The Omlet Blog Category Archives: Winter

How to Prepare Your Rabbit for Extreme Winter Weather

Children outside in winter with rabbits in their Omlet Eglu Go Rabbit Hutch

Winter is highly anticipated by some, and a source of apprehension for others. Depending on where you live, your outdoor rabbit could fall into either category! Rabbits that live in states that experience long, hot summers look forward to winter with glee. The good news is that rabbits are naturally able to handle the cold better than excessive heat, and with a helping hand from their human, they’ll be ready to withstand the cold winter months. 

Your pet rabbit’s wild counterparts have multiple ways of managing their wellbeing in the cold. For instance, rabbits have a burrowing instinct, as the underground is more insulated and temperature-regulated than the outside air and at the mercy of the weather. But since burrowing down in the ground all winter isn’t an option for most domesticated rabbits, we’ve created rabbit hutches and accessories at Omlet to simulate the ideal conditions for your rabbit to withstand wild weather of all varieties! 

With a few minor adjustments to your rabbit’s diet and routine, along with products designed by Omlet to keep the weather out and the warmth in, your rabbit can spend the winter months in their element – safe from the elements! 

Cold-natured

Rabbits have dense coats that insulate them from both heat and cold. In the summertime, you’ll notice your rabbit “blowing” their coat frequently in an effort to release their dense undercoat in favour of the longer “guard hairs” on top. As the days shorten and grow colder, outdoor rabbits will shed less and grow out their insulating undercoat once again in preparation for winter. You’ll notice your bunny looking particularly poofy by the time cold weather sets in! 

Once they’ve donned their winter coats (courtesy of nature!), bunnies are right at home in the cold! Like their wild counterparts, most pet rabbits will appear more energetic and playful in the colder months. But their increased activity isn’t just out of joy for the season – it’s also to create more energy and heat to warm themselves up. Nevertheless, it’s fun to watch pet rabbits increase their body temperatures through zoomies, hopping, binkies, and social play! 

Multiple factors such as breed, size, housing conditions, and age need to be taken into consideration when determining how cold is too cold for your rabbit. As a general rule, most rabbits should be comfortable in temperatures above freezing. Once the weather hits 32℉, it’s time to evaluate how your bunny is faring. 

For more frequently asked questions regarding keeping your pet rabbit outside during the winter, visit: Will My Rabbits Be Ok Outside in the Winter? 

Blizzards and bunnies

Rabbits don’t mind a little snow, but if you’re in an area that experiences hard frosts and blizzard conditions, you’ll need to bolster your bunny’s shelter! 

One of the best ways to keep your outdoor rabbit warm is to mimic their natural tactics in the wild. Bunnies burrow, nest, and huddle together for warmth – all of which you can recreate for your pet rabbit. Insulation, both in the wild and in your backyard, is a rabbit’s best friend in the cold.

Think of your rabbit’s hutch as their burrow. At Omlet, we’ve invented all of our rabbit products to maintain ideal temperatures and conditions for rabbits – just like they seek out in the wild. By selecting a well designed home for your bunny, such as the Eglu Go Rabbit Hutch, they will have an insulated hideaway from the cold that provides ample ventilation without sacrificing warmth. But unlike a bunny-engineered burrow, the Eglu Go Rabbit Hutch is waterproof and predator-resistant for when critters come lurking. 

For frigid cold snaps, an Extreme Temperature Blanket is an excellent added layer of insulation for your rabbit’s hutch. Like any good insulation, the material won’t become waterlogged when the snow begins to melt, and traps extra heat underneath to further warm the hutch. 

Rabbits outside in extreme weather of winter

Wild winter weather 

The winter season is unpredictable at best, and downright wild at its worst! Cold fronts can come out of nowhere, bringing temperature drops and heavy sleet or snow. 

Rabbits, being the intuitive and sensitive animals that they are, can sense when a storm is coming. They can sense atmospheric pressure changes, which will drive them to seek shelter and hunker down. When seeking shelter, rabbits will choose the closest cover available. By placing a few Zippi Rabbit Shelters in their run, you can make sure your rabbit has ample opportunity to escape from the elements.  

But you can also create a silver-lining to those winter storm clouds by creating a winter wonderland play-scape for your bunnies! By using a combination of Zippi Rabbit Tunnels, Zippi Rabbit Platforms, and Zippi Rabbit Shelters, you can design a winter-friendly playground that will make your bunny binky with joy! 

Health and dietary considerations for winter 

Rabbits need different care in the cold months vs the warmer months. You’ll want to inspect your rabbit’s coat before the first cold snap of the season. Check to make sure their undercoat is thick and healthy, and that they don’t have any patches where their hair has not grown in fully (rabbits may have bare or thinned patches of fur from rubbing, playing with each other, or from nervous grooming habits). 

Make sure all water bottles or crocks are either insulated or heated to prevent freezing. Heating water on the stove or in the microwave several times a day to add to your rabbit’s watering device is another way of keeping their water thawed and palatable. 

Rabbits also ramp up their metabolisms in the winter, and they’ll need more calories to support and maintain their increase in body temperature. They may pass on a hot cup of tea or cocoa, but your rabbit will thank you for extra hay and hay-based pellets during cold weather! You can give treats as usual, but additional treats aren’t necessary. Thanks to their unique digestive system, rabbits benefit the most from foods high in fibre – the longer it takes to digest, the more heat gets generated. Timothy hay, orchard grass, oat hay, and meadow hay are all energy-lending options that should be available at all times to your rabbit. Pelleted feed made primarily from hay should be free-fed as well. If you’re feeding your rabbit a blend (feed that has coloured pellets, cracked corn, or seeds) once or twice a day, you’ll want to transition to feeding a pellet feed before the winter. You can save their blended feed for a special treat to be given in small amounts a few times a week! 

It’s important to remember that rabbits do not hibernate. In fact, they become even more active during the colder months! If you notice your rabbit acting lethargic or sluggish, bring them inside and contact your veterinarian. An underactive bunny in the winter is either too cold, or will become too cold very quickly! 

It’s all in the design 

Preparation is the best method for caring for your rabbit in the cold months. But wouldn’t it be nice to have rabbit-housing solutions that work not only in the cold, but also in the heat?

We don’t want you to have to swap out setups every time the seasons change! That’s why we’ve invented one-product-suits-all solutions for caring for and enjoying your pets. 

The Eglu Go Rabbit Hutch was designed to keep your rabbit’s thermostat at an even level all year long. And, with an added Extreme Temperature Blanket, you’ll give your bunny the highest level of comfort possible to not only endure the winter months, but to enjoy them! 

And don’t forget that while creating a happy winter-home is important for your rabbit, playtime doesn’t have to fall to the wayside just because it’s chilly! An Outdoor Rabbit Run gives you plenty of space to create a fun playground for your rabbit that you can walk in and enjoy with them! 

No matter where you spend your winter, Omlet is here to help you and your rabbit enjoy this season together. Whatever the weather – from temperate to frigid- we’ve thought up the products to cover your rabbit from every angle!

Rabbits sheltering in Omlet Zippi Shelter green

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This entry was posted in Rabbits


Winter Chicken Keeping FAQs

Will my chickens get too cold over winter?

Chickens acclimate themselves very well to the cold weather – and actually fare better in the cold than they do in the heat! As long as they have an insulated coop like the Eglu Cube Chicken Coop to keep them snug, you won’t need to worry about them becoming too chilly over the winter. You might notice some behavioural differences in your chickens during the cold months, such as fluffing up their feathers or huddling together to share body heat and keep warm. Like many other species of birds, chickens also often adopt the ‘one leg’ look, tucking one of their limbs up into the warmth of their bellies. This reduces overall heat loss and stops feet and toes from freezing on the icy ground.

A boy sat in an Eglu chicken enclosure in the snow

Can chickens get frostbite?

While it’s unlikely that your chickens will become too cold when they’re kept in appropriate winter-weather housing, it’s possible for them to experience frostbite and hypothermia. These are usually the result of excess moisture in their coop as opposed to low temperatures. Make sure to opt for a coop with draft free ventilation to help with this. Breeds with large combs and wattles in particular are susceptible to frostbite on these sensitive body parts during winter. To combat this, you can gently apply Vaseline daily to their combs and wattles.

Do I need to insulate my chicken coop?

Well-insulated coops like the Eglus will keep your chickens warm in winter by capturing the heat from the chickens’ bodies within the interior walls, without allowing any cold air to pass through the exterior walls. They are also designed to let air flow through the coop to prevent a build up of moisture, without any chilly drafts. You can increase the level of protection against even the most extreme temperatures with Omlet’s line of insulating blankets and jackets. If you do not have a cosy Eglu, a wooden coop can be insulated with bubble-wrap, cardboard, or old rugs, carpet remnants, and blankets.

Should I heat my chicken coop?

Did you know that heating your coop can prevent your chickens wanting to go outside? If their coop is too warm, they will struggle to acclimate to the cold weather outside. By electing to stay in the balmy warmth that a heat fixture provides, chickens will be less likely to venture out into the fresh air for the exercise and entertainment they need to stay healthy and happy! Furthermore, your chickens also run the risk of going into shock at a sudden drop in temperature, which could occur should you encounter a power outage during a winter storm. Heat or brooder lamps and panels pose a significant fire hazard, and chickens can actually overheat in a well-insulated coop even during the cold weather. Any other heat sources such as electric heaters, gas-powered heaters, or open flames should never be used around chickens.

What should I feed my chickens in winter?

