designed to last a lifetime and bring joy to both flocks and their families. 

A girl taking a freshly laid egg from the Omlet Eglu Cube

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This entry was posted in Chickens on April 11th, 2019 by linnearask


Step by Step Guide to Hatching Chicks

Two fluffy chicks facing each other
As long as your chickens are laying and there’s a cockerel in your flock, you can hatch and incubate chicks all year round. However, traditionally the most popular time to breed your own chickens is in the spring.
Hatching and rearing your own chicks from eggs is an incredibly exciting and rewarding process. There is nothing better than seeing your tiny chicks grow up in the knowledge that they are getting the best possible life from start to finish. The incubation period for chicken eggs is usually 21 days. The most reliable way to incubate your fertilised eggs and maximise the chance that they will hatch into healthy chicks is to use an artificial incubator. Here’s our step-by-step guide to hatching chicks:

1. Long Term Plan

Before the hatching starts, you will need to have a plan in place as to what you are going to do with the chickens once they hatch. It is a safe estimate that 25-50% of eggs will not hatch due to either not being fertilized or due to some mishaps during incubation. Among those which will hatch, approximately 50% will be cockerels and 50% will be hens. Everybody wants hens and hardly anyone needs cockerels, so there is a question of what to do with the latter. In many breeds, cockerels do not tolerate each other and they will fight vigorously unless they are completely separated.

2. Eggs

First of all, you need to be as sure as it is reasonably possible that the eggs are fertilized, so getting them from a good breeder / farmer is crucial. Eggs of some breeds are quite expensive, so every egg that will not hatch costs you money. A breeder can never give you a 100% guarantee that the egg is fertilized, but an experienced one can be quite confident they are.

The eggs should not have any deformations or bear any other visible defects. Any cracks in the eggshells are a no-go. Any defect of the eggshell might result in the chick having difficulty in hatching, being deformed, or not developing at all.

Once you have the eggs, it is a good practice to wash them with an egg disinfectant. Eggs are porous and the embryos get oxygen and water through their eggshells. If there are any toxins or bacteria on the eggshells, that might endanger the embryos.

3. Keep a Diary

Hatching chicks diary
It is a really good idea to keep a diary of hatching. This includes numbering the eggs and keeping a daily record of each eggs weight. A developing egg will gradually lose weight in its 21 days of incubation. It will lose about 10-15% of its original weight over time. When the egg in the incubator is not losing weight it usually means it is not developing.

4. Incubator

Turning

Choose your incubator carefully. Some incubators, such as the Brinsea Mini II Incubator have an Auto-turn mechanism built-in. Auto-turn saves you a lot of time and effort. Every egg during the incubation time needs to be turned every 90 minutes in order for the embryo to be positioned perfectly in the egg. A broody hen naturally turns all the eggs she is sitting on as she moves around the nest, so the turning simulates what naturally happens when a hen takes care after eggs. If the incubator does not have the Auto-turn option, you will need to turn the eggs manually. It is therefore a good practice to mark all eggs with a non-toxic marker just to be sure that every egg is being turned every time you visit them.

Temperature control

A good incubator will be able to keep a steady temperature within. One that we recommend is the Brinsea Mini II Incubator.  The optimal temperature for hatching chicks is 37.5 degrees Celsius. A good incubator will set its alarm off if the temperature within drops below or rises above a certain threshold. Temperature in the room where the incubator is placed is crucial here, as it heavily influences the temperature in the incubator. You will be opening the incubator during routine controls of the eggs, so it is really important the eggs don’t get a temperature shock in the process – such a shock might kill the fetuses. We advise keeping a steady temperature of approx. 25 degrees Celsius in the room with the incubator. The room should also be draft free.

Humidity control

A good incubator will be able to provide a good humidity inside. Optimal humidity for the eggs during hatching is around 40-50% but needs to be increased on Day 19 in order to soften the eggshells and help the chicks to hatch out. With some Incubators such as the Brinsea II Mini Incubator, there are two water containers inside. Fill one up every day, and fill both of them from Day 19 onward. You can fill up the water container in the Brinsea without the need to open it which is very useful, since you generally don’t want to open the incubator too often. It is perfectly normal that some condensation starts to build up in the incubator after a few days due to high humidity.

Brinsea Mini ll Eco Starter Pack egg incubating equipment

5. Daily routine

Cooling

Day 7 is an important threshold. First of all, you need to start cooling the eggs for half an hour a day. It’s best to do this around the same time each day. A good incubator has a fan and you can set an automatic cooling time. If not, you need to cool the eggs down manually by taking them out of the incubator. The cooling temperature should not be shockingly different – a difference of 2 to 5 degrees Celsius will do.

