The Omlet Blog Category Archives: Coops

How to prevent your hens’ eggs from freezing 

Omlet Eglu Cube Chicken Coop with Autodoor in the snow

If you live anywhere subject to cold temperatures, chances are good that you’ll encounter a frozen chicken egg in the nesting box. Frozen eggs are less than ideal for numerous reasons –  but they can be avoided. Here are some quick tips to show you how to prevent your eggs from freezing before you get to them. 

Why do eggs freeze? 

Eggs are mostly liquid inside until they’re cooked or are able to develop into a chick – and like other liquids, they have a freezing point. Chicken eggs freeze around 29℉, and can freeze solid in just a couple of hours. Since a non-broody hen doesn’t sit on the eggs for long, eggs laid in the nesting box are susceptible to the cold. 

How can I tell if an egg is frozen? 

Frozen eggs may feel more dense than usual, and may also crack, burst, or bulge from the internal pressure. Some eggs may not be completely frozen when they’re collected, and if you use them right away, you may see the partially frozen egg white. Partially frozen eggs may also feel off-balance in your hand, or make an audible sound when shaken. 

Can I use frozen eggs?

Eggs that have frozen don’t have the same consistency or taste that you would normally expect from fresh eggs. Frozen eggs can be thawed and eaten, but due to their makeup, their texture will be grainy and unpleasant. Frozen yolks that have thawed will be thickened and gelatinous, losing their ability to be mixed well. 

Any eggs that have cracked or appear misshapen from pressure should be thrown out – including those that have frozen. Once the shell of an egg has cracked, it exposes the egg to bacteria and other contaminants that can make you ill. It’s in your best interest to toss frozen eggs and focus on preventing them from freezing in the first place. 

3 ways to prevent eggs from freezing

Insulate your coop

Insulated chicken coops help contain the body heat from your hens and keep it from dispersing too quickly. It also minimises the effects that the exterior temperature has on the interior, keeping the coop warmer than the ambient temperature. You can attempt to insulate your existing chicken coop – but be sure not to limit the ventilation, which is important during the winter months to prevent moisture buildup. Our line of Eglu Chicken Coops have twin-wall insulation with draft-free ventilation to keep the coop comfortable during the cold. Extreme temperature protection can also be added to further insulate our coops in especially cold climates. 

Focus on the nest box

Make the nesting box as warm and inviting as possible. Thick bedding like straw is a good choice for winter nesting box comfort. You can also hang strips of thick fabric like fleece as a curtain in front of your hens’ nesting area to further insulate against the cold. Chicken nesting boxes should be elevated above the frozen ground, and warm enough to prevent the eggs from freezing until you’re able to collect them. 

Collect eggs more frequently

During the winter months, it’s important to check for eggs several times a day to prevent them from freezing. While chicken eggs can stay in the coop for several days under normal circumstances and still be edible, frozen eggs should be avoided. Hens typically lay their eggs mid-late morning or in the early afternoon. It’s good practice to check the nesting box after your morning cup of coffee, after lunch, and at least one other time before dark. 

What to avoid when preventing eggs from freezing 

There are some insulating or heat-producing measures that may be tempting to take in order to prevent your eggs from freezing, but be sure to avoid: 

  • Placing a heat bulb or plate inside of the coop, as this will make your hens too hot and potentially cause them to go into shock when they venture out into the cold temperatures. 
  • Completely sealing up a chicken coop – this prevents air from circulating and will encourage moisture buildup on the coop and your hens, which can lead to respiratory illness and frostbite on their combs and wattles.
  • Offering blankets or other cloth as nesting box bedding. Hens’ claws can easily become snagged in fabric and cause injury.  

Omlet and your eggs 

Our range of Eglu Chicken Coops all feature the same expertly designed insulating methods to keep your hens as comfortable as possible in all weather conditions. And, with the addition of an automatic chicken coop door, you can schedule your hens to stay in their coop during the coldest parts of the morning – adding heat to both the coop and their eggs. When you choose an ingeniously insulated Omlet chicken coop, you can have confidence that your chickens are comfortable when they roost, play, and lay their eggs. 

