Great review. I don't know why, but it never occurred to me to leave the bottom trays as is, instead of putting shavings in. That will be much easier! I live in a rainy area, so bought a second roosting bar. I find that really useful. I pull it out, let the rain wash it for a day or 2, then put it under cover to dry until I swap it out again. So quick!
Hey guys! TH-cam has glitched and deleted every comment that I have made to all of my viewers and every other channel I have watched. Just didn't want you guys to think I don't respond. Only the comments from today are showing! Love you guys! Have a great day!
I would purchase one of these Plastic Coops make a few adjustments and convert it into a portable Racing Pigeon loft, I love Chickens too but I’m into Pigeons at the moment.
That would be cool! I don’t know much about Pigeons but have always had a fondness for them because when I was a kid they were everywhere and we fed them.💕
I use PDZ in the bottom tray. PDZ is much like cat litter, but for horses. Doesn't take much PDZ. Every morning I use a cat litter scoop to put droppings and feathers in a small bucket, which I empty onto the compost pile. (Yes, PDZ is compostable.) Have one coop and it takes maybe 2 minutes. A coop accommodates 3-5 full size hens. Omlet also makes runs.
Hey there! Thanks for sharing what you do and for letting everyone know how easy these are to clean out! 😀 I also have the Omlet run. I got the large one with a few extensions and have had for years! Been a super investment. Gets used when it's raining, snowing, freezing, or when needing to be protected from heat! 🥰 Have a pleasant rest of your day! Lolly
Hey there! You are so welcome! 🥰 I love these coops and there are just many advantages to them. Ease ofd use and cleaning is number one and way less parasites!! Wooohooo! I hope you have a pleasant and peaceful day! Lolly❤️
Hey there! Great question! I have 7 of these coops now and they always divide themselves up into smaller groups. If it's summertime and 105 out and still hot at night, I double check to make sure they are dispersed fairly evenly in the coops but it has never been an issue. Some like the same coop all the time but most of them mix it up a little.
Gotta love efficient design! Especially when it benefits both the animal AND the care taker. 👩🏻🌾🐓 I saw these at the Mother Earth News Fair a few years back and thought they were pretty cool. I don’t have chickens but would most likely invest in an Omlette if I did. 🤓
Hey Ayesha! 😀If your chickens are not bantams, I would not put more than 6 or 7 just due to the amount of body heat they put out, even with ventilation. Especially during the summer. It really is a matter of comfort and less likelihood of getting sick due to cramped quarters. It's been a long time since I made that video, but I think mentioned that even if they can fit, doesn't mean it's best. I think maybe you could technically close the coop door, but it might be a less than ideal situation for your chickens. Let me know if you have any other questions. 🥰Thanks for watching and I hope you have a pleasant and peaceful day! Lolly ❤️
Hey Sue! 😀Don't give up hope! 🙂My tiny silkie and my little bantam chicken that I call Pigeon both sleep in there and they are often the first ones in with all of the other chickens. It may be that since they grew up with the larger chickens they learned to go in. So I assume you are picking them up every night to put them in? If so, I am sorry about that. I don't think it's an uncommon issue with silkies and can happen with any type of coop ladder. There should be something we can figure out. I have some questions for you. Forgive me! Is this coop their first coop? How old are they? Are their feet big enough for the poles that they would be sitting on when they sleep? If they are still small, they may not be as comfortable on them yet? Total speculation on that because mine use it. You could find out if that is the case by adding some type of mesh or hardware cloth that offers a little more structure. Even if they are adults, you could try that. You could just lay it over the bars and pull it out to spray it off. Some of it may go through the hardware cloth if the spaces are not too small. If you get a mesh with tiny squares you would have to wash that off daily. Another option would be to put a piece of hardware cloth in there and put their food and water in there during the day for a bit to see if they will go up in there. I am sure experts would say dont start something that you dont intend to keep up, but I have learned that animals are pretty smart and adapt pretty well. When things don't go as planned or by the book, I think it's ok to think outside the coop! 😀 What do you think of these ideas? 🤔 Lolly ❤️