Over winter, it’s a good idea to continue to feed your chickens a diet of high-quality layer pellets to keep them healthy. They usually eat more during cold weather to fuel their metabolism and stay warm, so you’ll want to add in a little extra to their usual feed. Providing your chickens with additional vitamins and minerals will help to keep their immune systems up to scratch over the winter. Additionally, make sure to watch your chickens’ water. Be prepared to break the ice, and have some spare water dispensers ready in case things freeze up entirely. Some low-risk electrical devices to keep your chickens’ water thawed include: heated dog water bowls, heated bases for chicken waterers, or submersible bird bath or aquarium heaters. Be sure to verify the number of gallons your chickens’ water supply holds so you get the correct sized product.

Will my chickens become under the weather over winter?

Just like us, some chickens can feel under the weather after exposure to the cold. Look out for coughing, sneezing, lethargy, or other signs of illness in your chickens. For more advice on chicken ailments, you can read the Omlet guide on how to look after your chickens’ general health.

Hens on their Omlet perch protected from the elements in their Omlet run

Do chickens roost for longer in winter?

Chickens love to roost, and during winter, they’ll be doing a lot more of it. You’ll find that they huddle together into one feathery ball, which helps them to keep each other warm – especially at night. Roosting rungs or perches need to be wide enough so that they can cover their toes with their feathers. To prevent their feet from getting too cold on the frosty ground, you’ll need to give your chickens a place to perch in both their coop and their run. 

How can I keep my chickens entertained during winter?

Winter is the time of year when backyard chickens might need a little bit more entertainment. There are fewer bugs to chase around, less vegetation to nibble, and shorter days in the colder months. Fortunately, you keep your chickens happy with a few boredom busters such as peck toys, perches, chicken swings, and the Omlet Pole Tree. Alternatively, a pile of leaves or compost will provide your chickens with hours of fun and keep them occupied. Toss in some chicken treats for an enticing scavenger hunt they can scratch and peck around in. 

Will my hens still lay eggs in winter?

The time of year can actually have an impact on how many eggs your chickens are producing! This is due to a hen’s hormonal response to how much light they are exposed to. They’ll typically need between 12-14 hours of daylight each day to produce eggs, and 16 hours for optimum production. This phenomenon is actually nature’s way of telling a hen to rest! Shorter days means colder weather is coming, and egg production takes a large energy-toll on a hen – energy that is better spent keeping a hen warm during the winter. Therefore, for most breeds, hens will either stop or drastically reduce their egg production during the winter months, and will resume their regular laying schedules in the spring when the days grow longer once more. 

What about Avian Flu?

As of Monday 7th November 2022, the United Kingdom’s Chief Veterinary Officer has agreed to bring in new housing measures across the whole of England to minimise the risk of the avian influenza spreading amongst poultry and captive birds. Please refer to our regularly reviewed Everything You Need To Know About Avian Flu blog for further information on restrictions and the latest guidelines.

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This entry was posted in Chickens


Keep Your Chickens Fit and Healthy This Winter

healthy hens in winter pecking outside an eglu cube

For any animal living outdoors, winter is likely to be the most challenging time of year, and chickens are no exception. The days are short, there aren’t as many bugs and plants to peck at, and the humans they like following around the garden tend to spend less time outside. The days can get a bit repetitive, and even more so in years with avian flu outbreaks, when hens are not allowed to roam free in the garden. 

Chickens will do their best to find ways to entertain themselves, but there is only so much excitement they can invent before they turn to pecking their friends or eating feathers and eggs. That’s why it’s important for you as an owner to step in and make sure your flock has enough stimulation and entertainment in their run to make it through to warmer weather and longer days. For more information on how the winter weather can have an effect on your hens’ eggs, take a read of our How Long Can Chicken Eggs Stay in the Coop? blog.

Here are some suggestions on how you can keep your chickens fit, healthy and entertained this winter:

Perches

One of the best things you can do to enrich your hens environment is to invest in a range of perches. Perching is an extremely relaxing and stimulating activity for chickens, and having perches at different heights in the run will make their day much more exciting.

Omlet’s PoleTree Chicken Perch is perfect for this. The strong vertical poles fasten to the roof of most chicken runs, and you can then accessorise with as many perches as you see fit, at any height and orientation.

Make sure there is enough space for the whole flock to perch, and customise the position of the perches to make sure they fit the age and ability of your pets. You can even create a spiral staircase for them to climb up to the top of the run when they get confident enough! 

Bigger run

Having more space to move around on will, unsurprisingly, encourage chickens to exercise and explore. As you might not be able to let your flock free range at the moment, providing them with a bigger run is a good solution. The Omlet Walk In Run can be customised to fit the space you’ve got and will hinder all types of predators from getting to your hens. You can also accessorise it with covers to stop rain, and visits from wild birds.

If you already have a Walk In Chicken Run, remember that you can extend it at any time with easy to add panels. Use the handy extension configurator on our website to see what opportunities you have to make your run bigger!

chickens perching to stay happy in winter

Straw or hay bales

You might have seen your hens absolutely demolish a pile of leaves as you were raking the lawn this autumn. They hate piles and mounds, and will do their very best to level anything they can to the ground, while also looking for yummy bugs and seeds. 

Place an appropriately sized bale in the run, and your chickens will immediately jump on top and peck away! 

(Please note that to limit the spread of avian flu, it’s important that you get your bales from a place where they have not been in contact with wild birds or other poultry.)

Toys

Like with dogs and small children, the right toys will keep your hens occupied for hours! Chicken Peck Toys, like Omlet’s Poppy or Pendant, are slow release treat toys that randomly scatter treats, corn or grit as the chickens peck them. The Poppy is pressed into the ground and sways as it’s pecked, whereas Pendant is hung from the run or any other structure. 

Give your flock a couple of peck toys to play with to minimise the risk of the dominant members of the flock having all the fun!

Extra treats

Of course you don’t want your chickens to overeat at a time when they are not as active as they might be during the warmer months, and providing hens with a balanced diet is the best thing you can do to keep them fit and healthy. With that being said, occasionally giving them high quality goodies can help them stay warm, while also activating their mind and bodies. 

The Feldy Pecker balls fit perfectly into the Caddi Chicken Treat Holders, which can be hung from the roof of your run, or a high perch. As the chickens peck the tasty balls, the Caddi will swing and create a rewarding challenge for your flock – it will keep them going for hours!

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This entry was posted in Chickens


Help Your Pets Beat the Winter Blues

Girl stroking a brown dog on the Topology dog bed microfibre topper

A luxury dog bed with a super snug topper is perfect for dogs over winter.

With the holiday season winding down, it’s always a struggle to get back into a routine and avoid the winter blues. And that applies to pets as well as their owners.

By spending quality time with our pets and making the most of our friendship with them, we can all find the joy and energy to beat the blues.

Healthy food for pets

Animals often need more food in the winter months. This is because they spend a lot of energy on keeping warm, and they need the fuel to feed that energy (just like a boiler that needs to work harder to heat the house during cold snaps). Always give them the correct, high energy foods to get them through the cold spell.

Pet exercise

Keeping moving is important all year round, but for dogs the winter walks may be shorter or less frequent than in the warmer months. Bear in mind that for a dog the need to exercise doesn’t change with the seasons – they’ll love sniffing through the snow every bit as much as they love chasing the scents of summer. If they have a space outside to run around in, this can help them let off steam before the next walk. You could try keeping a shorter walk interesting by taking it in a new location, or one you haven’t visited for a long time.

Exercise is important for all other pets, too. If you keep rabbits or guinea pigs outside, adding some excitement to their runs with a tunnel system adds hours of fun and exercise to those short winter days. Zippi runs for rabbits and guinea pigs are an ideal way of keeping these small pets content. You can add platforms, shelters and all kinds of twists and turns to keep them stimulated and happy.

For indoor cats, the Freestyle Cat Tree is a great option for helping them to fit in  essential exercise. The customisable cat tower is perfect for cats of any ability, with a number of accessories to choose from, so that even the most active cats will stay entertained, whilst less mobile cats can take it easy.

Keep your pet’s brain active

By spending time with your pets, you can keep their minds active in various ways, depending on the pet. Talk to your pet birds; play with your dogs and cats; and give your hamsters, gerbils or other small mammals some stimulating new toys. Budgies, finches, canaries and parrots will enjoy getting to grips with a new bird toy, too. Nothing like a new cerebral challenge to beat the winter blues!

The toys will also help your pet entertain itself once everyone is back into their routines and the house is a falls quiet again after the holiday season.

Pet socialising

It’s possible that your pet dog has been missing those trips to the park during the holidays and the cold weather. If you have a sociable dog, a trip to the park for a sniff around the old haunts and perhaps a meet-up with some old friends will give an added boost to the day. A doggy play date is another great way of combining socialising, fresh air and lots of moving around.

A cat being stroked on the Maya Donut cat bed

A sophisticated, cosy cat bed that fluffy friends can’t resist!

Keep your pets warm

In the average home in winter, some parts of the house or flat are warmer than others. Make sure your pet bird, hamster or gerbil isn’t in a cold or draughty corner, as a drop in temperature takes its toll on a small animal’s health and its ability to keep warm.

Extra bedding does the trick for rabbits and rodents. With cage birds, you need to keep a regular room temperature. You’ll notice when they’re cold, as they’ll fluff out their feathers and will be less active than usual to conserve energy. Covering the cages at night helps to retain heat.

A dog or cat is spoilt for choice when it comes to comfy corners and snug blankets. You can give your pet a real treat by ensuring maximum comfort with a Topology dog bed or Maya Donut bed. Cats and dogs that really feel the cold can be dressed in winter coats.

Rabbits and guinea pigs that live outdoors will need an insulated hutch to keep them snug during the winter. The Eglu rabbit hutch and the Eglu guinea pig hutch are the perfect choices here, as they keep your pets warm in the winter with a twin-walled insulation system, (and these hutches keep them cool in the summer too). 