A boy in a snowy Eglu Chicken Coop with his chickens

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How to insulate a Chicken Coop

 

boy sits in snow with his chickens and eglu

Insulating your chicken coop and getting your flock ready for winter is vital for their health and happiness. Most chicken breeds cope well in moderately cold temperatures as long as they have a well-insulated, dry coop. Chickens normally acclimatize to the cold weather, so if you have an insulated coop such as an Eglu Chicken Coop, you won’t need to fret during the cold months. In fact, chickens are able to adapt to the cold much better than hot weather! But with a little extra planning and preparation, you can ensure that your flock not only endures the winter, but thrives in it.

Why you should use an insulated chicken coop

Whilst chickens tolerate the cold well, ensuring your chicken coop is insulated during the cold months can promote their health. Whether you live in a state such as Alaska that is cold all year round, or experience warm summers followed by cold winters it’s vital you choose a coop suitable for the weather.

Our range of Eglus are designed with warmth as a core aspect. With a unique double-wall insulation system, you’ll find that our coops work in a similar way to double glazing. Your hens’ body heat is trapped inside whilst ensuring cold air cannot get into the sides of the coop. When comparing Eglus to a traditional wooden coop, you’ll discover that the Eglu provides far more insulation.

The insulation of our chicken coops is not the only benefit they provide. They are easy to assemble, easy to clean, portable and simple to attach to chicken runs. This will allow you to give your flock the space they need to roam during the day, as well as a cozy spot to sleep at night.

How to easily insulate your chicken coop

Whilst our chicken coops are naturally insulated, in really cold temperatures you may wish to insulate their home even more. Our Eglu Extreme Weather Protection are designed to perfectly fit your coop for added insulation. The temperature blankets are filled with a heat trapping recycled material that is breathable whilst keeping your pets warm. They are simple to fit to your Eglu and are easily secured with bunjees.

However, if you do not have an Eglu there are other ways to insulate your coop:

Weather protection & insulation for wooden coops

Your chickens’ coop must be waterproof! Most chicken breeds do well in the cold so long as they are dry. Chicken coops should also be insulated enough to remain warm inside even in the cold of winter. Here are our tips for insulating a chicken coop:

  • Keep your coop and run dry – you can use coop covers and tarps to do this.
  • Spray foam insulation – you can hire someone to insulate your chicken coop with spray foam to help trap heat inside your hens’ nest.
  • Fiberglass insulation – using fiberglass insulation is an easy way to add DIY warmth.
  • Wool blankets – adding wool blankets to the smalls can help to keep the coop insulated.

Ventilation whilst keeping cozy

A well-ventilated chicken coop will ensure that plenty of fresh air gets inside the coop. This will keep the odors down and avoid moisture build-up. Whilst you want to stop chilly drafts, a chicken coop without ventilation will retain moisture along with heat. And while some air circulation is good, make sure the coop is draft-free.

Elevation to reduce dampness

Height can also be an issue when making sure chicken coops are insulated. Coops should be raised off the ground to prevent the base becoming damp. For larger flocks, the Eglu Cube is an excellent choice for both insulation and elevation. If your coop doesn’t have legs, you can place bricks under the coop to allow air to circulate and reduce dampness. Always make sure you place or build your chicken coop and run-on high ground that won’t flood during heavy rainfall.

Size of the coop

It seems counterintuitive, but chicken coops can actually be too big. When the coop is too big for the size of the flock you have, your chickens won’t create enough body heat to warm up the space. This is why it’s so important to understand how much space your chickens need, when deciding which coop to buy. Chickens huddle together and keep each other warm, so they don’t need much space in their sleeping quarters. Try not to open the door of the coop at night when your chickens are roosting as it can compromise your insulation. Be mindful that this pent-up body heat is keeping them warm, so make coop and egg checks quick! If you have a large coop or barn and just a few chickens, you can place a large cardboard box on its side, half filled with chopped straw or wood shavings in a corner to help them conserve their body heat.