Hey David!🙂 The deep litter method is not necessary with this one and I don't think it would work well. If you fill the bottom of the coop under the bars with litter, the chicken poop won't fall through. There is not enough room. It works best when used with no shavings or a few wood shavings in the bottom. You just slide the tray out and dump it as frequently as needed. How often depends on how full it gets. Once every few days or once a week, etc. The ammonia would be too strong for the chickens if you leave the litter in too long and do the deep litter method. It would make them sick. I hope this helps. Lolly 🙂
Great question!😃 I have 7 now and have used them for 8 years.I have not gone back to wood because I love these so much. I have not had any warping at all.....none whatsoever....they are amazing and this past summer it got up to 115 degrees. No issues and no regrets.🥳
Hey Hattie! 😀I am not sure about how your weather is in your area so I don't want to lead you astray, but I have some really strong winds that come through my area and it's frequent! My family is always talking about we don't live that far apart but my weather is so much more extreme. I have had my HUGE nesting box table fall over and I said it wasn't going anywhere because it was so big and heavy, but the coops have never blown over. I have never had one fall over in all the years I have used them. I am not sure if it's because of the rounded edges on top and maybe it helps the wind go around and over easier??? You could definitely put some stakes of some sort attached to the legs for reinforcement if your wind is worse than mine. Hard to know. I hope this helps a little! 🙂 Have a great evening Hattie! Lolly 🥰❤️
Wow! That is strong wind for sure. I am not sure of the mph here during the windy times here, but it blows stuff all over the place unless it's heavy. I think if I was you, at some point, I might add some kind of rope around the bottom of the legs and use 4 large metal stakes to hold the rope, just in case. I am not aware of a stake that could fit right over the base legs of the coop because of the shape. If you decide to get one and it withstands your winds without stakes, I would love to know. That would give me something more concrete to offer viewers. Thanks Hattie! Have a wonderful day! ❤️Lolly
@@hattiedraper1061 Omlet does make "screw pegs," which are designed to secure a Coop to uneven terrain. They would help in extreme wind too. I live in MS and haven't had a problem in the 6 or so months I've had an Omlet Coop and walk-in run.
Thank you for taking the time to make this very informative video! Do you find the metal runs for this coop useful? Do you use them, and if you do, how long are they? How long would a grass surface last if I had 3 or 4 chickens or how often would I have to move the whole set up arond before the grass is ruined into a muddy mess? Any idea? Thanks!
I have Omlet's metal walk-in run. Ours is 6 ft. wide, 18 ft. long, 6-7 ft. high. That's sufficient for 10 standard size chickens. The walk-in run is not moveable, but it allows me the luxury of sitting with and interacting with my chickens. I started with the Omlet Coop and 6 foot run (not walk-in). I recommend no more than 3 standard chickens for that size and to move it DAILY. If you don't move it daily, then the grass underneath doesn't stay clean enough and you risk coccidiosis, which will kill your chickens.
I literally just saw this! I never got notified of this comment. 🧐 I have a large run because I added the extensions to make it large but I do not move mine at all and there is definitely no grass. I keep the run covered with tarps but my chickens have a lot of room to run around outside the run. Some of them sleep in the coop in the run or on perches. But I have 6 other Omlet coops too. The run provides shelter from extreme temps and rain. The grass definitely doesn’t last very long. If they are in the little run that you can buy with the coop I would move every week if you don’t want mud. In general it depends on your chickens. I would just watch the grass and move before it becomes completely bare. I hope you were able to get the coop and have had a good experience!!! ❤️
Hey Tony! 😀I never keep food in the coops. They only go in there to lay eggs or sleep. I do put food in the run and I also keep food outside the run so that whether they are wandering around or inside the run in the shade, they have food. I use the food containers from Omlet, but I also throw food all around on the ground since they naturally like to be busy scratching and looking for food all day. They love to walk around and stay active. If it's raining, I don't put the food container outside. 🙂I hope you're having a great day! ❤️Lolly
@@morninggloryfarmstead Thanks. i was thinking winter time. I live in the North East so we can get some very cold stretches. Would you still keep the feed and water out in the winter?
