Omlet Eglu Coop - How to Keep it Warm in Winter??

[Randysflock119]

Hi everyone,
This past spring I had some issues with predator attacks on my old chicken coop. My parents were kind enough to gift me the Omlet Eglu and a large Omlet walk-in run. Getting it set up was quite the endeavor but it's been worth it for the predator-resistance. Nothing has been able to dig under the run. Frequently in the mornings I come out to raccoon paw prints all over the coop so I'm happy knowing it's secure.

This is my first winter with it though and I'm really unhappy with it so far. I live in the Chicago area and we still haven't even reached our coldest point of winter yet. I have the Omlet brand "extreme temperature jacket" and still, the poop is frozen solid inside - which makes it very hard to clean. The automatic door won't close because there is rock-solid frozen poop blocking it. The eggs are freezing (I check for them 2x/day). My beautiful new rooster has frostbite on his comb - I understand this could've happened while he was hanging out outside, but I don't like that their coop seems like it isn't a warm enough escape from the elements.

Does anyone have experience insulating/winterizing an Omlet coop? OR just dealing with one in a cold climate in general? I'm worried I've made a mistake in getting this coop for my chickens but I don't have the option to get/build a different coop right now...
Thank you so much!

 

[AGeese]

Those don't look like they give you much room to work with. If it is the coop that gave him frostbite it may be keeping too much humidity inside. You can get a cheap humidistat and temp gauge to see where you are with humidity and temps which should tell you want you need to adjust.

Though how you're going to make adjustments to that coop is another story. Maybe convert your run to expand the coop. I realize that leaves you without a run if you're not free ranging by day which won't be good either, unless you can expand on that as well.

 

[nuthatched]

You don't want it warm, you want it well ventilated, which is something you'll never see in an eglu. Open up all the vents that don't blow directly on the birds.
Eglus are designed for temperate areas, places where is doesn't get freezing or too hot.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Hi everyone,
This past spring I had some issues with predator attacks on my old chicken coop. My parents were kind enough to gift me the Omlet Eglu and a large Omlet walk-in run. Getting it set up was quite the endeavor but it's been worth it for the predator-resistance. Nothing has been able to dig under the run. Frequently in the mornings I come out to raccoon paw prints all over the coop so I'm happy knowing it's secure.

This is my first winter with it though and I'm really unhappy with it so far. I live in the Chicago area and we still haven't even reached our coldest point of winter yet. I have the Omlet brand "extreme temperature jacket" and still, the poop is frozen solid inside - which makes it very hard to clean. The automatic door won't close because there is rock-solid frozen poop blocking it. The eggs are freezing (I check for them 2x/day). My beautiful new rooster has frostbite on his comb - I understand this could've happened while he was hanging out outside, but I don't like that their coop seems like it isn't a warm enough escape from the elements.

Does anyone have experience insulating/winterizing an Omlet coop? OR just dealing with one in a cold climate in general? I'm worried I've made a mistake in getting this coop for my chickens but I don't have the option to get/build a different coop right now...
Thank you so much!

Do you have the small triangular Eglu? Is it sitting on the ground or is it raised? Right on the ground might not be good for the humidity level. Where I am the ground is not frozen and there's quite a bit of moisture coming out.

It's the dew point you need to worry about as far as humidity and danger of frostbite. I have an Omlet Cube and the newer Cube Pro. I'm in a pretty cold climate, got down to 6F the other night. The ventilation as designed has been fine for winters in my experience, never had any condensation inside the Cube with five large fowl hens or the Pro with four LF. This winter I put in a temp & hygrometer sensor to monitor the Pro and the dew point always remained below the actual temp in there.

I did later recently add a proven radiant panel heater on low because I wanted to spoil my hens. That raised it by 5-10 degrees F higher. You could consider that - NOT A HEAT LAMP - like a CozyCoop panel - if you want to raise the temp in there beyond what their body heat does slightly.

I did install two 4" fans and a hardware-cloth-modified poop tray for the Cube during last summer's heat though, iot did not cool down quickly enough at night. Haven't been through a summer with the Pro yet.

My two cents - you should not "insulate" your Omlet and raise the temperature inside it by enclosing it further without regards to the ventilation. The double wall construction is already an insulation. I have suspicions that jacket they make for their coops blocks some of the ventilation but I haven't seen one up close.

You must keep all ventilation spots free. You can install wind blocks outside them but there must remain space between the wind block and the exit points for air exchange. From my observations on my Cube and Cube Pro these points are: the obvious back two and single front vents; the four upper side vents below the roof; the corners, joins and hinges of some of the pieces (notice the removable parts and some joins have slight raised bars for shedding water - they also allow a little air in and out); and the whole area below the coop, do not put anything against the bottom, as the trays allow ventilation up the sides and in the back tray slots (plus the tray drain holes).

 

[raissacor]

Hi everyone,
This past spring I had some issues with predator attacks on my old chicken coop. My parents were kind enough to gift me the Omlet Eglu and a large Omlet walk-in run. Getting it set up was quite the endeavor but it's been worth it for the predator-resistance. Nothing has been able to dig under the run. Frequently in the mornings I come out to raccoon paw prints all over the coop so I'm happy knowing it's secure.