Keeping your chicken run insulated

It’s important that at least part of your chicken run is covered during winter months. Using weatherproof chicken run covers will help reduce how much snow can build up inside the run. You can also build a greenhouse-style addition to your coop, covering it with clear plastic, which will help convert sunlight into warmth. To prevent areas under the run from becoming too muddy, cover wet spots with pelleted pine bedding (usually used for horse stalls). Mud is a breeding ground for poultry parasites, so muddy areas should always be addressed.

Perches for cold chickens

Give your chickens plenty of places to roost. To prevent their feet from getting too cold on the frozen ground, you’ll need to give your chickens a place to perch in both their coop and run. The perches need to be wide enough so that the chickens can cover their toes with their feathers to thaw out chilled toes. By placing freestanding chicken perches or wire-mounted chicken perches, you’ll give multiple hens the opportunity to warm their feet while they’re out of the coop.

Cleaning your coop in winter

Keep your chicken coop clean and dry. Clean the droppings from inside the coop daily and replace bedding as necessary. By keeping the coop both dry and clean, you will help to prevent moisture buildup, which can lead to frostbite on your chickens combs and wattles.

Caring for your hens in cold weather

Keeping your chickens fit and healthy in winter goes beyond just insulating your coop. Here are our top tips for happy winter chickens:

Water in winter

It is important your flock always has a source of fresh, unfrozen water. Depending on where you live, this can pose a challenge. To prevent frequent defrosting, you can invest in a heated waterer or heated poultry drinking base. You can also insulate the water like you have your coop, by wrapping the chicken drinkers up in a layer of bubble wrap to keep the water thawed for longer. Don’t place the water inside the coop, as it will increase humidity levels.

Chicken feed in the cold

During winter your chickens feed consumption will be higher than in the spring/summer. Often chickens enjoy warm feed, like cooked lentils or warm oatmeal with some raisins or other small, dried fruits. Give your hens extra corn or scratch inside of a peck toy for both physical and mental stimulation in the afternoon, as this will heat them up internally as they digest it overnight. Offer hay or dried grasses for extra ruffage to fuel their metabolisms. Hens will decrease or even stop laying eggs in the winter to conserve energy. But you can help encourage hens to continue laying by providing adequate feed – both in quality and quantity. Supply layer pellets to give the right nutrients your egg-producers need throughout the winter.

Take care of their combs and wattles

If it gets extremely cold during the winter, your chickens’ combs and wattles can be in danger of getting frostbite. Most hardy breeds have small combs, but if you have chicken breeds with very large, floppy combs you will need to gently rub Vaseline on their combs and wattles. You will also need to keep an eye out for coughing, sneezing, and general symptoms of being unwell.

Vermin

Remember at this time of year, there are hungry rats and mice attracted to the chickens feed and water. Take extra care with the storage of your feeds. Store feed away from the coop and keep it in an airtight container. If you notice any signs of vermin, remove the feeders and drinkers at night, when they are most active. Offer kitchen scraps or fresh vegetables in a Caddi Treat Holder to keep the floor of your flock’s run free of tempting treats for unwanted visitors.

Fighting winter boredom

With less grass and weeds to munch and fewer bugs to feast on, your chickens will experience boredom in the winter. This can lead to behavioral issues, like feather pecking, egg-eating etc. Prevent boredom by giving your chickens toys like Chicken Swings, perches, piles of leaves, mirrors, or even a xylophone mounted to the run! Keeping your chickens hentertained will ensure they’re mentally stimulated and kept busy.

chickens next to their insulated chicken coop in the snow

Introducing Omlet Petcare

Whether you’re a keen chicken keeper, or have a whole pack of pets, we’re here to help you take care of them. From chicken pens to roam in, to comfy dog beds your pooch will adore.

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Omlet Eglu Go – the perfect home for chicks and ducklings

By Lotte Denckert 


I’ve been lucky enough to be allowed to test the Omlet Eglu Go. Over the spring and summer I’ve first had a brood of chicks and later a brood of ducklings living in my Eglu Go.