Hey! Yes, I would. The reason is that chickens still like to be active in the winter if the snow is not too deep. Also, if it's just really cold but they are not soaking wet they will want to wander around as well. If they are in tight quarters during the winter without activity outside the run they get bored which will lead to squabbling and picking fights which can turn deadly at times although I have not had that happen to mine. I keep them really busy. There is a little stand that I use from Omlet that you can get if you dont have a run to attach their feeding dishes too. You can elevate the food dish higher but of course not so high they can't reach. But if it snows a few inches this is really nice because you can put the food out after it snow. You can rig your own as well. I also make sure the water does not get frozen and check it a few times a day when it's super cold. It's also nice to have something with a roof just to walk under and you could put food and water under that as well. They just need to keep moving and exercise some. This is all best-case scenario and I realize it depends on your set up and finances available to provide for the chickens. Hope this helps! This is great that you are thinking ahead of time for winter! 😀❤️Lolly
Hey Kevin! I don't close it at all. I have only had one chicken who liked to sleep in there over the last 7 years. I had wooden coops prior to that. If it is super cold, like when we had -10, I did close it then to create a smaller space so that they could heat up a little better but that is the only time. If there had been 7 chickens or more in there, I would have left it open. You don't want so much heat that it creates humidity in the winter. If I was going to close it due to chickens constantly wanting to sleep in there and poop in there, I would close it right before dusk before they enter the coop for the night and then open it as soon as I let them out in the early morning. Thanks for stopping by! Hope you are having a great day! Lolly
When my hens are teenagers (pullets), I close the door to the nesting box so they don't get in the habit of sleeping in there. If I have laying hens and pullets, I close the door at night and open it in the morning.
Hey Tay!😀 I clean out the poop in the bottom tray at least weekly. It depends. Sometimes the chickens decide to get in one coop more than the others and so there is less poop in one. They play musical coops. It only takes a couple of minutes to clean it out. Super easy. I dont have to clean the nesting boxes much unless I have a broody hen because they don't poop in the nesting boxes. Sometimes a broody hen will poop on the opposite side of where she is sitting so I clean that out but other than that, super low maintenance! Thanks for watching and I hope you are having a great day! ❤️Lolly
@@morninggloryfarmstead thank you! I’ve been on the fence because I don’t have much time to clean each week. I did buy the omlet walk in run! I’m thinking I’ll get the coop since I just have 4 hens.
I am so glad you got the run Tay! 😀I can't tell you how awesome it is to have the run! 🤗I keep covered to offer shade and protection from wind and rain and they LOVE it! You will love the coop but your chickens will love it even more! I'm telling you that you won't regret it. I love them and they have lasted for years. I am really excited for your hens to have such a lovely home! 🥰You won't have to clean it that often, especially with 4 hens and not 40! It will be perfect for you and your hens! Lolly❤️
That was a long time ago… before I realized the sound I hear on my Mac book pro is different than what you guys hear. Newer videos have all been adjusted.
Wow You have several Omlets You must be loaded 🤔 I mean that’s so Awesome!!
Not loaded at all but have purchased 7 over the years. I have used them many years. 😀
Great review. I don't know why, but it never occurred to me to leave the bottom trays as is, instead of putting shavings in. That will be much easier!
I live in a rainy area, so bought a second roosting bar. I find that really useful. I pull it out, let the rain wash it for a day or 2, then put it under cover to dry until I swap it out again. So quick!
Hey guys! TH-cam has glitched and deleted every comment that I have made to all of my viewers and every other channel I have watched. Just didn't want you guys to think I don't respond. Only the comments from today are showing! Love you guys! Have a great day!
I would purchase one of these Plastic Coops make a few adjustments and convert it into a portable Racing Pigeon loft, I love Chickens too but I’m into Pigeons at the moment.