Developing eggs keep their own temperature when exposed. That is how a hen tells the difference between a developing and a dead egg. When the hen gets off the nest to eat and drink, the dead eggs will go cold almost instantaneously. The hen will then get rid of the dead eggs from the nest.

Candling

You also need to start candling the eggs on Day 7 at the latest. Candling will show you which eggs are developing and which are not. If an egg does not show any signs of development on Day 7, it will not hatch. It is essential to take out any eggs which stop developing as they will start to decompose if left in the incubator. From Day 7 onward you should continue candling on a regular basis. It’s not necessary to do it every day, as you won’t see any significant progress on day-to-day basis, but it is a good practice to do it every third or fourth day. Weighing and candling combined are usually good indicators if the egg is developing or not. 

From Day 7 up to Day 19 tasks should continue in a routine manner: daily cooling, weighing, and occasional candling.

6. Hatching

Day 19 marks the next important stage. You need to stop turning the eggs and cooling them, and lay out a hatching mat in the incubator (so the chicks won’t slip on the incubator’s surface on their first day of life). You also need to increase the humidity inside up to at least 65%. When using the Brinsea Mini II Incubator you can achieve this by filling up the second water container inside.

At some point during that period the eggs will start wiggling: the chicks will be moving around the egg to position themselves perfectly to hatch out. You might feel the temptation to check on the eggs often, but at this time it is best to leave them be and inspect the eggs every 6 hours or so.

Hatching chicks with the Brinsea Mini ll Eco Starter Pack egg incubating equipment

Around Day 20 the chicks should peck out a small hole in their eggshells to catch their first breath of fresh air. It’s best to leave them be. Do not help them by making the hole bigger or breaking the shell apart. They will do it themselves in their own time. In that time they will also consume all the nutrients in their eggshells, so it is vital for them to stay inside for the time being.

Most of the chicken breeds hatch on Day 21 with only a handful of breeds hatching on Day 20 or 22. Do not help the chicks in hatching, they should be able to do it themselves – it’s their first test of strength. Only give a helping hand when a chick is really late (in comparison with its companions in the incubator) and/or the eggshell is really thick and the chick is evidently struggling to get out for a prolonged period of time.

Once the chicks hatch out, leave them in the incubator for another 24 hours. They should be well fed having eaten all the nutrients from their eggs. Apart from that, the incubator provides them with the optimal temperature and humidity.

Now watch our eggcellent egg hatching video to see how easy it is to hatch chicks!

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This entry was posted in Chickens on April 10th, 2019 by helenkennedy


How to give your rabbits and guinea pigs more space with Zippi

Guinea pigs in Omlet Zippi Run running down Omlet Platforms for guinea pigs

Small animals like rabbits and guinea pigs need to run. If provided enough room, your bunny will “boing” across the grass, and your guinea pigs will “popcorn” their way across their play space. But if you haven’t noticed these behaviours from your small pet, it may be time to add more space for them to exhibit these natural expressions of joy. 

In addition to the joy that exercise brings your rabbit or guinea pig, it’s also vital for their health. Rabbits crave running, and guinea pigs need to move their little legs throughout the day to avoid becoming dangerously overweight. An under-exercised rabbit can easily become bored and depressed, and overweight guinea pigs experience joint pain and metabolic issues. 

How much space should my rabbit or guinea pig have? 

Realistically, you may not be able to take your rabbit for a run every day, or make sure your guinea pigs are getting their steps in. To ensure they’re getting enough exercise, try to offer as much space as possible. But unlike a pet dog, rabbits and guinea pigs can’t simply be turned out into your backyard to stretch their legs. 

A high-quality hutch for rabbits and guinea pigs with an attached run is one of the best and easiest ways to help your small pet get their steps in throughout the day. Our attached runs can be extended to up to 12 feet long, giving your bunny room to boing and your guinea pig plenty of room to popcorn. And, with our heavy-duty mesh roof, sides, and flooring to help prevent bunnies from burrowing out, your small pet can enjoy their time outside safely. 

How can I add more space for my rabbit or guinea pig? 

Ready for even more space, or need a space away from your rabbit or guinea pig’s hutch? We’ve invented Zippi Runs and Playpens for Rabbits and Guinea Pigs to be the ultimate space for your bunnies and cavies. The same heavy-duty wire that is used for our attached runs make our Zippi Run and Playpens a safe, secure, and resilient place for your small pets to experience their world. 

