This Chicken Coop Will Make You a Better Chicken Parent
We recently set up our Omlet chicken coop and wanted to share our experience with you. The Eglu is where the chickens sleep and nest, with a space for them to lay their eggs.
We added a run with heavy gauge plastic to shield our chickens from the rain, especially since we live in Florida with frequent downpours. To make feeding and cleaning easier, we incorporated an extension for a walk-in area, making it more convenient for us.
A critical aspect of the Omlet Eglue is the safety latches that keep raccoons and other critters from harming our chickens. While our setup has been successful in deterring most unwanted guests, we did encounter issues with squirrels finding their way in, so we plan to add some smaller wire mesh to address this. Aside from that, we are delighted with the ease of cleaning and the overall durability of our Omlet chicken coop.
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Omlet Eglu Setup
Our Omlet chicken coop has an Eglu where the chickens sleep at night, complete with a nesting area perfect for laying eggs. We placed the coop in a chicken run and added heavy gauge plastic to give the chickens some relief from the rain since we live in Florida.
We also decided to add an extension for the walk-in area, making it more convenient to feed, water, and clean our chickens. The coop is designed with critter-proof latches to keep raccoons from getting in and harming our chickens.
Inside the coop, we have a water dish and a feeder that are easy to clean and critter-deterrent. We opted to put hay down in the run to keep mud, bugs, and other undesirables at bay.
To clean the coop, unlocking and removing the back area is a breeze. We use a hose to clean the debris and have a simple dustpan to scoop out the used pine shavings from the nesting area.
Our coop comes with an optional automatic door which has proven to be a worthy investment. This door operates on a battery and can be programmed to open and close at dusk and dawn, ensuring our chickens are safely inside at night. It also includes a cute little ladder for the chickens to easily access the coop.
One of the most important features of this Omlet coop is the built-in predator deterrence. An L-shaped pin goes down around the coop, preventing raccoons and other critters from burrowing under the coop to reach our chickens. We’ve seen raccoons on our security camera, but they’ve never managed to break in.
If you’re considering getting chickens, we highly recommend the Omlet chicken coop setup, especially with the walk-in extension. It’s durable, easy to clean, and provides a safe haven for your chickens in all sorts of weather.
The Eglu
Inside, there’s a nesting area with soft stuff that our chickens love. We also have the chicken run attached, with heavy gauge plastic over it to protect our chickens from rain since we live in Florida and rainy seasons are common.
We even added an extension for a walk-in area to make feeding, watering, and cleaning our chickens’ area easier on our backs. Speaking of security, we installed latches on the doors to make them critter-proof against raccoons. The doors have a double design, allowing us to toss treats in without opening the entire door, and we can also easily enter the run without any hassle.
Despite the great design, we’ve noticed that squirrels can still sneak in through the top panel. To remedy this, we’re planning to add some small wire mesh around the area. Our setup also includes a water dish and feeder that is easy to clean and refill. We’ve put some hay down to minimize mud, bugs, and other such problems.
Cleaning the area is simple and quick, and the Eglu itself is very durable. It has survived hurricane seasons without any issue and even comes with a 10-year warranty. We’ve also installed an automatic door for the Eglu, which has been a fantastic addition.
Lastly, the security feature that impressed us the most was the pin design, which goes down in an L shape, preventing raccoons and other critters from burrowing up underneath. Overall, we are extremely happy with our Omlet coop setup featuring the Eglu and highly recommend it for chicken owners.
The Run and Extension
We love our Omlet coop setup – it has been a lifesaver for the chickens, and it comes with some great features that have made our lives a lot easier. Our setup comes with the Eglu, where the chickens sleep at night, and it’s designed with a nesting area where we can collect the eggs.
To keep our chickens comfortable during rainy seasons, we added a heavy gauge plastic on the chicken run, giving them some relief from the rain. And since we live in Florida, that’s a must-have! We also added the extension for the walk-in area, so that feeding, watering, and cleaning their area is much easier on our backs.
Our chicken run is pretty Critter-proof, thanks to the double-door design. The latches prevent raccoons from getting to our little babies. However, we still had some issues with squirrels finding their way in, so we plan to put some smaller wire mesh around it to keep those little critters out.
Inside, we have a water dish that’s super easy to clean, and a feeder which is also designed to be Critter deterrent. We put hay down to keep mud, bugs, and other unwanted things away from our chickens. It’s important for us to keep our setup clean, and this has proved to be a quick and efficient process.
One of the best features is the 10-year warranty. It’s very durable, and we haven’t had any issues during hurricane season so far.
Besides the durability and convenience, we also love the automatic door add-on that we purchased. We set it up to open and close at specific times for our chickens’ sleeping schedules. It’s battery-operated, and it lets us know when it’s time to change the batteries.
Finally, the L-shaped pin design has proven to be the perfect raccoon deterrent. They cannot burrow up underneath it, so our chickens stay safe and sound.
Overall, we are incredibly happy with it and would highly recommend it to anyone considering getting chickens or upgrading their current setup.
Critical Safety Latches
Our chicken setup has some essential safety features to protect our precious chickens from critters like raccoons. We have installed critter-proof latches on the doors to the chicken run and the walk-in area. These latches keep raccoons and other unwanted critters out of the chicken run effectively.
In addition to the latches, our chicken setup has a unique design that prevents critters from burrowing under it. The chicken run sits on an L-shaped pin that extends underground, making it difficult for critters to dig their way in.
Despite having critter-proof latches and secure designs, our setup still allows some squirrels to sneak in through the top openings of the run from time to time. To rectify this issue, we plan to install smaller wire mesh that will prevent squirrels from getting inside.