That would be cool! I don’t know much about Pigeons but have always had a fondness for them because when I was a kid they were everywhere and we fed them.💕
Awesome!👏🏼 thanks for share!! 👍🏽
Hey Rey! You are more than welcome. Have a wonderful day! Lolly 🙂
I use PDZ in the bottom tray. PDZ is much like cat litter, but for horses. Doesn't take much PDZ. Every morning I use a cat litter scoop to put droppings and feathers in a small bucket, which I empty onto the compost pile. (Yes, PDZ is compostable.) Have one coop and it takes maybe 2 minutes. A coop accommodates 3-5 full size hens. Omlet also makes runs.
Hey there! Thanks for sharing what you do and for letting everyone know how easy these are to clean out! 😀 I also have the Omlet run. I got the large one with a few extensions and have had for years! Been a super investment. Gets used when it's raining, snowing, freezing, or when needing to be protected from heat! 🥰 Have a pleasant rest of your day! Lolly
Thanks for the review!
Hey there! You are so welcome! 🥰 I love these coops and there are just many advantages to them. Ease ofd use and cleaning is number one and way less parasites!! Wooohooo! I hope you have a pleasant and peaceful day! Lolly❤️
@@morninggloryfarmstead I plan on giving it a try thanks to your review.
I am just seeing several of my responses from viewers. So sorry! I think you will really like the coop!🥰
How do you get the flock to roost in different coops? Don't they want to stay together?
Hey there! Great question! I have 7 of these coops now and they always divide themselves up into smaller groups. If it's summertime and 105 out and still hot at night, I double check to make sure they are dispersed fairly evenly in the coops but it has never been an issue. Some like the same coop all the time but most of them mix it up a little.
Gotta love efficient design!
Especially when it benefits both the animal AND the care taker. 👩🏻🌾🐓
I saw these at the Mother Earth News Fair a few years back and thought they were pretty cool. I don’t have chickens but would most likely invest in an Omlette if I did. 🤓
Awesome…I just connected…looking forward to watching more of your content…I am definitely in the market for a new Coop…Salute!!!🍃🍃🍃
Hey there! Welcome! I hope you're having a great evening! I have used these coops for years and love them! No regrets! Thanks for watching! 😊Lolly
Thanks for the informative video. Is this the one they say is for 6 to 10 chickens? Also would like to as if 9 orpingtons can fit in there. TiA
Hey Ayesha! 😀If your chickens are not bantams, I would not put more than 6 or 7 just due to the amount of body heat they put out, even with ventilation. Especially during the summer. It really is a matter of comfort and less likelihood of getting sick due to cramped quarters. It's been a long time since I made that video, but I think mentioned that even if they can fit, doesn't mean it's best. I think maybe you could technically close the coop door, but it might be a less than ideal situation for your chickens. Let me know if you have any other questions. 🥰Thanks for watching and I hope you have a pleasant and peaceful day! Lolly ❤️
How does the coop hold up in the rain or sprinklers?
The coop has no issues with water -- rain or sprinklers. It's great in all weather.
So far ours is a waste because the silkies wing go up the ladder. Have made a gentler wood slope but still they won’t. Any advice?
Hey Sue! 😀Don't give up hope! 🙂My tiny silkie and my little bantam chicken that I call Pigeon both sleep in there and they are often the first ones in with all of the other chickens. It may be that since they grew up with the larger chickens they learned to go in. So I assume you are picking them up every night to put them in? If so, I am sorry about that. I don't think it's an uncommon issue with silkies and can happen with any type of coop ladder. There should be something we can figure out. I have some questions for you. Forgive me! Is this coop their first coop? How old are they? Are their feet big enough for the poles that they would be sitting on when they sleep? If they are still small, they may not be as comfortable on them yet? Total speculation on that because mine use it. You could find out if that is the case by adding some type of mesh or hardware cloth that offers a little more structure. Even if they are adults, you could try that. You could just lay it over the bars and pull it out to spray it off. Some of it may go through the hardware cloth if the spaces are not too small. If you get a mesh with tiny squares you would have to wash that off daily. Another option would be to put a piece of hardware cloth in there and put their food and water in there during the day for a bit to see if they will go up in there. I am sure experts would say dont start something that you dont intend to keep up, but I have learned that animals are pretty smart and adapt pretty well. When things don't go as planned or by the book, I think it's ok to think outside the coop! 😀 What do you think of these ideas? 🤔
Lolly ❤️
How conducive is this to do the Deep Litter Method with?
