Eglu Chicken Coops: are they worth the money?

Looking for a durable, predator-proof chicken coop that will withstand extremes of temperature? You've just found it.

The Eglu Cube chicken coop: general information.

Omlet, the company who make the Eglu Cube, have a common specification for their different coop designs.

It includes:

• a resilient, weather-resistant shell which lasts for years
• double-walled insulation which keeps heat in in winter and out in summer
• smooth, rounded surfaces which don't allow mites and other pests to invade and multiply
• removable parts to make cleaning easy...

• effective ventilation to prevent both over-heating and increased humidity
• predator-proof interlocking design in both walls and door.

For more detail about the general features of the Eglu Cube...

...take a look at my full article about Omlet's exclusive design, measured against the required welfare needs for chicken housing.

What does the Eglu chicken coop consist of?

There are two main parts: the roosting house and the nest box. They're separated by a partition with a door which can be left open to allow hens to lay, or closed to stop the chickens sleeping in it.

• The nest box has a door to the outside of the coop so that eggs can be easily collected without going inside. The door handle is secure and not openable by predators.

• The roosting side has perches which can be covered in bedding, or left as is.

• Underneath the roosting bars is a droppings board, which can be removed by pulling the tray out from the back of the coop. It makes cleaning easy and efficient.

How many chickens can the Cube hold?

Omlet assess there is enough space in this chicken coop for up to ten bantams, eight medium or six large breed chickens.

This will, though, depend also on the size of run you use. Omlet's smallest run would not be sufficient for the maximum number of chickens. Using the largest run and perhaps some free ranging time, it's right to say that six large breeds would be fine.

Take a look at the costs of adding on an Omlet run on this interactive page – and read my run review, here.

What kind of flock would benefit most from an Eglu chicken coop?

The Cube is ideal in most settings, providing the number of chickens you want to keep tallies with what the Cube can fit.

It's popular for smaller gardens in an urban or semi-urban setting...

and for larger properties where you only want a few hens and can allow then to free range.

Because I already have a large, stone-built coop, I use my Eglu for times when I need a smaller space to isolate chickens, for example...

• to introduce new chicks to the flock, when the weather and their feathering is good enough for them to be outside but they are not yet big enough to defend themselves from the adults

• to isolate new chickens for at least a couple of weeks until I'm sure they are not bringing disease into my flock. It's a place where they can explore their new surroundings in their own time without being hassled...

• to allow a broody hen some me-time with her eggs and, later, her chicks

• to take care of a sick chicken

• to isolate a bully who needs some time to consider his / her behaviour!

The Eglu Cube as a chicken "tractor".

• A chicken "tractor" is just a coop and run that can be moved around. It's useful, particularly if you're placing the Eglu on a small piece of land and want to allow one area to "rest" and grow grass back, for example, while you move the flock onto another part.

• The Eglu Cube can be static, or for an extra cost can have wheels and handles attached, which makes it very easy to move. 

• The mechanism works very smoothly and somehow the whole thing feels very light. Even though mine has a four metre long run attached, and is on a steeply sloping hill, I can move the Cube, complete with run, by myself. 

• Sadly, I haven't taken a video when I have moved it, but here's Omlet's video which shows how it's done.

For more detailed information about how Eglu's runs work, take a look at my article dealing with the Eglu run as a "tractor". It will open on a new page so you can easily come back here to read more about the Cube.

How to build the Eglu Cube chicken coop.

The Eglu is sent as a flat-packed kit. Here's how it arrives – the coop takes four boxes, the run two more...

...and initially it's a bit overwhelming, as you can tell from my short "unboxing" video...

It's really important to watch Omlet's own video of how to build it. We made the mistake of thinking we could do it without spending that time, and it took us probably twice as long as it should have done!

Below is their shortened version. The longer version can be found on their YouTube channel.

So if you're thinking of buying the Eglu Cube coop, don't be put off by what might look like a complicated build. It's really not.

Adding a chicken run.

Unless you intend to free range your chickens all the time, every coop needs a run.

The Omlet Cube is versatile, in that it can stand alone in a run you already have, or you can buy one of the predator-proof Omlet runs which attach to the sides of the coop – which is what I have.