Keeping the indoor environment safe

When the winter winds and horizontal snow restricts you to the great indoors, you’ll need to keep the room warm, but not too dry. Spending all day in dry air can dry out an animal’s skin (and yours too). An open fire should always have a fireguard on it, and hot radiators and wood burning stoves need shielding from pets, too. Dogs and cats can easily scorch themselves by getting too close to the hot spot.

Keeping old dogs comfy

Cold weather has a tendency to make common conditions such as arthritis worse than usual. An older dog may need to take it easy for longer than usual after a run around in the park. Again, a super-comfy dog bed is what you need here, and some nice soft dog blankets.

Keeping yourself and your pets warm, active and healthy in the winter months is a surefire way to beat the winter blues!

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This entry was posted in Dogs


Choose The Right Cover For Your Run

We often get asked which is the best cover for an Eglu run to keep pets comfortable all year round. Read our simple guide below so you know how to help your pets in all weathers!

Summer Shades

These shades are a thinner cover material which offers protection from the sun, without creating a tunnel where heat can build up inside the run. These are smaller than the winter covers to allow better airflow through the run for ventilation. Move the summer shade around the run to suit the time of day and your hens’ routine. You may wish to change this for a Clear or Combi Cover in summer when there’s rain on the way!

Clear Covers

The Clear Covers allow for sunlight to flood your pet’s run, while also offering protection from rain. This makes them ideal for spring and autumn, so the run is light and warm with sun, but also protected from unpredictable wind and rain. 

Combi Covers

Get the best of both worlds, with shade from the sun on one side and light coming in the other, as well as full wind and rain protection on both sides. The Combi Covers are half dark green, heavy duty cover for extreme wind and rain protection, and half clear cover to let in sunlight and warmth and to let your pets see when you are bringing them treats!

Heavy Duty Covers

For strong, hard-wearing protection against the worst of winter choose heavy duty covers. Even when the temperature drops to single figures, the rain and wind batters your pets home, or a deluge of snow covers your garden, the dark green, impenetrable heavy duty covers offer sturdy weather protection. Your chickens or rabbits will be able to hop around the Eglu run in complete peace, without getting cold, damp or wind-swept!

Extreme Temperature Covers

Chickens and rabbits are very efficient at keeping themselves warm in cold weather, and the Eglu’s twin wall insulation will assist them by keeping cool air out and warm air in, but when temperatures plummet below freezing for multiple days in a row, they may appreciate a little extra support. The Extreme Temperature Blankets and Jackets add another insulating layer, like your favourite wooly jumper, without compromising the ventilation points around the coop. 

 

 

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Why Do Chickens’ Legs Not Get Cold In Winter?

A pair of chicken feetWatching chickens scratch at the frozen ground or strut through the snow, you might wonder how they manage to keep their feet and legs warm. After all, this is one part of their body with no feathers to keep it cosy (unless you happen to have a feathery-legged breed such as the Cochin, Brahma or Silkie).

Surprisingly, the simple answer to ‘How do they keep their leg warm?’ is ‘They don’t!’ Those skinny, bare legs have scales, which retain heat to a certain extent, but they will still get very cold if the bird stands still for too long.

And that’s the important detail. A chicken keeps its legs warm by moving, and by not keeping all its toes on the ground for too long. These parts of their body lose heat rapidly; but the solution is quite simple.

Perching is the most effective way of retaining heat. A hen hunkers down when roosting, and her legs are tucked into her warm body. If space allows, install a flat perch too. A piece of wood with a 10 cm width will enable the hens to roost without having to grip the perch, which in really cold weather will prevent their toes freezing. (The lucky ones will simply snuggle down in a nesting box, which is the chicken equivalent of a thick quilt!)

But of course, a hungry hen doesn’t want to waste the whole day perching, so even in the coldest spells she will make a lot of contact with the ground.


Chickens outside in the snow with their Eglu Go

One-Legged Hens

Like many other birds, chickens often adopt the ‘one leg’ look, tucking one of their limbs up into the warmth of their bellies. This reduces overall heat loss and stops feet and toes from freezing on the icy ground.

An upturned pot, a log, pallet or other slightly elevated space – cleared of snow or ice – will help the hens get the circulation going again, without having to catch their breath on the frozen ground. Like all birds, chickens are warm-blooded, just like us, and their own body heat soon works its magic. Indeed, with an average body temperature of around 41°C, chickens can remain active in the coldest weather.

The leg-warming process is helped by other tricks, too. Fluffing up the feathers retains body heat, by trapping small pockets of air which are then heated up by the bird’s warm body.

Some owners give their hens a supper of corn and grains, which take longer to digest than a standard pellet or other chicken food. Part of the digestion process involves producing heat – a kind of internal hot water bottle!

In general, hens will eat more food in the cold months, as more of their energy is spent keeping warm. Some owners like to supplement the birds’ diets with extra protein or a little suet, to increase their fat levels for the winter. Fat retains heat, and the whole bird benefits – not just the legs (which will remain as thin as ever!)

Help With The Heating

You can help your hens keep their toes cosy by making sure the coop is clean and dry. Clear out any snow dragged in on the birds’ feet, and keep an insulating layer of straw on the floor. You can give the birds extra protection by insulating the coop – although there should still be some ventilation, to allow the gases released from the birds’ droppings to escape.

You can install an automatic door to help keep the living quarters snug. Heaters are also available – but never use anything other than a heater designed specifically for hen houses. It’s also best to use these only if the temperature gets below -5°C, otherwise hens may get used to being cosy all the time, and that could be disastrous if the heater fails and the birds are suddenly exposed. Heat-pampered poultry can die of cold shock.

A coop should be draft-free, but not completely sealed, as ventilation is important for healthy hens. During the day, a sheltered spot in the run or garden will help them take a breather and warm those long-suffering legs.

Chickens are amazingly hardy, and although not exactly warm, their legs will be able to cope with anything the average winter throws at them. As long as they can toast their toes on a nice perch every now and then…

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How the Weather Forecast Can Help Chicken Keepers

While most people check the weather forecast to help them plan their week activities or outfits, chicken keepers can also be using it to predict what accessories their coop needs to ensure their girls are as comfortable as possible. 

From sun to snow, wind to wet, the breakfast time weather reports and the handy app on your phone are all giving you helpful hints that you might be ignoring.

? TEMPERATURE ?

Firstly, the most obvious indicator: the predicted temperature for the coming 10 days. Depending on what time of year we are in, this can be super helpful or utterly confusing if it is varying drastically. But let’s think about what we can act upon.

In winter, if the predicted temperature is at below 0 degrees celsius for more than 5 days in a row or the temperature is near freezing and you have very few chickens in your coop, you may want to consider attaching the Extreme Temperature Blanket to your Eglu to give your chickens some extra help with keeping warm, without limiting the coop ventilation. 

During hot summer months, when temperatures can be above and beyond 30 degrees celsius daily in some countries, it is wise to move your chicken coop into an area that is in the shade for as much of the day as possible. For your chickens, daily health checks are essential to ensure they are not suffering with the high temperatures. If your coop is attached to or inside a secure run, you can leave your coop door open to increase airflow at nighttime without your girls being exposed to predators.

☀️ SUN ☀️

When the sun is shining, it is tempting to cover your chickens’ run with shades so that it is completely protected from the sun inside. However, this can have the opposite effect on what you intended. Instead of shading and cooling the area, lots of shades create a tunnel which traps the heat, like a greenhouse. 

It is best to keep them in a shaded area, and protect one side of the run from the sun. If your chickens are out free ranging most of the day, make sure that they have access to shady patches in the garden, and that their food and water is also in shade. 

❄️ SNOW ❄️

Exciting for some, but for others a weather warning for snow can be very disappointing. You may want to consider sheltering your coop’s run with clear covers to prevent as much snow getting on the ground inside the run as possible. If snow is predicted for the foreseeable future, you may want to prepare for long term icy conditions and bring your coop closer to the house so it is easier to check on your chickens, and they can benefit from some of the shelter your house might provide. During the snow, be sure to dry off damp feathers and remove any chunks of ice from claws. Increase the amount of bedding and food you are giving your chickens too as this will help them stay warm. 

If you have time, it might be wise to consider how effective your chicken coop will be against the bitter cold. If you have a wooden coop, check if it is water-tight and well insulated. If you are not confident in your wooden coop, consider upgrading to a sturdy plastic alternative, like the Eglu Cube. It’s twin-wall insulation works in the same way as double glazing to keep the cold out of the coop, and the heat in during winter. The plastic material is waterproof and super easy to clean out quickly (especially important on chilly winter days).

☁️ CLOUD ☁️

The most boring of all weather forecasts, but often a rest bite from other more extreme conditions. During winter, a few cloudy days should raise the temperature slightly and give you a good opportunity to clean out your coop and thoroughly check on your chickens and make any changes needed for whatever the forecast predicts for the coming days.

? RAIN ?

Some weather reports are more helpful than others when it comes to the exact timing and chance of there being rain. But if you’re looking at days of 90% chance of heavy showers, it would be wise to act fast and get some protective clear covers over the run. If the ground under your chickens’ coop and run is already extremely muddy and wet, you might want to consider moving them to a new patch of grass, and maybe even laying down a base material, like wood shavings, to prevent it developing into a swamp!

? WIND ?