Hey David!🙂 The deep litter method is not necessary with this one and I don't think it would work well. If you fill the bottom of the coop under the bars with litter, the chicken poop won't fall through. There is not enough room. It works best when used with no shavings or a few wood shavings in the bottom. You just slide the tray out and dump it as frequently as needed. How often depends on how full it gets. Once every few days or once a week, etc. The ammonia would be too strong for the chickens if you leave the litter in too long and do the deep litter method. It would make them sick. I hope this helps. Lolly 🙂
@@morninggloryfarmstead Thank you! That's really great know.
Hey David! You are more than welcome! 😀
Does the plastic warp in the sun?
Great question!😃 I have 7 now and have used them for 8 years.I have not gone back to wood because I love these so much. I have not had any warping at all.....none whatsoever....they are amazing and this past summer it got up to 115 degrees. No issues and no regrets.🥳
The coop looks light-weight. Does it stand up to strong winds?
Hey Hattie! 😀I am not sure about how your weather is in your area so I don't want to lead you astray, but I have some really strong winds that come through my area and it's frequent! My family is always talking about we don't live that far apart but my weather is so much more extreme. I have had my HUGE nesting box table fall over and I said it wasn't going anywhere because it was so big and heavy, but the coops have never blown over. I have never had one fall over in all the years I have used them. I am not sure if it's because of the rounded edges on top and maybe it helps the wind go around and over easier??? You could definitely put some stakes of some sort attached to the legs for reinforcement if your wind is worse than mine. Hard to know. I hope this helps a little! 🙂 Have a great evening Hattie! Lolly 🥰❤️
@@morninggloryfarmstead This is very helpful. Thank you. We get 80mph winds on three or four occasions each winter.
Wow! That is strong wind for sure. I am not sure of the mph here during the windy times here, but it blows stuff all over the place unless it's heavy. I think if I was you, at some point, I might add some kind of rope around the bottom of the legs and use 4 large metal stakes to hold the rope, just in case. I am not aware of a stake that could fit right over the base legs of the coop because of the shape. If you decide to get one and it withstands your winds without stakes, I would love to know. That would give me something more concrete to offer viewers. Thanks Hattie! Have a wonderful day! ❤️Lolly
@@hattiedraper1061 Omlet does make "screw pegs," which are designed to secure a Coop to uneven terrain. They would help in extreme wind too. I live in MS and haven't had a problem in the 6 or so months I've had an Omlet Coop and walk-in run.
Thank you for taking the time to make this very informative video!
Do you find the metal runs for this coop useful? Do you use them, and if you do, how long are they? How long would a grass surface last if I had 3 or 4 chickens or how often would I have to move the whole set up arond before the grass is ruined into a muddy mess? Any idea? Thanks!
I have Omlet's metal walk-in run. Ours is 6 ft. wide, 18 ft. long, 6-7 ft. high. That's sufficient for 10 standard size chickens. The walk-in run is not moveable, but it allows me the luxury of sitting with and interacting with my chickens. I started with the Omlet Coop and 6 foot run (not walk-in). I recommend no more than 3 standard chickens for that size and to move it DAILY. If you don't move it daily, then the grass underneath doesn't stay clean enough and you risk coccidiosis, which will kill your chickens.
I literally just saw this! I never got notified of this comment. 🧐 I have a large run because I added the extensions to make it large but I do not move mine at all and there is definitely no grass. I keep the run covered with tarps but my chickens have a lot of room to run around outside the run. Some of them sleep in the coop in the run or on perches. But I have 6 other Omlet coops too. The run provides shelter from extreme temps and rain. The grass definitely doesn’t last very long. If they are in the little run that you can buy with the coop I would move every week if you don’t want mud. In general it depends on your chickens. I would just watch the grass and move before it becomes completely bare. I hope you were able to get the coop and have had a good experience!!! ❤️
Do you keep water and feed ouside or in the coop?