The house is awesome to use as a broody coop and for raising chicks. The house is easy to clean, has good draught-free ventilation, it has a good size for chicks and ducklings, and the attached run gives great protection for the little ones early on, when they are very exposed in relation to birds of prey and other unwelcome guests.

Eglu Go for raising chicks

At first, my chicks were living in a cage in our guest room. They were hatched using an incubator and needed a chick brooder in the first few months as it was very cold outside. When the temperatures started to rise and the chicks had more well developed feathers, I moved them out into the coop. I kept them here for about 10 weeks. There were 10 chicks and they fitted easily in the coop until they were large enough to move into the large chicken coop with the grown-ups. I removed the roosting bars in the coop since small chicks don’t sleep on roosting bars in the beginning. I filled the coop with a generous layer of wood shavings and straw since it was still cold in the spring.

The coop is pretty easy to move around, especially if you add the wheels. You can therefore move the coop and run when the grass starts to get dull, this way, the chicks always have fresh grass to walk around on.
It’s great to have a closed run for the first while. Small chicks are exposed to birds of prey – this run keeps the birds from attacking. My grown hens were also a danger to the chicks in the beginning. Chickens aren’t always hospitable when it comes to new members of the flock. The small chicks could be left in peace in their run and the big hens could slowly get used to their presence. This made it so much easier to introduce them later, since they were already used to each other.

Hatching and rearing in the Eglu Go

When the chicks were too large to all live in the coop, I introduced them to the large flock, and then I suddenly had an empty Eglu Go. My ducks had laid a lot of eggs in a large nest but none of them were interesting in brooding. I already had two broody silkies, so I tried putting the duck eggs under them. The chickens weren’t discriminative about the eggs, and they happily lay brooding.. About a week before the eggs were supposed to start hatching, I moved the two hens and their eggs into the empty Eglu Go. The hens were very good about it and continued their persistent brooding, a week later 8 large ducklings came into the world.

Again, I had removed the roosting bars from the coop since ducks don’t sleep on roosting bars. This way, there was also room for two nests. The hens got along fine and they didn’t seem to mind that their babies had webbed feet rather than chicken feet.

Again, the other poultry in the garden could slowly get used to the new arrivals, and for that reason, there were also no issues when, a few weeks later, I let the ducklings and their mothers out to join the others in the garden.

The benefit of having ducks in an Eglu Go is that ducks often prefer to sleep outside. At night I let them into the run attached to the Eglu Go and close the run door so they are protected from predators. At the same time, they can decide for themselves whether to sleep in the coop or out in the run. In the morning I open the run door, so they can run freely in the garden and collect slugs, snails and insects.

I can definitely recommend this coop both for chicks and ducklings, whether hatched naturally or in an incubator. It’s a good idea to choose the 3 meter run, since it gives the little ones more space to play and explore.

 

 

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Helpful tips to keep your hens safe from flu

From 18 January 2018, an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone applies to everyone who keeps poultry or captive birds in England. From 25 January 2018 there’s a similar Prevention Zone in Wales.

 

Here’s some helpful tips:

 

    1. Place your birds’ food and water in fully enclosed areas that are protected from wild birds, and remove any spilled feed regularly.
    2. Keep your equipment clean and tidy and regularly disinfect hard surfaces. Use disinfectant such as Virkon.
    3. Clean footwear before and after visiting your birds
    4. Ensure clothing that you use when handling your chickens is washed after contact.
    5. Use Run Covers
    6. Keep moveable coops in the same place – If coops are moving to fresh ground there is more chance of coming into contact with wild bird faeces.
    7. Keep a close eye on your chickens. If you have any signs of illness, seek advice from a qualified vet.