How you react to a windy forecast completely depends on the wind speeds predicted. Light winds, less than 25 mph, shouldn’t cause much of a problem. You might want to add some windbreaks around the base of your Eglu and a large clear cover down the most exposed side. However, in extreme high winds, the worst thing you can do is completely conceal your run, particularly a larger Walk in Run, with covers from top to bottom. In a large run, the mesh holes allow the wind to flow through without causing any issues to the structure, and a clear cover round one bottom corner of the run will provide chickens enough shelter. If you cover the run completely, the wind will be hammering against it and is more likely to cause the structure to lift or move. 

If your chickens are in a smaller run attached to their coop, we recommend moving it to a position where it will be most protected from the wind and any falling debris, for example, against a sturdy building wall. The Eglu’s wheels allow you to easily move the coops around your garden to suit the conditions. If you are keeping your chickens in their Eglu coop and run, and not free ranging during dangerous weather conditions, consider adding some entertaining toys and treat dispenser for them to prevent boredom, such as the Peck Toy or Perch


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Overcoming chicken-keeping challenges in the year ahead

Hens spend their entire lives outdoors. This means they have to cope with everything the year throws at them — from summer heat waves and winter chills, to year-round downpours. Being hardy birds, they take much of this in stride, but they benefit from a helping hand from their humans. Here are ways to help your flock and prepare for the chicken-keeping challenges in the year ahead

Winter

Depending on your location, winter can be one of the most challenging seasons for all outdoor animals. No matter where you live, there’s a lot working against both humans and chickens when cold weather sets in – but thankfully chickens are naturally equipped to endure lower temperatures. Because of this, chicken-keeping in the winter isn’t much different from the rest of the year, but a few preparations can go a long way in helping your hens thrive in the cold. 

Cold-weather chicken considerations

  • Although chickens cope well with the cold, they’ll need some help when it’s both cold and wet. Keeping hens in an insulated Eglu Chicken Coop is a good place to start, with the option to add extra chicken coop weather protection to both the run and the coop. This is especially helpful if you live in an area that receives heavy snowfall. 
  • Perches in the run enable chickens to cuddle up when it’s cold – which is essential in the winter months. The Omlet Chicken Perch, being composed of eucalyptus, a strong, untreated wood, prevents chickens’ feet from becoming too cold. Offering perches above the frozen ground of the run gives your hens’ toes a break from the chill. 
  • In sustained sub-zero temperatures, rubbing Vaseline on your hens’ combs and wattles will help prevent them from becoming frostbitten.
  • Keep your hens’ feet dry in wet weather by lining the run with wood chippings, straw, or hay.

Winter daylight hours

  • Chickens usually return to the coop to roost at dusk. But in the winter, you may find your birds trying to get more time outside on the short days. If your hens are prone to wandering around in the dark, a high visibility hen coat will help you locate them – and also ensure they’re visible to anyone else, should they stray from your garden.
  • Installing an automatic chicken coop door with a coop light will help your hens adhere to bedtime. The door can open and close automatically based on the amount of daylight, a specified time, or manually. The coop light will help beckon wandering birds to bed when darkness falls, as chickens will naturally gravitate toward a light source. 

Your chickens’ health during colder months 

Keep an eye out for coughing, sneezing, lethargy, or other signs of chicken illness. Older or weaker chickens can become more vulnerable to illness when the cold weather sets in.

  • Egg production will decrease – but this doesn’t mean no eggs for breakfast. While your hens may not lay as frequently, and some may stop altogether throughout the colder months, a flock of 4 or more chickens should still provide an adequate supply of eggs for your family during the winter. 
  • Make sure your hens’ diet consists of high-quality feed and scratch, and consider adding some extra chicken vitamins and minerals to boost their immune systems. Offer hay or greens in a chicken treat holder to provide a nutritional activity on cold days. 
  • Their water will freeze, so be prepared to break the ice, and have some spare water dispensers ready in case the waterers freeze solid. Pour hot water over any icy water sources throughout the day to help keep things thawed. Consider placing submersible bird bath heaters in your chickens’ waterers to keep them thawed. 
  • On the upside, winter might kill off any lingering flies, mites, and other pests your chickens encounter during the warmer months.

A boy in a snowy Eglu coop with his chickens

Spring

As the days lengthen, your hens will start laying more eggs. Vegetation comes back to life, and chickens find insects, plants, and other findings worth scratching around for. Your chickens will likely be wanting to spend more time outside in the warmer temperatures and longer days, but predators also spend more waking hours roaming in the spring. 

Protect your chickens from awakening predators 

Predatory animals such as foxes, wolves, and badgers will also be on the prowl after a lean winter. Keeping your chickens in a secure, covered run is vitally important during early spring when nature’s predators are also taking advantage of the changing seasons. Automatic chicken coop doors will ensure the hens are in and out at the right times, and will prevent predators from gaining access after-hours. The door will also let your chickens out in the morning, so that you can enjoy weekend mornings in bed as the days get longer. 

Take proactive steps to reduce chicken coop pests

It’s also important to note that mites and parasites make their debut in the spring, so if you don’t have an easy-to-clean plastic chicken coop, be sure to treat your coops and runs to get ahead of the pests. Mites thrive in wooden surfaces, so housing your hens in a plastic coop is a first line in defence to eliminate pests. Change bedding daily, and clean the interior of your coop frequently to keep your chickens healthy and happy when mites threaten to emerge.

Man with his chickens in spring, using weather protection on the Omlet Eglu Go Up Chicken Coop

Summer

It’s amazing to see the transformation in your chickens as the seasons change. Gone are the downy, fluffy winter and early spring jackets your hens sported mere months ago. Instead, you may now notice your hens’ feathers slowly becoming more dull, and they are spending more and more time under shaded areas. 

For many flock-raisers, summer poses the largest threat to chickens. The main risks that flocks face in the summer months are heat and too much sunlight. Be sure to have plenty of shaded areas where your chickens frequent, and keep fresh, cool water available at all times. A chicken coop that provides shade itself, like the space under the Eglu Cube or the Eglu Go Up, is ideal for the summer months.

The Eglu Cube chicken coop is designed to reduce moisture and increase airflow through its ingenious ventilation design. Twin-wall insulation and vents along the back allow for cool air to circulate while keeping the warm air out. Plastic doesn’t hold onto moisture the way that wood does, so your chickens can find relief from the damp, humid air. The Eglu Cube also offers a shaded area beneath the coop, with the option to add heavy-duty run covers to the sides and top of the run for additional protection from the sun. And, with added handles and wheels, the Eglu Cube can be moved to shadier, cooler spots as summer progresses. 

Here are some other methods to alleviate heat-related stress in your flock during the summer months: 

  • Keep the water supply full, as hens drink more in warm weather. Add ice cubes to waterers if possible throughout the day to keep the water temperature at a refreshing level.
  • Provide a dust bath – either a dry area of ground in the garden, or in a container in the chicken run. Cat litter trays, kiddie pools, and even old tires with the rims removed make great basins for dust baths. 
  • Offer treats like frozen corn or other chicken-safe veggies in a chicken treat dispenser or chicken peck toy
  • Look for any signs of heat stress in your hens. Open-mouth breathing (panting), lethargy, agitation, increased saliva production, or any other concerning symptoms should be reported to your veterinarian. Bring any chicken exhibiting heat stress into an air-conditioned space, but refrain from employing any other cooling measures until hearing from your veterinarian. It can be dangerous for an overheated chicken to have their body temperature brought down too quickly. 

Fortunately, the “dog days of summer” usually yield to lower temperatures at night. You may want to offer more space outside of the coop for your chickens to roost overnight in the warmer months, as they will need extra space away from each other’s body heat during this season. A Freestanding Chicken Perch or PoleTree will give your hens aerial space to roost if they need to spread out at night. Just be sure that all of their enclosures are predator-resistant.

Family outside in summer with their chickens in the Omlet Eglu Cube Chicken Coop

Autumn

Autumn is a favourite season for both flocks and their keepers. Bugs are still abundant, the temperatures are comfortable, and gardens offer hen-friendly snacking opportunities when gardeners rotate crops. 

Hens will often moult this time of year in preparation for colder temperatures, so they need a good diet to help them stay healthy and grow new feathers. Extra vitamins and minerals will boost feather growth, and a little apple cider vinegar in their water will help them grow healthy and glossy plumage. Egg production will cease or drastically reduce while hens are moulting, but once they’ve completed their transformation, your hens will resume their laying schedule. The shorter days will prompt chickens to lay less frequently, but good layers will continue to produce eggs during the fall and winter. 

Girl outside in autumn with Freestanding Chicken Perch

Year-round chicken care with Omlet 

At Omlet, we’re here to support chicken keepers all year round. By keeping your hens in an Eglu Chicken Coop and Walk In Chicken Run that are both easy to maintain and clean, you’ll create an environment that is enjoyable for both you and your flock no matter the season. These, along with Walk In Run Covers, make seasonal preparation quick and easy so that the changes in weather, amount of daylight, and looming predators don’t detract from the wondrous connection you’ve created with your chickens. So here’s to another year of chicken-keeping, the Omlet way. 

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How Can I Keep My Pet Rabbits Warm In The Winter?

Many people bring their pet rabbits indoors during the winter months. That’s certainly one way of helping them cope with the cold. But is it necessary? After all, wild rabbits survive the winter without having to ask us to turn up the central heating.

However, wild rabbits have a very important trick up their furry sleeves. They live in burrows, protected from the weather in the confines of a cosy rabbit warren. Pet rabbits don’t have access to this comfortable underground lifestyle, so you’ll need to simulate it in other ways.

The key to underground living is insulation. In the same way as an igloo creates a relatively warm space in a cold environment, a burrow provides an insulated living space with a constant temperature. Not exactly a hot spot, but somewhere that can be warmed up by lots of furry bodies, dry grass and compacted earth.