Choose from a variety of options to fit both your pet and space. For rabbits, our double-height playpens and runs are the perfect height to keep boisterous bunnies contained, and optional underfloor mesh keeps burrowing to a minimum. Cavies can safely enjoy our single-height runs and playpens, with or without underfloor mesh. Both our single and double heights have the option to add roof panels and anti-dig skirting for even more security. 

Double the fun that our double-height runs have to offer when you add Zippi Platforms for Rabbits and Guinea Pigs. Utilize aerial space in their run, and give your pet a platform to perform tricks, meet for mealtime, or see you at eye level. Bunnies and cavies alike will feel the benefits of “taking the stairs” when they use the non-slip ramps to access our Zippi platforms. After all that exercising, the space below the Zippi platform offers a shady spot to take a post-workout nap. 

Children outside with their rabbit in Omlet Zippi Tunnel System

Connect their spaces with a tunnelling system 

We didn’t just stop at playpens and runs – we also invented the ultimate tunnelling system for both rabbits and guinea pigs to fulfil their natural desires to burrow. Our one-of-a-kind Zippi Tunnel System for Rabbits and Guinea Pigs can act as a standalone track set up for playtime, or connected to any run or hutch. Design routes for your rabbit or guinea pigs to go from their hutch to playpen or run and watch them enjoy being in their element. 

Our Zippi tunnels are made of durable materials that are meant to last, and can be customized with our intuitive Zippi Tunnel Builder. Create twists, turns, look-out hay feeders, intersections and more when you design your own course. And keep your rabbit or guinea pig on their toes by adding onto or reconfiguring the Zippi Tunnel System at any time. 

Other enriching activities for rabbits and guinea pigs 

Zippi Runs and Playpens also give you an opportunity to add even more engaging activities to your pets’ space. Create a treat-filled maze for your cavy out of repurposed cardboard boxes, or make a digging box for your rabbit with a litter pan or cardboard box filled with treats and shredded paper. Add bunny or cavy shelters and play tunnels to your pets’ home to incorporate even more fun into their enclosure. 

Along with exercise, diet is important to keep your rabbit or guinea pig in optimum health. Offering treats occasionally is fine, but the bulk of their diet should be timothy hay-based pellets and free-choice timothy hay. You can also offer fresh greens in our Caddi Rabbit and Guinea Pig Treat Holder to attach to their run. This elevated treat dispenser reduces waste and encourages your pets to stretch their bodies and mind to reach their treats. 

Omlet and your small pets 

Omlet’s goal is always to bring people and pets closer. Our entire line of Zippi products are designed to foster natural behaviours in rabbits and guinea pigs, while bringing enjoyment and wonder to their owners. Zippi Rabbit and Guinea Pig Platforms, the Zippi Rabbit and Guinea Pig Tunnel System and Zippi Outdoor Rabbit and Guinea Pig Runs are all creative accessories that let you and your pets experience their world like never before. You’ll be amazed by how happy and at ease rabbits and guinea pigs are when they’re in an environment that they truly enjoy. 

Girl in Omlet Outdoor Run holding guinea pig

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This entry was posted in Guinea Pigs on April 6th, 2019 by linnearask


WIN an easichick bundle

Competition time! For your chance to WIN an easichick bundle including a 10kg bale of easichick, an easi apron, travel mug and pen – all you have to do is comment on this Facebook post with your favourite photo of your chickens. This competition closes at midnight on the 10th of April 2019. 5 winners will be selected at random to receive the prize bundle.

Terms and Conditions

The competition closes at midnight on the 10th of April 2019. To enter please comment on the easichick post on the Omlet Facebook page. Five entrants will win a 10kg bale of easichick, an easi apron, travel mug and pen. The winners will be randomly selected from all entries and notified within 7 days of the competition closing. If the winner does not respond to claim the prize within 7 days of notification, we reserve the right to withdraw the prize from the winner and pick a replacement winner.

Omlet and easichick reserve the right to withdraw or amend the competition at any point. Prizes cannot be transferred to cash. This competition is only open to UK residents. This competition is not open to Omlet employees or members of their immediate families. Likewise, it is not open to the Employees of Omlet Partners who may be involved in promoting this competition. All entries must be made on the relevant competition post. The winner agrees to the use of their name and any reasonable requests by Omlet and easichick relating to any post-winning publicity or product research.

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This entry was posted in Competitions on April 4th, 2019 by chloewelch