 

For further information please read the Government Guidelines here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu#prevention-zone

 

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Eglu Cube Mk1 Chicken House – Box Dimensions

Eglu Cube Mk1 (House Box A)
W1250mm x D250mm x H250mm 0.078m3 = 2.76 cubic feet
The box include: Base, Droppings Tray x2, Ladder, Partition, Eggboxes, Roosting Rack 25kg

Eglu Cube Mk1 (House Box B)
W1250mm x D700mm x H200mm 0.175m3 = 6.18 cubic feet
The box includes: Front Face, Rear Panel 14kg

Eglu Cube Mk1 (House Box C)
W1000mm x D850mm x H300mm 0.255m3 = 9.01 cubic feet
The box includes: Lid, Side Panel Left, Side Panel Right, Eggport 21kg

Eglu Cube Mk1 (House Box D)
W850mm x D850mm x H250mm 0.181m3 = 6.38 cubic feet
The box includes: Wheel Assy left and right, Super Glug, Grub, Shade, Fastener Pack. 16kg

Eglu Cube Mk1 (Run Box E)
W1200mm x D240mm x H1040mm 0.299 m3 = 10.55 cubic feet 20kg
The box includes: The run panels

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Cold Weather

The Eglu will keep your pets snug and warm in really cold weather. The Eglu has a special twin walled construction which provides an insulating layer in the chicken coop which keeps the interior warm in winter and cool in summer so that the hens are comfortable all year round.  If you live in a particularly cold area with lots of days and nights below zero or in an very exposed area for example next to the coast or on top of a hill then it’s a good idea to provide your pets with extra insulation in the form of an Eglu Extreme Weather jacket or blanket available on the Omlet website.

Hens are remarkably hardy and their feathers keep them very well insulated in very cold weather. They don’t mind snow but don’t like being damp so try to provide somewhere dry for them to shelter during the rain if at all possible. The only recommendations for winter are to make sure that the water feeder doesn’t freeze by taking it into the house or garage overnight and to make sure that hens with large combs don’t get them frost-bitten by rubbing on some Vaseline to protect them.

Another way you can help the hens is to feed them things which release energy slowly and therefore keep their bodies warmer for longer. Foods like wheat and oats are wonderful slow energy releasers so sprinkling wheat as a scratch feed in the late afternoons or making wheatgerm or oats into a porridge with warm water for an afternoon feed will keep their little bodies warm overnight and will not put too much weight on as corn would.

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How many chickens can be kept in the Eglu

Both the Eglu Go and Eglu Classic houses sleep up to 4 medium to large chickens, however the standard 2 metre run that come with them, are really only suitable for up to 2 chickens, as it is best to try and give each chicken about a metre of run each.

You can extend both the runs, 1 metre at a time, to make them longer which in turn allows you to keep up to 4 chickens… (If you want three chickens, purchase the standard Eglu with a 1 meter run extension, the chickens will be quite happy in a run this size)

The Eglu Go UP can sleep up to 4 medium to large chickens, but again the standard 2 metre run for the Eglu Go UP would only be suitable for 2 chickens. You can also extend the Eglu Go UP run by adding 1metre extensions.

With regards to the Eglu Cube, the house itself will sleep up to 10 small chickens, but with the standard 2 metre run, we would suggest between 4 and 6 chickens, 4 chickens if you were NOT going to let them free range and 6 chickens if you were. The Eglu Cube run extension can also be extended 1 metre at a time, and you can have as many 1 metre extensions as you require.

If you were to have an extension on the Eglu Cube run making it 3 metres long, we suggest the number of chickens be between 6 and 10 chickens, 6 chickens if you were NOT going to let them free range and 10 if you were.

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Discover the Amazing New Eglu Cube

Omlet are delighted to announce the global launch of the new Eglu Cube chicken coop.

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The design of the new Eglu Cube was focused on just one thing, creating the ultimate chicken coop. Made with advanced manufacturing technology, this coop is extremely strong and durable yet surprisingly light, making it effortlessly manoeuverable. Aesthetically pleasing, the clean, functional lines not only look great but also make cleaning the coop a breeze.

The new Eglu Cube is also the safest chicken coop on the market. It has a patented locking mechanism that will outfox any predators and includes a steel weld mesh run, complete with Omlet’s unique anti-tunnel skirt, designed to keep any unwanted visitors at bay.