Hutch insulation can be reinforced by adding extra bedding materials. The paper lining commonly used at the base of rabbit bedding soaks up urine, and so it gets wet very quickly. Anything wet can soon become cold, and can even freeze if the temperature really plummets. In really cold weather – anything below zero degrees C – change the paper lining daily.

The real key to cold weather comfort is hay. Double, or even triple the amount you normally use in the rabbits’ sleeping area, and they’ll be snug through the night.

Not all hutches are equal

An old wooden hutch with gaps and cracks for the cold wind to blow through is always going to be a lot less cosy than something more windproof. The ideal hutch has all-round insulation, like the Eglu. This will still need its thick mattress of hay, though.

There comes a point when cold weather is actually dangerous. If temperatures plunge below minus 5 C, wild rabbits hunker down and lie close together to share and conserve body warmth. In a garden hutch they will struggle when things get this cold. Not many pet rabbits can cope with sustained temperatures below minus 5, even in something as well-insulated as an Eglu.

In these extreme temperatures, there are two choices: bring the bunnies indoors, or use a heat pad in the hutch.

It will also help, of course, to keep the hutch in a sheltered spot, away from the worst of the winter winds.

How to fight the freeze

Rabbit water bottles freeze when the temperature falls. You can help prevent this by wrapping insulating material – bubble wrap is good – around the bottle. The water bottle in the Eglu, for example, comes ready-insulated from the cold. But even this will freeze when it gets really cold. You’ll also need to make sure the water bottle nozzle stays unfrozen, which involves changing the water bottles a few times each day. Always have a couple of spares, for this purpose.

The hutch itself can be made cosier by adding insulation to the outside. Extreme temperature jackets are a much better option than a thick blanket, as the latter will get wet and then freeze.

If the weather forces you to bring the bunnies indoors, keep them there until things warm up again. It’s not good for their health if they are forever going back and forth from cold winter to centrally heated house or shed.

Eating to keep out the cold

Outdoor rabbits, like all small mammals subject to the whims of the seasons, have to eat more during the winter. This enables them to stoke their internal central heating. We humans tend to forget that the food we eat is largely fuel to heat us up from the inside out – part of being a warm-blooded mammal rather than a cold-blooded fish or reptile.

A cold rabbit will shiver. If, in spite of your insulating efforts, you notice a whole lot of shaking going on in the hutch, you need to take action. Heating pads, or the great indoors – those are the options.

It’s important to remember, though, that rabbits love having access to fresh air. They are hardy creatures, and you don’t need to keep them cooped up until the spring. As soon as the cold snap passes they can move to their outdoor quarters again.

Omlet Eglu Go Rabbit Hutches in frost during winter

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How the Eglu Keeps Your Chickens Warm in Winter

In winter, one of the biggest concerns we see from our customers is: “how well is the Eglu going to keep my chickens warm?”. In this blog, we explain the science behind the Eglu’s carefully designed features, which ensure your chickens are kept nice and toasty in the colder months. 

Insulation 

Air is an amazing thermal insulator. Heat is conducted between an area of more heat to an area of less heat. The warmer molecules vibrate rapidly and collide with others, passing on energy. If the material the heat (in this case the body heat from the chickens inside the coop) is trying to pass through has few molecules in it then it will be harder for the heat to transfer through it. This is the case with air, and that is why it’s commonly used as an insulator in everything from walls and windows to cooking utensils and drinking flasks – and chicken coops!

The Eglus’ unique twin wall system captures air in a pocket between the inner and outer wall, taking full advantage of air’s great insulating properties. This solution stops the cold air from moving into the coop, and retains the warm air in the coop. The same process also keeps the chickens cool in summer by stopping the warm air from entering the coop and making it too warm.

Ventilation 

Perhaps even more important than the coop’s insulating properties, is how well ventilated it is. If the coop doesn’t have good ventilation, you run the risk of either having a nasty draft if the coop has badly positioned vents or large holes and openings, or a build up of moisture if the coop is too tightly insulated. Both will prevent the chickens from staying warm on chilly winter nights, and can cause unpleasant respiratory illnesses.

The Eglu coops are designed to let air flow through the coop, but without creating an uncomfortable draft for the chickens. The vents are positioned in such a way that your pets won’t notice the fresh air flowing through the coop, but the warm air evaporating from the animals and their droppings will move through the vents and prevent any moisture. 

How chickens keep themselves warm

Chickens, like many other non-migrating birds, have a layer of downy feathers under their visible plumage that they can fluff up to create air pockets close to their bodies. This will retain the heat, and will keep them warm during winter. 

Chickens also have a high metabolic rate that will speed up even more during winter, helping to keep their bodies warm. This is why you might have to feed your chickens a little extra during the winter months. 

Chickens are also able to decrease the blood flow to their bare legs to minimise loss of body heat. The overlapping scales on their feet and legs trap some warm air, so walking on snow and ice rarely causes chickens any discomfort. When roosting in the cold, the feet and legs are tucked in under the warm feather blanket, and the chicken might also tuck its head under a wing to get some extra body heat.

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10 Things Not to Do in Winter if You’re a Chicken Keeper

A close up of a grey chicken with the Eglu Go behind in the snow 2

1. Don’t Shut Your Chickens in Their Coop

Chickens are built to be outside, and they are known to withstand some pretty extreme temperatures. Under the visible plumage birds like chickens have a layer of downy feathers that can be puffed up to create an extra layer of insulation that will keep them warm. 

Cooped up chickens will soon get bored and agitated, and even though you might be surprised that they choose to go out in freezing temperatures, you should definitely always give your chickens the opportunity to stretch their legs. 

Ensure chickens have a dry and sheltered spot in a secure run or in an area of the garden where they can spend time outside. We have plenty of different covers that makes this an easy job. Clear covers are ideal for winter as they will protect your chickens from wind and rain while still letting the light in. Put straw on the ground to prevent a build-up of mud, and install a perch or two for the chickens to rest on during the day. 

Close the door to the coop when all chickens have gone inside to roost for the night, or let your Automatic Chicken Coop Door do it for you. If you have chickens who are eager to stay out later you can use a Coop Light to encourage them up to bed. 

2. Don’t Compensate for Bad Insulation by Blocking up the Coop

Well insulated coops, like the Eglus, will keep the chickens warm in winter by capturing the heat from the chickens’ bodies while not letting any cold air travel through the walls. They are also designed to let air flow through the coop to prevent a build up of moisture, without any nasty drafts.

Drafts and moisture are the two biggest winter enemies for chickens, as they make it difficult for them to stay warm and dry. If the coop is too tightly insulated the moisture evaporating from the chickens breaths and droppings will have nowhere to go. This humid environment – and the possible build up of ammonia – is really bad for chickens, and can lead to unpleasant respiratory illnesses.

Make sure that your coop is well ventilated, with vents that directs the air somewhere other than straight onto your chickens. 

3. Don’t Heat the Coop

Chickens are hardy creatures that will gradually adapt to lower temperatures, and heating the coop will mean that your chickens never get used to the cold. This will also make them less likely to actually leave the coop and get that exercise, fresh air and entertainment that they require to stay happy and healthy. 

Apart from the fact that heaters in the coop will always be a potential fire hazard, you also run the risk of your ill-adapted chickens getting a shock at a sudden drop in temperature if the power was to go off for some reason. This is much worse for them than having a slightly chillier coop. 

If you’re worried you can always add a bit of extra bedding to the nest box, or put an extreme temperature cover on your Eglu. 

A boy in a snowy Eglu coop with his chickens

4. Don’t Leave Eggs Too Long

Although the Eglu will keep your eggs warm and toasty, there is a risk that eggs laid elsewhere in the run or the garden will freeze in winter. Frozen eggs are not automatically dangerous to eat, but when the content of the egg freezes and expands, there’s a higher risk of bacteria entering through the cracks in the shell. 

Collect the eggs every time you visit your chickens to minimise the risk of a frozen yolk.

5. Don’t Ignore the Water

As goes for all animals, you will want to give your chickens constant access to fresh water, even in winter. They won’t drink as much during the colder months, but here that’s actually a disadvantage, as the water is more likely to freeze if not touched regularly. 

Bring the drinker inside overnight and take it out when you go to check on your girls in the morning. If the temperature goes below zero during the day, check the water as often as you can, and break the ice or change the water if it has frozen. 

There are several water heating solutions available on the market. Omlet stock Eton Drinker Heaters that you can easily plug into an outdoor power source, but there are also battery powered heaters you can put in the water. Just make sure the chickens are not able to peck their way through the heater.

If the temperature stays around zero, you can put something floating in the water, like a tennis ball. As the floating object moves, it will break up surface ice as it forms on the water, which will stop, or at least slow down the freezing process.

6. Don’t Put Off Cleaning the Coop

Hanging out in the garden is not as tempting in winter, but you will still need to make sure the chickens’ house is nice and clean. It is likely that your chickens will spend more time in the coop in winter and produce more droppings there, so keep an eye out and change your routine accordingly. 

7. Don’t Limit the Fun

The chickens might not venture as far out in the garden as they normally do, and the opportunity to forage for bugs and other treats will be limited when the ground is frozen or covered with snow. This can lead to chickens getting bored, which might result in aggressive feather pecking and egg eating.

You will need to make sure that they have plenty of fun things to do in their run. We have lots of boredom busting accessories in our shop. Put up perches the chickens can sit on and try the super fun Peck Toys or the Caddi treat holder for gradual treat-dispensing hentertainment. Or, if you feel your chickens might be the adventurous kind, why not put up a Chicken Swing they can enjoy together?