This is my first winter with it though and I'm really unhappy with it so far. I live in the Chicago area and we still haven't even reached our coldest point of winter yet. I have the Omlet brand "extreme temperature jacket" and still, the poop is frozen solid inside - which makes it very hard to clean. The automatic door won't close because there is rock-solid frozen poop blocking it. The eggs are freezing (I check for them 2x/day). My beautiful new rooster has frostbite on his comb - I understand this could've happened while he was hanging out outside, but I don't like that their coop seems like it isn't a warm enough escape from the elements.

Does anyone have experience insulating/winterizing an Omlet coop? OR just dealing with one in a cold climate in general? I'm worried I've made a mistake in getting this coop for my chickens but I don't have the option to get/build a different coop right now...
Thank you so much!

I heater my "Omlet" chicken coop with a red lamp for 100 watts. I wrapped the chicken coop and chicken run with transparent film. I poured a lot of wood shavings on the floor. The water is in a tank with water heating. In the chicken coop itself, I laid thick cardboard. Every day I open the back door and simply sweep dry chicken droppings onto a dustpan. I really like my chicken coop.

 

[FrostRanger]

I heater my "Omlet" chicken coop with a red lamp for 100 watts. I wrapped the chicken coop and chicken run with transparent film. I poured a lot of wood shavings on the floor. The water is in a tank with water heating. In the chicken coop itself, I laid thick cardboard. Every day I open the back door and simply sweep dry chicken droppings onto a dustpan. I really like my chicken coop.

Heat lamps are really dangerous especially in a coop situation like that. All it takes is one stray feather getting into the lamp and you have a coop fire on your hands. People have had coops, barns and even their homes burn down from heat lamps

 

[Penpal]

Your coop litter should be deep enough that poop is not getting on the floor. You can use an extension cord and a hair dryer to warm up the poop at the door and knock it off.

I agree with ventilation. Very important.

Also, it would be helpful if you put your location in. Notice that I am in Michigan and Chickory Blue is in central NY

 

[AGeese]

Heat lamps are really dangerous especially in a coop situation like that. All it takes is one stray feather getting into the lamp and you have a coop fire on your hands. People have had coops, barns and even their homes burn down from heat lamps

True, although 100w lamp is definitely not as hot as 350w, they really don't need light on 24/7 either. If you must use heat there's better options imho, especially if the bulb is not protected from them jumping into it, or takes an electrical surge, or gets turned off/on too quickly etc.

 

[Skacha23]

I'm also wondering if your coop is sitting on the ground.
Other thought/question is does the cover block the vents? That would hold in condensation and be trouble.
I have a cube and my friend has the go. We both have the tractor kit with the supports and the wheels. Our chickens are fine down to -20. (In MT, though I recently moved to WY.) No cover, no heat. The omlets prevent drafts while providing venting which are the 2 key points for cold.
Yeah, poop and eggs are going to freeze at those temps. A spatula or metal kitty litter scoop easily scrape off the frozen turds. Frozen eggs I just put in a dish in the fridge to thaw and use for baking.
My girls did get some frostbite at -20, I think that it came down to who tucked their heads under their wings at night. It seems like roosters are more prone to frostbite because they have bigger combs and wattles and don't hunker down like hens because they are on gaurd.
Do not add heat. It's dangerous for fire AND your chickens won't be acclimated. So if power goes out, you lose the heat and the chickens can die because they haven't acclimated properly.
I've been happy with my cube year-round in extreme climate and grizzly country (though I did add electric poultry netting in spring and fall for good measure).

 

[Dan Hall]

I'm also wondering if your coop is sitting on the ground.
Other thought/question is does the cover block the vents? That would hold in condensation and be trouble.
I have a cube and my friend has the go. We both have the tractor kit with the supports and the wheels. Our chickens are fine down to -20. (In MT, though I recently moved to WY.) No cover, no heat. The omlets prevent drafts while providing venting which are the 2 key points for cold.
Yeah, poop and eggs are going to freeze at those temps. A spatula or metal kitty litter scoop easily scrape off the frozen turds. Frozen eggs I just put in a dish in the fridge to thaw and use for baking.
My girls did get some frostbite at -20, I think that it came down to who tucked their heads under their wings at night. It seems like roosters are more prone to frostbite because they have bigger combs and wattles and don't hunker down like hens because they are on gaurd.
Do not add heat. It's dangerous for fire AND your chickens won't be acclimated. So if power goes out, you lose the heat and the chickens can die because they haven't acclimated properly.
I've been happy with my cube year-round in extreme climate and grizzly country (though I did add electric poultry netting in spring and fall for good measure).

Hi
I will be getting 6 birds and wonder if the cube is large enough and will keep them comfortable? We get to -20/25 F for a couple of weeks a winter. I dont want to regret spending mega cash
I am in central BC
thanks
Dan