Omlet New Eglu Cube Lifestyle

 

Comfier, more discreet and easier to clean – the Eglu Cube makes light work of a large flock.  Inside the Eglu Cube, chickens will find a spacious roosting area with contoured bars to provide plenty of perching opportunities.  The nest box, complete with sliding door, is discreetly positioned off to one side for privacy during the crucial egg laying moment.

With space for up to 10 hens you could be collecting a staggering 60 eggs a week. Your family will enjoy an abundance of cakes, quiches and dippy eggs galore!

Omlet’s Head of Product Design Simon Nicholls said “With the new Eglu Cube we really wanted to push the boundaries of what a chicken coop could be.  This is definitely the most advanced chicken house we have ever designed, it’s safer for your hens, more comfortable and even easier to clean. It really is the ultimate hen house.”

Whether you live in a town or the countryside, are a first time chicken keeper or an experienced breeder the new Eglu Cube will delight owners and their hens alike.

Cube_Launch_Lifestyle_Full_UK

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1 day…

She’s got the keys and it looks as though Mrs Barbara is ready to move in… 1 more sleep until we can reveal Mr and Mrs Barbara’s new home. Who’s eggcited?! #MovingDay

Pixelated3

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3 days…

Mr Barbara has followed the chickies and has managed to send us a clearer image of where they’re headed, he sounds very excited about it and can’t wait for you to see it.

“I can see clearly now”…..well not quite but almost there! Hang on, only 3 more days until the big reveal….

 

Pixelated2

 

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7 days…

It appears as though our little chickies have seen something intriguing….can you work out what it is? Their camera can’t quite pick out the details from this far away but we hope to bring you some clearer images as they get closer over the next few days.

#WatchThisSpace

 

Pixelated1

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Eglu saves hens and cauliflower for everyone!

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Omlet Newsletter January 28th 2016

 

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The BHWT has Rehomed Half a Million Hens!

Saturday was a day to remember for Omlet and the British Hen Welfare Trust. The hen charity celebrated a world first by rehoming its 500,000th chicken, and we were there to share the eggcitement.

The half millionth hen was named Dee, as ‘D’ is the roman numeral for 500,000. Following life as a commercial laying hen, she was lucky enough to be rescued from a sad ending by a new family that will love and look after her. Not only will she eggsperience a new life of freedom and happiness but she will do so in the luxury residence of an Eglu Cube, donated by Omlet.

BHWT local coordinator Laura McCulloch said: “To think the BHWT has given 500,000 commercial hens this opportunity is mind-blowing.” And we agree. It is fantastic to think that half a million hens have been rehomed and we were proud to be involved in the big event!

If you’re interested in rehoming a hen or two, please visit the BHWT website. See more photos of the day here!


 

Beatrix and Clan Star in Prize Painting!

In the last newsletter we revealed the winner of our ‘Win a Personalised Pet Painting’ competition and now we are eggcited to be able to share a sneak peek of the prize… Artist Nicola Metcalfe captured the characters of winner Wendy’s menagerie beautifully. (See photos of the gang here.)

The story goes that Wendy’s chickens terrorise her giant Maine Coone cat Beatrix. They go in the back door while she is out of the room and Dotty and Delilah distract Beatrix while Maggie steals her cat food. Apparantly even the runner ducks Jemima and Josephine ‘egg’ her on with a chorus of quacking.

What a cheeky bunch of so and so’s! Wendy loves her prize and we hope it makes you smile too.


Is your hutch looking worse for wear? It’s time for an upgrade!

Treat your Guinea Pigs to a New Hutch and Save over 10%!

Looking for a stylish new home for your guinea pigs, or thinking of keeping some for the first time? The Eglu Go Guinea Pig Hutch could be the answer! This is what Suzanne Locke had to say about her recent purchase:

“I bought two Eglu Go guinea pig hutches, one with a 1m run and one with a 2m run. I was lucky enough to live in the delivery and home setup zone, so no assembly difficulties for me, and my pets were enjoying their new homes in no time at all…. The hutches and runs are well-designed and a joy to clean. I’m so glad I made the investment.” by Suzanne Locke.