8. Don’t Stick To the Same Feeding Schedule

Your chickens will most likely eat more in winter, as they need the energy to keep warm. Give them some extra food, and make sure it doesn’t freeze in the feeder. For an extra snack, sprinkle some corn on the run in the afternoon to add both calories and some foraging fun. Or why not try this yummy chicken porridge that will warm their tummies on cold winter mornings.

Also make sure that you provide plenty of grit. As chickens don’t have teeth they need it do digest their food. The rest of the year they find and swallows little stones and pebbles as they peck around the garden, but if the ground is frozen this will be much harder.

9. Don’t Ignore Combs and Wattles

All chickens, but particularly breeds with large combs and wattles, run the risk of frostbite on these sensitive body parts during winter. It’s not necessarily dangerous as it’s normally just the tips that get affected, but can be a bit uncomfortable. To prevent this, apply petroleum jelly to the combs and wattles during cold spells. 

10. Don’t Take Covers off When the Sun Is Shining

If you’re in the habit of taking the covers off the chickens’ run when it’s sunny, it might be a good idea to stop doing this in winter. Clear covers in particular will create a lovely sunroom feeling on the run when the sun is out, and your girls will love having a warmer spot to retreat to. Covers will also stop cold winds, so we would suggest keeping them on permanently in winter.

A close up of a grey chicken with the Eglu Go behind in the snow

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Snow Safety Tips for Pets

Omlet Eglu Cube Chicken Coop covered in snow

Snowy weather can bring great fun for all the family, but when it comes to our pets we need to take extra care to keep them happy and healthy (even if they love it!) Take a look at our snow safety advice, and make sure you’re prepared for whatever winter may bring…

Dry off damp fur and feathers

Check on your outdoor pets a few times throughout the day during periods of snowy weather and check they haven’t got too wet. Damp fur and feathers will take longer to dry during colder temperatures, making it difficult for them to warm up again. Indoor animals should also be dried off with a towel after being outside or going for a walk. 

Clean paws of ice

For dogs and cats in particular, snow can get compacted into their paw pads and turn to painful cubes of ice. Use a towel or drying mitt to dislodge any chunks of snow and dry off their feet. Also take care when walking your dogs in snow, as salt used to grit the roads can be poisonous. Watch that they don’t stop to eat snow at the roadside and clean their legs and paws of any snow or dirt after their walk. 

Extra food 

Pets of all kinds will use more energy to keep themselves warm in winter, particularly in super cold, snowy spells, so they will benefit from some extra food. Although they will appreciate more treats, don’t be tempted to overfeed on these. Something nutritious will help them the most.

Extra bedding

Outdoor pets will need more dry bedding in their coop or hutch for them to snuggle into and keep warm. However, make sure their home is still well ventilated to keep fresh air moving through and prevent health problems. Read other ways you can get your coop winter-ready. Indoor animals might also appreciate an extra blanket or a cosy den for bedtime. 

Potential risks

If you have a cat who still likes to go outdoors whatever the weather, be wary of the potential of antifreeze poisoning. Look out for symptoms such as vomiting, seizures or difficulty breathing and call a vet immediately if you think your cat may be ill. Find out more about anti-freeze poisoning here. An outdoor enclosure could also provide a solution for letting them play outside in safety.

Don’t forget about the wild birds in your garden! 

Place a wide bowl or tray of water in your garden with something inside to float around (e.g. rubber duck!) to keep the water moving and prevent freezing. Extra wild bird food will also be appreciated!

A cat looking outside the window - snow outside

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How the Autodoor Makes Winter Easier for You and Your Chickens

We can learn a lot from chickens. They go to bed early, and once indoors they snuggle up together to keep warm. No messing about after hours. As a result, they’re ready for a fresh start as soon as the sun comes up.

The problem is, there’s often no early-rising human around at dawn to open the door of the coop and let the hens get on with a busy day’s scratching, foraging and laying. Equally, you might not be able to be there to lock the door behind them after they’ve headed for bed early in the bleak midwinter.

An open door in the chicken shed lets in the cold, and unless your coop and run are secure, some very unwelcome night visitors of the four-footed kind might come calling…

Omlet Eglu Cube Chicken Coop with Autodoor in the snow

“Someone should invent an Autodoor for chicken sheds…”

Fortunately, the necessary security-cum-draft-excluder has already been invented. Omlet’s Autodoor attaches directly to the Eglu Cube Mk1 and Mk2 chicken houses. But it’s not exclusively for those models – the Autodoor works with any chicken coop, with a unique and clever design that enables it to be attached to whatever des res your chickens are living in.

Like many ingenious inventions – wind-up radios and wind-up torches come to mind, or solar powered garden lights – Omlet’s automatic chicken coop door opener is very simple. It’s battery powered, with both a timer and a light sensor for maximum flexibility and control. The Autodoor won’t instantly seize up when the temperature plunges, either. It’s been tested to work down to minus-20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit).

The Autodoor is also very easy to install. Its LCD control panel is separate from the door itself, so it can be placed in the best position for the built-in light sensor to do its work.

The door, once closed, is also very secure. It doesn’t use a string and pulley system, so it can’t be lifted up by hungry creatures hoping for a midnight chicken snack. Nor will they be able to squeeze through the tight seal once the door is shut.

Attaching the Autodoor

If your hens live in an Omlet Eglu Mk2 Cube or a chicken coop made of wood, the Autodoor comes with all the fittings you need. You’ll need a few extra attachments if you want to fit the door to a Mk1 Eglu Cube, an Omlet Run or a set up involving traditional chicken wire.

The control panel and light sensor attach via a robust cable, so you can choose the best spot for registering the daylight. The sensor doesn’t mean your hens have to be home before the sun hits the horizon, though. You can set it to close an hour after sunset, to suit your birds’ routine. Equally, it can be set to open an hour after first light, if your chickens are used to having a bit of a lazy start to the day. This makes sense when the days are particularly cold – the hens might want to take advantage of their cosy place on the perch for as long as possible before venturing out into the cold frosty morning.

The door will not open in the night, even if passing headlights, a security light or a torch beam shine on the coop. It has been designed to ignore these temporary bursts of light, and only open when there has been consistent light for an amount of time fixed by you via the control panel.

So basically, that’s your chickens’ winter worries sorted.

It’s possible that you have a stoical family member who is willing to be on guard at dawn and dusk every day throughout the cold winter months to open and close the coop door. Lucky you –that’s real chicken dedication! 

For everyone else, the Autodoor does all the work for you when you’re not around. Or, let’s face it, it gives you the excuse and peace of mind to enjoy a weekend lie-in without having to brave the elements on morning chicken duty!

A NEW accessory for the Autodoor

Now your Autodoor can do even more to make winter chicken keeping that bit easier, with the NEW Coop Light. This practical light plugs into the Autodoor control panel and can be set to turn on automatically 5 minutes before your door is programmed to close, to encourage your chickens up to bed. So if you have some night owls among your flock who you worry about being left behind, this is the perfect solution.

You can also use the Coop Light on manual mode to supply light to your coop or run, ideal for checking on your chickens, or for those who are having to carry out their daily chicken keeping duties, once the sun has gone down. The cable between the control panel and the light is 2 metres long so that you can position the light in an optimal place for your set up.

Hens in Eglu Cube Chicken Coop with Automatic Chicken Coop Door in winter

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A Pets’ Guide To Surviving Fireworks Night

Some pets hardly seem to notice fireworks. Others hide quietly until it’s all over. But some are genuinely traumatised by the noisy, flashing skies of Bonfire Night.

Forty years ago, fireworks in the UK were pretty much restricted to November 5th, with a few more on New Year’s Eve. But since then the original Bonfire Night – commemorating the foiled attempt of Guy Fawkes to blow up the Houses of Parliament – has partly uprooted and sprawled across the surrounding weeks to create a longer Fireworks Season. This begins around Hallowe’en on October 31st, and continues through to the weekend after November 5th, petering out slowly as people’s fireworks supply is used up.

For a pet who’s afraid of the bangs, whizzes and flashes, this extended fireworks season is bad news. There are, however, a few things you can do to minimise the stress.

The Big Bang

When talking about pets hating fireworks, we’re usually talking about dogs. The RSPCA estimates that 45% of dogs are afraid of fireworks to some degree.

Cats will find a quiet space away from all the fuss (although some individuals certainly get stressed by all the noise). Keep your cats indoors when the bonfires are blazing. They can quickly panic if fireworks go off suddenly nearby, or if sparkler-waving children come running down the street.

Small animals such as gerbils, hamsters and guinea pigs will either ignore the explosions or sit it out in their hidey holes.

Most caged birds don’t enjoy the sudden rupturing of the night skies – they like their nights to be dark and their days to be light, not a crazy mixture of the two. If your budgie, parrot, canary or pet finch is in a room affected by the flashing lights, you might want to cover the cage. But some birds don’t seem to ruffle a feather, in spite of the fireworks.

What you should never do is allow the pets to be trapped in their outdoor runs or aviaries with no bolt hole. As long as outdoor pets have a covered area to escape to, they should be fine.

Dogs Hate Fireworks

If your dog isn’t too fazed by the noise and lights, simply keep him indoors while the party rages outside. For more skittish dogs, there are a few extra precautions to take.

  • Stay indoors with the curtains and windows closed. A scared dog caught outside is very likely to run away.
  • Use a crate or other safe space. If there’s somewhere the dog associates with safety – a Fido Crate, perhaps, or a quiet room with a dog bed – make use of it. If there’s a room facing away from the main area of firework activity, put the dog in there. A bathroom often works well for this purpose. Gentle music can help keep out the noise too. Put familiar objects in the safe room – the dog’s bed and blanket, and some favourite toys. And stay with him, unless he’s happy to curl up and sleep through the storm.
  • For very nervous dogs, vets recommend a wrap or dog vest, tight enough to apply gentle, constant pressure. This soothes and calms your poor pet.
  • Stay calm yourself, and stay with your dog. That will help enormously.
  • Don’t be tempted to let your dog go outside for any reason, and make sure he’s had his walk during the daylight. Even a dog who takes it all in his stride indoors might suddenly panic outdoors when the fireworks start to fizz.