Those runs are the width of the coop and can be as short as 2 metres (6') or as long as 3.5 metres (12'). 

My dream scenario, though, is to have one of their large walk-in runs, like this...

...which would mean I don't have to crawl inside the run to clean it out or retrieve chickens who decide roosting under the Cube would be a good idea...

Again, Omlet has an impressive range of walk-in runs which you can choose to meet the space you have available. As with all their products, they're of a high quality and are, in my view, the closest to a predator-proof run currently available.

I have reviewed Omlet's chicken runs in detail on this page. 

Accessories.

We all like to spoil our chickens and make their life as interesting as possible. Omlet have a range of fun chicken toys (including the famous chicken swing!), and a range of useful products to enhance the Eglu Cube.

• There's the automated pop door (yes, I have this too!) which saves needing to remember to open and close the coop – especially helpful in the pouring rain! It's closing mechanism is slow and ensures no chicken will become trapped, which is a concern with other types of automatic closure.

• There are a number of covers for both the coop and the run, which help protect the chickens from hot weather and shade them from extremes of rain and snow.

• The coop's extreme weather protection jacket is particularly useful in areas of extreme temperatures. Together with the double walled insulation of the coop itself, these will keep chickens safe in even the coldest areas, without the need for extra heat. Much safer than using heat lamps.

• More recently, Omlet have introduced an upgraded "ultimate winter weather pack" (image below), which includes the extreme temperature jacket and adds a windbreak and heavy duty, clear tarpaulin for the run. 

Again, this is expensive, but it's high quality and top of the range. If your area has an extreme winter climate, this is my recommendation.

Pros.

• Omlet's commitment to high quality construction, incorporating the welfare needs of chickens into the Eglu's design, is top of the list.

• Well ventilated, heavily insulated coops means fewer health problems in all climates.

• It's incredibly easy to clean, and the type of materials used mean there is no place to hide for things like red mite, which can be a real problem in wooden coops.

• It's predator proof. That's one of the most important features for me. Of course, it depends on it being placed inside a predator-proof run too. But the coop itself is like a fortress.

• It goes well in any environment from the small urban garden to large rural homesteads.

Any drawbacks?

1. The feeder.

The food and drink containers fix to the run bars. The feeder holds plenty of grain for the number of chickens in the coop.

So why a drawback?

Like all open feeders, they're a rodent magnet. Not only because they're plenty big enough for the largest rat easily to get inside, but because the chickens' pecking scatters grain all over the ground.

As you can see from this photo of one of my Legbars tucking in to breakfast.

The answer?

Either replace the food container with a stand-alone automatic feeder and stand it in the run, or keep Omlet's, place a piece of board underneath it, and take both the feeder and the board in at night.

2. The space underneath the Cube.

This has both an advantage and a disadvantage.

Advantage: it's a safe space for chickens to shelter from weather – both sun and rain.

Disadvantage: if chickens decide they're not going to roost in the coop at night, they have a perfect hiding place. You will need to spend time crawling through the run and under the coop to retrieve them.

The answer?

• Decide to let them have their own way and stay there – within the Omlet run they're safe, after all
• Have a walk-in run
• Start crawling!

Conclusion and Golden Eggs award: is the Eglu Cube worth the money?

If you've read any of my other product reviews, you'll know that I have a "Golden Egg Award" where one egg means "don't go near this product!", and five means "get out there now and buy it!"

So, how many Golden Eggs do I think the Eglu Cube chicken coop is worth?

A Fabulous Five Golden Eggs!

I could have deducted one egg, because this coop is expensive. But you have to look at the cost over time.

The Eglu is incredibly weather-proof. Mine has weathered extreme temperatures in Italy with no problem. My wooden coops, on the other hand, lasted for no longer than two years – three if I covered them with tarpaulin (which then adds to their cost).

It's also about as predator-proof as a coop can get. I have pine martens, packs of wild dogs and foxes looking to feast off my chickens, and none of them has ever gained entry.

And that, as far as I'm concerned, is priceless.

Frequently asked questions about the Eglu Cube.

More information about chicken coops and runs.