Good news! Order your Eglu Go Guinea Pig Hutch with 1m Run today for only £249 (usual price £299).

Use promo code: UKUPGRADEGH (valid until 29/02/15).

We also have great savings on our Eglu Go Chicken Coops and Rabbit Hutches – click here to find out more!


 

Eglu Protects Chickens from Catastrophe!

Eglus are built to survive all sorts of weather and last for years but we recently heard from one family whose coop withstood dramatic flooding! Paul told us:

“As you’ll have seen on the news, the flooding in Aberdeenshire since the turn of the year has been awful and when there’s heavy rain, the water runs down the sloping field behind our home and backs up against our boundary wall forming a little loch. After a week’s solid rain, that ‘little’ loch stood about four feet deep and held about 40 tons of water.

A 30ft section of the wall collapsed catastrophically last Thursday night in the middle of a snow storm, sending all that water flooding into the garden and the area at the back of the house, spilling masonry all over the place and creating a temporary new river down our driveway. Our Eglu classic sits about 15 feet in front of the fallen wall and must have taken the full force of the deluge as all the grass around is was flattened, and the chickens’ enclosure was filled with debris. But not only was the coop unmoved, it seems to have stayed completely intact so our girls saw the turbulent night out, dry if a little spooked by all the kerfuffle.

On reflection we thought that the Eglu’s aerodynamic shape and robust build must have been what allowed it to cope with our mini-flood, so with that in mind, we feel you can safely add ‘flood resistant’ to your list of the Eglu’s eggcellent qualities…. 🙂 “


More Strange Eggs in the Gallery!

Following our ‘egg within an egg’ feature in the last newsletter you have been sending in your weird egg pictures. Rosemary found a teenie tiny pekin egg which she fried and fed to her Cavachon puppy – it was just the right size! Amy discovered another tiny egg, but this one had no yolk. Ingham was another lucky recipient of an egg within an egg, and perhaps the strangest one so far…a shell less egg that looked more like a snake’s skin.

Keep your weird and wonderful pictures coming in! Send to stephanie@omlet.co.uk


Tom’s Tasty Cauliflower Fritters


Transform one egg (and some cauliflower) into something tasty!

Ingredients:
300g cooked cauliflower
2 tbsp chives
1 medium onion (finely diced)
1 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 egg
salt and pepper
panko breadcrumbs
(or fresh breadcrumbs if unavailable)

Method:
1) Once cooked and cooled, mash the cauliflower with a fork or potato masher.
2) Add the onion, chives, flour, nutmeg and salt and pepper.
3) Whisk the egg and add to the mixture (if the mixture is very wet, add a tablespoon of breadcrumbs).
4)
Chill for 30 minutes.
5) In a large frying pan, add oil (sunflower or similar).
6) Heat oil on a medium heat, until a few breadcrumbs added start to bubble and brown.
7)
Form small parties from the chilled mixture and coat in panko breadcrumbs, or similar.
8) Shallow fry for a couple of minutes on each side until golden brown.
9) Drain on kitchen paper.
10)
Serve with a squeeze of lime and sour cream.


New Products and Special Offers

Syn-Vital Bokashi – Great for your chickens’ digestive system and now on special offer due to a best before date of March – now £6 (was £8)

Little Miss Princess – A cute egg cup for the little princess in your life (or is that you?) – £5.95

Woodland Crumble -A tasty treat for garden birds and chickens. Discounted due to a best before date of 02/16 – now £1 (was £2.89)

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Lenham Chicken Coop

The Lenham Chicken Coop is designed to provide spacious accommodation for up to 12 chickens. Its simple design offers ease of maintenance and great access.

Cast: Omlet

Tags: chickens, pets and chicken coop

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Eglu Go Hutch

The Eglu Go Hutch is perfect for keeping rabbits and guinea pigs in the garden safely. The Eglu Go Guinea Pig Hutch and run is suitable for two to three guinea pigs, and the Rabbit hutch and run is ideal for two pet bunnies. The plastic rabbit and guinea pig house is easy to clean and insulated, making it perfect to use all year round and both come with fox-resistant run.