Prepare In Advance

You can desensitise dogs to the sound of fireworks to a certain extent, by getting them used to loud noises. The best way to do this is to play thunderstorm or fireworks sounds at a low volume, giving the dog treats and lots of fuss and play in the meantime. If you then increase the volume while keeping up the treats and play, it will, in most cases, make your dog associate the noise with good times.

This doesn’t work with all dogs, but it’s definitely worth a try if you want to have a stress-free Fireworks Night. There’s not long to go, so better start now!

 

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How to Make a Cosy Den for your Pet

 

Have you ever found your dog or cat curled up in some tiny, enclosed places around the house when the weather gets cold? Perhaps under the bed, behind the sofa, or even in an empty box? This is because when the temperature drops, most of their usual snoozing spots become very cold and are exposed to chilly drafts. You can help your pet find a more comfortable and warm space for naps in winter by creating a snuggly den that they can call their own. Read on to find out how…

Find a cosy corner of your home

Keep an eye on your pet’s favourite places to curl up for naps, they will probably be showing you their preferred spot for feeling secure so they can completely relax without keeping one eye open. This should be in a warm room in your house where they will have some company, but not so much that they will be kept awake or interrupted frequently. If you have young children in the house, you might want to consider a room that the little ones have little access to. 

Find the perfect bed

Sleeping on your bed or sofa might be your dog or cat’s usual spot for comfort and cosiness, but unless they sneak under the covers, they will likely still be exposed to those pesky drafts, nevermind the fact your bed will be victim to muddy paw prints! Placing their bed within something else to create a ‘den’ is an ideal solution.

The Fido Nook Dog House and Maya Nook Cat House offer just that. Designed like a piece of furniture, the Nook offers a much more secure space where your pet’s bed can be slightly raised off the ground and concealed further by the roof to limit drafts and maximise comfort. The Nook is also available with curtains which can be attached to the front and back for further warmth and cosiness. For more anxious pet’s who may get worried by loud noises and fireworks, the curtains provide extra security and the feeling of being hidden, without your pet needing to get stuck behind the sofa!

To complete your pet’s new den, you need to carefully pick the perfect cosy bed for them. You probably already have some idea of what your pet does and doesn’t like to sleep on. The Classic Fido bed offers a simple, mattress-like bed for your pet to relax into without feeling enclosed or overheating. 

Add the finishing touches

A cosy den isn’t complete without blankets and cushions. Finally, pop your pet’s favourite cuddly toy inside to make the new den really feel like home!

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This entry was posted in Cats


How to Prepare your Chicken Coop for Winter

A chicken keeper and her dog outside in the snow with an Eglu coop

The temperature is already dropping rapidly, the nights are drawing in and we are just weeks away from the first frost. Although the fresh air and crunchy leaves may be loved by some, the signs of winter being just around the corner can be a worry for chicken keepers. 

Now is the time to act! Get your chickens’ coop ready for the colder months before the freezing temperatures hit, and you will be able to rest easy knowing that your girls are warm and healthy throughout winter. 

Take a look at some of our top tips for getting your chicken coop winter-ready…

Move Your Coop Closer to the House

This is a simple step for making it easier for you to look after your girls and give them their daily health checks, which are even more important in the colder months. Choose a lightweight coop with wheels, like the Eglu, to make it even easier to move it around your garden.

Upgrade Your Wooden Coop to an Eglu

An Eglu coop covered in the snow

The main benefit to an Eglu Cube Chicken Coop for chicken keepers in winter is the twin wall insulation found in the design of the plastic house. This works in a similar way to double glazing, by creating a barrier between the cold air outside the coop, and the air in side. The air between the two walls conducts poorly, which means inside the house stays at a consistent and warm temperature throughout winter, whatever the weather is doing outside. Chickens are very efficient at keeping themselves warm, all you will need to do is make sure the coop door is shut at night time. 

Autodoor

…and to make sure your chicken coop’s door is always shut at dusk, even if you are not yet home, the Automatic Chicken Coop Door is a convenient solution for the Eglu Cube or wooden chicken coops. You can set the Autodoor to close at a specific time or light percentage to suit when all your girls have gone up to bed and the sun has set. The Autodoor runs off batteries and has been tested to work down to -10 degrees celcius so there is no worry, however cold it gets outside! 

The other benefit to the Autodoor is that it will open again at dawn so you can head off to work early before the sun rises and your girls need to be let out, or you can stay in bed for even longer at the weekends without going out in the freezing cold to let your chickens out of their coop! 

The NEW Coop Light also makes it easier for you to check on your girls and carry out daily chicken keeping duties if you don’t get home until after dark. This plugs directly into your Autodoor control panel, and can even be programmed to automatically turn on 5 minutes before your Autodoor closes to encourage your chickens up to the coop.

“The nights are drawing in and I couldn’t be happier knowing that my girls are safely tucked up in bed with their Omlet Autodoor closed behind them. The Autodoor has given me peace of mind, flexibility and a well needed lie in! Couldn’t recommend it enough!” – Hayley’s Lottie Haven

Run Covers

Chickens are very good at coping in cold temperatures, but don’t like getting wet, so it would be kinder for them to be protected from the elements when in their run by our clear covers and windbreaks. Available in a variety of sizes to suit your run length, the clear run covers protect your girls from wind and rain so they can continue to play whatever the weather, whilst still allowing light into the run. 

Extreme Temperature Jackets

A close up of an Eglu coop outside

When the temperature drops below freezing for multiple days in a row during the very depths of winter, it might be wise to give your chickens extra warmth with an extreme temperature jacket. Poorly or older chickens, will definitely benefit from this extra support.

Hentertainment

Prevent chickens getting bored when rain stops play with a variety of fun and interactive toys they can play with in all weathers. The Chicken Perch provides an easy outdoor perch which can be installed in their run (and protected by the run covers) for when your chickens can’t perch in their usual spots around your garden. The Chicken Swing provides hours of fun and again, can be easily installed in any run. While the Peck Toys and Caddi Treat Holder offer enriching entertainment as well as a rewarding flow of treats.

Added extras

Prevent your chickens’ water from freezing with a water heater to ensure they have access to flowing water at all times. It is also recommended to provide extra layers pellets and treats during winter, as chickens will need more energy to keep themselves warm and lay their eggs in the colder months.

 

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Eglu Cube vs Wooden Chicken Coop: Which Will Stay Warmer?

Hens stood in the snow next to Omlet Eglu Cube Chicken Coop with weather protection

On a cold winter’s day, when there’s a heavy frost or a thick blanket of snow do you ever wonder how your chickens manage without central heating and a mug of cocoa?  It’s natural to worry if your hens will be comfortable when the temperature dips below freezing.

Unsurprisingly, chickens will look for shelter when the weather’s bad so the first thing you can do to keep your chickens cosy is make sure they have a winter proof chicken coop.  In this respect, choosing the right chicken coop is similar to choosing your own house. You wouldn’t want drafty windows and doors, a leaky roof, and paper thin walls – and neither do your chickens. Many coops that are bought are fine during the summer, but unfortunately when winter comes they can leave their occupants shivering. We set about testing two very different chicken coops over the course of 3 nights in the Bavarian Forest in Germany.  A place that gets more than its fair share of snow and ice.

The first chicken coop was typical of the type sold all over the internet.  On first impressions everything fits together well and it’s attractively painted. It also comes with a roosting bar and a nesting box and a run. It appears that this is a perfectly good chicken coop. However, on closer inspection it’s worrying to find that large sections of the wooden panels are only 5mm thick.  There’s no insulation and nothing in the instructions regarding the suitability of the coop for year round use.

The second coop was the Eglu Cube Chicken Coop by Omlet.  This chicken coop is part of the Eglu range which all feature a twin walled construction providing an insulating layer all round the coop. Similar to the way ice chests are made, it feels extremely robust and heavy duty. You could say it’s agricultural quality in a hobby chicken coop. It looks the part – but would the Eglu keep the cold out and the warm in?

Omlet Eglu Cube Chicken Coop next to wooden chicken coop in the snow

Identical digital thermometers were placed inside the Eglu and the wooden coop which would take readings both inside and outside the coops during the night.  Cameras were also placed inside the coops to record the chickens. After the chickens went to bed the front doors were closed, in fact the Eglu Cube came complete with a rather fancy Automatic Chicken Coop Door which gently closed behind the last chicken.  

As it got dark the outside temperature dropped to -3.8℃.  While it was getting colder outside, it was getting warmer in the Eglu Cube Chicken Coop. Around an hour after the chickens had gone to roost the temperature inside the Eglu Cube was 8.3℃ and it stayed there all night. That’s a plus 12℃ temperature difference.

Unfortunately it was not as cosy in the wooden house. As the temperature outside dropped so too did the temperature inside the wooden coop. At 11pm it was -2℃ inside the coop.  That’s only 1℃ warmer than the outside temperature. In fact the inside of the wooden coop stayed below zero for nearly the whole night, warming to just above zero by 7am.