Hey Tony! 😀I never keep food in the coops. They only go in there to lay eggs or sleep. I do put food in the run and I also keep food outside the run so that whether they are wandering around or inside the run in the shade, they have food. I use the food containers from Omlet, but I also throw food all around on the ground since they naturally like to be busy scratching and looking for food all day. They love to walk around and stay active. If it's raining, I don't put the food container outside. 🙂I hope you're having a great day! ❤️Lolly
@@morninggloryfarmstead Thanks. i was thinking winter time. I live in the North East so we can get some very cold stretches. Would you still keep the feed and water out in the winter?
Hey! Yes, I would. The reason is that chickens still like to be active in the winter if the snow is not too deep. Also, if it's just really cold but they are not soaking wet they will want to wander around as well. If they are in tight quarters during the winter without activity outside the run they get bored which will lead to squabbling and picking fights which can turn deadly at times although I have not had that happen to mine. I keep them really busy. There is a little stand that I use from Omlet that you can get if you dont have a run to attach their feeding dishes too. You can elevate the food dish higher but of course not so high they can't reach. But if it snows a few inches this is really nice because you can put the food out after it snow. You can rig your own as well. I also make sure the water does not get frozen and check it a few times a day when it's super cold. It's also nice to have something with a roof just to walk under and you could put food and water under that as well. They just need to keep moving and exercise some. This is all best-case scenario and I realize it depends on your set up and finances available to provide for the chickens. Hope this helps! This is great that you are thinking ahead of time for winter! 😀❤️Lolly
@@morninggloryfarmstead Thanks For the help...:)
Great video!
What state do you live in? How are these with predators in keeping them out?
I have a picture of a bald eagle sitting on mine. Her gave up and went to the neighbors place instead for his meal
When do you open the inside egg door and when do you close it?
Hey Kevin! I don't close it at all. I have only had one chicken who liked to sleep in there over the last 7 years. I had wooden coops prior to that. If it is super cold, like when we had -10, I did close it then to create a smaller space so that they could heat up a little better but that is the only time. If there had been 7 chickens or more in there, I would have left it open. You don't want so much heat that it creates humidity in the winter. If I was going to close it due to chickens constantly wanting to sleep in there and poop in there, I would close it right before dusk before they enter the coop for the night and then open it as soon as I let them out in the early morning. Thanks for stopping by! Hope you are having a great day! Lolly
When my hens are teenagers (pullets), I close the door to the nesting box so they don't get in the habit of sleeping in there. If I have laying hens and pullets, I close the door at night and open it in the morning.
How often are you needing to clean the coop?
Hey Tay!😀 I clean out the poop in the bottom tray at least weekly. It depends. Sometimes the chickens decide to get in one coop more than the others and so there is less poop in one. They play musical coops. It only takes a couple of minutes to clean it out. Super easy.
I dont have to clean the nesting boxes much unless I have a broody hen because they don't poop in the nesting boxes. Sometimes a broody hen will poop on the opposite side of where she is sitting so I clean that out but other than that, super low maintenance! Thanks for watching and I hope you are having a great day! ❤️Lolly
@@morninggloryfarmstead thank you! I’ve been on the fence because I don’t have much time to clean each week. I did buy the omlet walk in run! I’m thinking I’ll get the coop since I just have 4 hens.
I am so glad you got the run Tay! 😀I can't tell you how awesome it is to have the run! 🤗I keep covered to offer shade and protection from wind and rain and they LOVE it! You will love the coop but your chickens will love it even more! I'm telling you that you won't regret it. I love them and they have lasted for years. I am really excited for your hens to have such a lovely home! 🥰You won't have to clean it that often, especially with 4 hens and not 40! It will be perfect for you and your hens! Lolly❤️
The background music is really distracting. Music is Too annoying to finish your video.
That was a long time ago… before I realized the sound I hear on my Mac book pro is different than what you guys hear. Newer videos have all been adjusted.