Cast: Omlet

Tags: guinea pigs, rabbits and pets

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Eglu Cube Chicken Coop

The Eglu Cube is the ideal way to keep up to 10 chickens in a town or country garden. It is based on the same revolutionary technology as the original Eglu with slide out dropping trays, hose clean surfaces, twin walled insulated, no maintenance and our No Foxes Allowed protection. The Eglu Cube makes is easy to keep a larger number of hens in your garden and leaves you with more time to enjoy the pleasures of owning chickens

Cast: Omlet

Tags: chickens, pets and chicken coop

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Eglu Classic Chicken Coop

The Eglu is everything you need and want from a chicken house. Offering a standard of living not seen before in chicken house design, it is fitted throughout with a slatted floor that allows droppings to fall cleanly away protecting your chickens from walking on a soiled floor. The integrated nest box is comfortably curved in all the right places to provide a cosy place to lay eggs. To make collecting your eggs easy, the Eglu Classic has an eggport which you can open from the outside giving instant access to the nesting area.

Routine upkeep of this fantastic chicken coop is a simple 5 minute task thanks to the slide-out dropping tray and fully removable lid. You can also be sure of the time and money saving benefits of owning an Eglu because it’s made from modern energy-efficient polymers that never need to be treated. The Eglu Classic is naturally weather resistant and will last for years. At the end of it’s life it can be 100% recycled.

Cast: Omlet

Tags: pets and chickens

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Eglu Go Chicken Coop

The simple, stylish, straightforward way to start keeping chickens. The Eglu Go is the latest in the Eglu range and keeps up to 4 medium size chickens happy and healthy.

The Eglu Go comes complete with everything you need to get started. It has plastic roosting bars and a discreet nesting area which can be filled with straw or shredded paper to make a comfortable nest for your chickens. The freshly laid eggs can be plucked from the nest simply by opening the door at the back and can be served with some buttery soldiers in a matter of minutes – delicious!

You’ll find keeping your Eglu Go in tip-top condition a breeze thanks to its innovative slide-out dropping tray and wipe clean surfaces.

The optional (yet recommended) standard 2m run is made from strong steel weld mesh, virtually impossible for predators to break. A unique anti-tunnel skirt sits flat on the ground and prevents animals from digging in. The run has spacious vertical sides and gives your chickens plenty of room. You can extend the run in 1m sections if you wish. The Eglu can be positioned on grass or any other surface such as wood chippings or rough ground where the chickens can rummage.

The unique tunnel-proof panels have been proven in rigorous testing to be fox and badger resistant. The run means that when you are out and about you can be sure that your chickens are safe. The dark green coating is fused to the metal wires ensuring an extremely durable finish that looks great in the garden.

Cast: Omlet

Tags: pets and chickens

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Boughton Chicken Coop

The Boughton is our best selling traditional chicken house and provides comfortable accommodation for up to six chickens. It is the ideal solution for the first time keeper. The Boughton is specifically designed for bantams and medium-sized birds.

Cast: Omlet

Tags: chickens and pets

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Chickens Sleeping in the Nesting Box

Some hens like to sleep in the nest and while this isn’t necessarily a problem, it can mean that the eggs get very dirty as chickens produce copious amounts of droppings overnight and these can accumulate in the nest, making it very dirty indeed.

Also in warm weather, the nest is a wonderfully cosy, warm place and this can encourage a hen to go broody as this is triggered by a rise in body temperature. If the hens sleep in the nest and get warm overnight, they may like being there so much that they refuse to get off the nest!

A good way to encourage them to roost on the bars where it is cooler and their droppings will fall into the tray beneath the bars is to put something in the nest to block it overnight. A football, brick, upturned plant pot or even a garden ornament will do the job nicely and if you remember to remove it in the morning to allow them to lay eggs, this should do the trick and they’ll learn that the roosting bars are for sleeping on.

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