If it was freezing inside you might be wondering how on earth the chickens survived.  Chickens, as with all other warm blooded animals, have temperature-regulating mechanisms to keep their body temperature at a constant level (around 41-45℃ in a healthy adult hen), so they can cope with a certain amount of cold. Just like wild birds, chickens will fluff up their feathers when it gets cold; this traps a layer of air which insulates the chickens against the cold.  This is why it’s so important that chickens don’t get wet during cold weather, as this prevents them from being able to fluff their feathers up. In addition a drafty coop will make it hard for them to trap this layer of warm air too.

They will also tuck their head under their wings and huddle together with their coop companions to keep themselves warm. On the in coop camera recording you could clearly see how the chickens select a roosting place, and then fluff up their feathers.  

So if the chickens in the wooden coop were able to keep themselves warm even though it was freezing inside there’s nothing to worry about?  Not quite, a coop that’s not insulated or draughty will place extra demands on your chickens because of the heat being lost. Chickens in a cold coop will have to increase their metabolism to turn food and fat reserves into heat at a faster rate than hens in a cosy coop.  If the heat loss is extreme, or a chicken is not fully fit then over the course of several cold nights there is a risk that all the energy reserves are used up resulting in the chicken being unable to keep it’s body temperature high enough with potentially fatal consequences.   

What this test shows is that properly insulated, winter ready chicken coop can make all the difference between a cosy night in the coop and one spent shivering to keep warm. As an added bonus hens that use up less energy keeping warm are more likely to keep laying.

Graph comparing warmth of Omlet Eglu Cube Chicken Coop with wooden chicken coop

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When your Eglu looks like an Igloo

A lot of chicken keepers are worried about their chickens during cold winter days. Chickens are usually well adapted to the cold and as long as their coop is dry on the inside, they feel happy and warm in the Eglu.

Of course there are a few things to look out for and prepare for during the winter, so we have spoken to Stefanie, who is going through her second winter with the chickens in their Eglu Cube this year. She tells us about the preparations and adaptations she makes for when the weather gets icy and how she and her chickens get through the season.

Omlet: How long have you been keeping chickens and how many have you got?

Stefanie: We have been keeping six chickens since February 2018.

 

Omlet: What is your favourite thing about keeping chickens?

Stefanie: I love that we have our own, freshly laid eggs every morning.

Omlet: You live in an area of Germany that usually gets very cold and snowy in winter. How cold can it get in winter and how much snow do you have at the moment?

Stefanie: We live in Lohberg, in the south of Germany. The temperatures are usually between -5 and -15 degrees in winter, so it does get very cold here. We currently have around 50cm of snow, which is normal for this time of year.

 

Omlet: What changes to you make to the Eglu Cube to get it ready for winter?

Stefanie: We use the Extreme-Temperature Jackets and run covers during the winter as they help keep the cold out.

 

Omlet: Do you change the daily food and water routine during the winter?

Stefanie: We make sure to feed them more regularly and keep an eye on them to make sure they definitely eat enough. They eat a lot of fresh lettuce, and I like to give them warm food to help them keep warm. Keeping an eye on the water is extremely important as it easily freezes.

 

Omlet: Do the chickens use the run more or less in the winter than they do the rest of the year and do your chickens like snow?

Stefanie: My chickens don’t like snow at all, so that’s why they mainly keep to the covered areas of their run, where it’s dry.

 

Omlet: Do your chickens lay eggs in the winter?

Stefanie: Our six girls don’t lay as much as they usually do during other times of the year, but even though we have a lot of snow, we still get around two to three eggs every day.

Omlet: Do you add a lightsource to your coop?

Stefanie: Yes, we do have a light in the coop as it gets dark very early these days.

 

Omlet: As chickens love scratching and foraging for food, do you give them some other entertainment when it’s snowy and icy?

Stefanie: Yes, we tend to spread some corn in the covered areas of their run. This keeps them entertained and offers them a chance to scratch naturally.

These are great ideas to keep your chickens happy and healthy during the winter. Have a look at our video of top tips for chicken keeping in winter:

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This entry was posted in Chickens


Caring for Your Rabbits in Winter

A fluffy brown rabbit in the snowWhen the temperatures drops, most rabbit owners know the importance of checking that their pet’s hutch is winter ready.

However, did you know it’s just as important to consider your rabbit’s emotional needs as well?

Brave the Cold to Give Your Bunny a Cuddle!  

An often overlooked problem for rabbits in winter is that they have reduced playtime with their owner. When the weather’s nice, you’ll often be outside even if you’re not specifically going out to see your rabbit.  You and your pet will benefit from lots of regular visibility. However, in the winter when you’re not going outside as much, you and your rabbit will also be missing out on regular contact and this will have a significant impact on your rabbits’ health. Even if kept with other rabbits, they can still miss you and feel lonely. Brave the cold and get outside to maintain as much of their normal routine as possible.  And remember rabbits are crepuscular meaning they are most active at dusk and dawn so even when it’s dark you can still pop out to see them, it’s unlikely you’ll disturb their sleep.

As well as less playtime with their owner, less exercise is also an unhealthy side effect of the winter months. It is incredibly important you do all you can to avoid this affecting your rabbits’ health.

Consider a hutch with a run attached so that your rabbits have access to space for exercise during the day. A large walk in run also makes it easier for you to play with your rabbit, as there is space inside for you to join them, and you and your rabbits can be protected from the elements by covers over the top and around the sides of the run.

An Eglu Go hutch covered in snowIf your rabbits’ hutch is not attached to a run, the Zippi Tunnel System is an excellent solution to link these two together, and provide rabbits with easy access to a larger area for exercise when they choose. You can also open the run in the morning and close in the evening by using the door on the Zippi Tunnel entrance.

Provide lots of dry bedding in their hutch and if your rabbit’s get really wet then you can dry your rabbits with a towel after outdoor activity. Check there is food and water available in the run, as well as a shelter and toys. You can even place some bedding in the run to encourage exercise when it is cold.

Your Rabbits’ Home

In winter, ensure that your rabbits’ home is waterproof, dry and ventilated. A common problem with standard wooden hutches is that they can become damp and cold from leaks and drafts. If you do have a wooden hutch, it is important to check the home for damp patches regularly. You will also need to remove any wet bedding promptly as this can freeze.

Consider moving your hutch closer to your house, in a sheltered area to protect it from wind and rain and make it easier for you to check on your bunnies regularly.

Provide your rabbits with extra bedding to keep them warmer during these colder months, and you may also want to purchase a safe microwavable heat pad to place underneath bedding if temperatures drop below freezing.

Ensure your rabbits have access to clean drinking water at all times, as they will likely drink more in winter, and check this is not frozen on particularly cold days. As well as hay, provide your rabbits with some leafy greens as these may be in short supply for them in your garden at this time of year.

Some owners bring their rabbits indoors for winter. This can be a great way to keep pets warm and healthy in the colder months, however, the process needs to be carefully managed. Moving your rabbits into a different habitat can be a stressful change, which should be done gradually. Remove all hazards and cables from ground level in the rooms which your rabbits will have access to, provide a dark sleeping spot, and place familiar items from the outside hutch into the home.

We recommend seeking further advice from animal welfare experts such as the RSPCA or your vet if moving your rabbits indoors.

A grey and white fluffy rabbit sat outside

If this is not an option for you, or if your wooden hutch is looking a little worse for wear, and not providing your rabbits with the warm, dry shelter, they require, consider upgrading to a insulated waterproof hutch, such as the Eglu Go, which offers complete protection against the elements.

The Eglu Go Hutch has a unique twin wall insulation system which works in a similar way to double glazing to keep your rabbit’s home well insulated, while the draught-free ventilation system allows fresh air in without blowing cold air over the bedding area. The removable bedding tray can be slid out and cleaned quickly making it easier for you to meet your rabbits’ needs and maintain their dry living conditions.

Watch this video to see how easily the Eglu Go Hutch can be made completely winterproof…

Source – RSPCA (https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/rabbits, https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/seasonal/winter/pets)

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This entry was posted in Rabbits


New Year’s Resolutions for You and Your Pet

A woman jogging on a beach with her dog

January is historically the month to set yourself some achievable goals for the year ahead. We’ve put together some ideas for creating New Year Resolutions for you and your pet!

Get fit

No more quick walks around the block after dinner. 2019 is all about getting fit with your pet. Both you and your pet will reap the rewards both physically and mentally. On an average 30 minute dog walk you can burn between 100 and 200 calories.

Try a new activity with your pet

From hiking to kayaking, hitting the waves to joining a pet exercise class, it’s easier than ever for people to incorporate their pet into a new pastime. These new activities will help you burn lots of calories! A 30 minute walk on the beach will burn approximately 150 calories and you could expect to burn 220 calories on a 30 minute hike.

Incorporate more playtime into your routine

Dogs love to play games and Cats love the thrill of chasing a toy; let’s just not tell them it’s exercise! Enjoy spending more time playing with your pets this year. A fun 20 minute tug of war would see you burn 50 calories.

Groom your pet every day

Brushing your pet helps to remove excess fur from their coat which reduces the amount you find on your clothes and furniture. It also helps distribute oils from the skin to the fur, to keep their coat healthy and shiny. Grooming an average sized dog burns 200 calories.

Teach an old dog a new trick

Studies show that mental stimulation can help reduce cognitive deterioration in older animals. By keeping your senior pet’s brain active, it can actually make it healthier.

Update your pet’s ID info

Over the course of a year, a lot can change — people move, get new phone numbers, and forget to update their pet’s tags. Don’t wait — update their tags and microchips now.

Make new friends

Visit your park and get to know other pet owners! It’s easier that you think!

Maintain a healthy diet

Lead a healthy life with a balanced diet and not too many treats.

Most of all; enjoy spending time with your wonderful pets!

A girl holding her hamster with the Qute cage in the background

 

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This entry was posted in Pets