We take extra care in maintaining our chicken setup with these safety precautions because raccoons have unfortunately managed to get some of our chickens in our previous setup. With our current setup, raccoons have been unable to breach the defenses, which gives us great peace of mind.
Drawback: Squirrel Access
We have encountered one issue with this design – squirrels can easily access the chicken run. The bottom area has smaller gaps making it harder for them to enter, but they can climb up and get in through the top part. To prevent this, we plan to add some smaller wire mesh around it, making it more difficult for squirrels to gain entry.
Regarding our walk-in area, it’s great, as we can feed and water our chickens without hurting our backs. Additionally, we have a Critter-proof double door latch system that keeps raccoons from getting in and harming our chickens.
We also added heavy gauge plastic on the chicken run to provide some relief from the rain, being that we live in Florida and experience rainy seasons. The durability of our chicken setup is impressive, especially considering it withstands hurricane season and comes with a 10-year warranty. We’re extremely happy with this purchase and highly recommend it to anyone with chickens or considering getting chickens.
Feeding and Watering
Feeding and watering our chickens is quite straightforward. In the walk-in area, we have their water dish and feeder.
- Water dish: Easy to clean by wiping it out, and it fits securely onto its base.
- Feeder: Also simple to clean, designed with critter deterrence in mind, and the chickens can easily access the food.
We put hay down, as it helps keep the area cleaner and deters bugs. Our chickens love corn, so we make sure to provide them with their daily corn treat.
To make cleaning as easy as possible, we have a system set up:
- Remove the back area cover using a button and turn the knob.
- Take out the nesting area components to clean them.
- Clean the nesting area using a regular dustpan and pine shavings.
- Put everything back together.
We also got the automatic door add-on, which we’ve found to be incredibly useful. It’s battery-operated and can be programmed to open and close according to our preferences. Generally, we set it to open at dawn and close at dusk.
Durability and Warranty
We live in Florida and often experience rainy seasons, but with the heavy gauge plastic we added on the run, the chickens remain protected. Even during hurricane season, the setup has held up with no issues.
10-Year Warranty – This chicken setup also comes with a fantastic 10-year warranty, providing us with peace of mind and a sense of security.
Critter-Proof Latches – The latches on the doors are strong and designed to keep raccoons and other critters out, preventing losses like we experienced in the past.
Burrow-Resistant Design – The pin of the chicken setup goes down in an L shape, so raccoons and other animals can’t burrow up underneath it. This design has been effective, as we’ve had raccoons captured on camera around the setup, but they haven’t managed to get in.
Optional Add-Ons – We chose to purchase the automatic door, which has been well worth the investment. It’s simple to set up and program, and it opens and closes according to the schedule we choose so the chickens go in and are safe at night.
Add-On Option: Automatic Door
We absolutely love the automatic door add-on for our omelet chicken setup. It has more than paid for itself and makes our lives so much easier. The door is super simple to set up, with just a plug and a wire to connect. Plus, it’s programmable and battery-operated, which is perfect for our needs.
We have ours programmed to open and close at dusk and dawn, so our chickens can go in at night and come out in the morning. The setup also includes a cute little ladder that allows the chickens to run up and down when they come out in the morning.
In addition to the convenience, the automatic door provides extra security for our chickens. Thanks to its design, raccoons and other critters have not been able to get in. This has been a game-changer, especially since we unfortunately lost a couple of chickens to raccoons in our earlier setup.
Raccoon Security
Our chicken coop not only keeps our chickens safe and comfortable but also has raccoon-proof features that protect them from potential predators. We’ve had issues with raccoons getting to our chickens before, so this setup came as a lifesaver. Let’s dive in:
- Critter-proof Latches: The coop’s doors have secure latches that raccoons can’t open. Double doors also make it convenient to throw treats in or access the coop for cleaning without letting raccoons in.
- Chicken Run Design: The heavy-gauge plastic covering provides our chickens relief from rain, and the extension for the walk-in area makes it easy for us to clean and maintain. The design also deters raccoons and other critters from accessing the run.
- Raccoon Deterrent Construction: An essential feature is the L-shaped pin in the coop’s base. It prevents raccoons and other animals from burrowing underneath. They would need to dig a hole, then a tunnel, and back up, which they won’t do.
- Add-ons for Security: We opted for the automatic door that opens and closes according to the schedule we set. This minimizes the risk of raccoons sneaking in during dusk or dawn while the chickens move in and out of the coop.
Overall, we’ve observed raccoons on camera around the coop, but they haven’t been able to breach the security measures we’ve implemented. We are highly satisfied with the setup and would recommend investing in a raccoon-proof coop to fellow chicken owners.
Cleaning the Run
Cleaning our chicken run is a breeze thanks to the design of our omelet chicken setup. To clean their sleeping area, we simply:
- Push the button and turn the knob to remove the back area of the Eglu. It has air vents to keep things well-ventilated.
- Pull out the tray from inside and lean it against the fence. We don’t mind debris on the ground as it acts as natural fertilizer.
- Clean the nesting area by scooping out the pine shavings with a regular dustpan and putting them in our garbage can. We haven’t invested in a composter yet, so we dispose of the shavings.
- Put everything back in place. Slide the tray back in along with the lever and the nesting area is good as new.
Cleaning the run is equally simple. We just stick a rake in there and get out any dirt or debris. The run also has a wire mesh to keep squirrels and other critters out. We’re planning to add a smaller mesh around it for added protection.
Thanks to the extension we added to our chicken run, it’s much easier on the back when feeding, watering, and cleaning their area. We also love the automatic door that we purchased for our omelet setup. It opens and closes according to the programmed time, allowing our chickens to go in at dusk and come out in the morning.
