The scratching chickens that are found in and around many rural households provides cheap food at practically no cost - now its also happening in city and town houses in Europe and more recently the USA.
Bringing production to the household has no economy of scale but inputs including labour and part of the feed are essentially free. The reduction in transport and packaging cost have financial and environmental benefits.

Eggs from the Eglu
The Eglu is based on a plastic, waterproof box, where the hens shelter and lay their eggs. The box is attached to an enclosed run which can be placed on a lawn allowing the chickens to scratch for insects and grass. The run has a door to allow the hens a free range in the garden when its safe.

The Eglu is designed to facilitate easy washing and waste removal. It comes in a number of sizes and designs which can house up to 10 chickens. The suppliers recommend a grass area of 24 m² for each hen. If no lawn is available the Eglu can still be used but grass, bark or other bedding material must then be provided

The Eglu can also house rabbits and guinea pigs. However, it is expected that moving from simply collecting eggs to slaughtering an animal will mean that most Eglus will only house other animals as pets.

The supplier provides organically raised hens a few weeks away from laying age and in the UK will donate 20 pounds to the Battery Hen Rescue Trust if you “save” a battery hens using you Eglu.

And the humor in the tail - Omlet is the name of the company that manufactures and supplies the Eglu!

Honey From the Beehaus
Omlet has more recently introduced the Beehaus, a beehive specially designed for use in towns and cities to expand the opportunities. Omlet says the Beehaus is

Developed to provide your bees with a safe, modern home in which to live it makes beekeeping straightforward and fun.It appears to have all the design features of a normal hive.

However, it is triple insulated to assist the bees to maintain the required 35ºC in both winter and summer, larger than normal to match modern practices, has a wasp proof entrance designed for easy access and is mounted on legs to put it at a convenient working height.

Omlet also provide swarms for the Beehaus during the season. Bees are sold at a cost ranging from 1 to 2½ cents depending on availability. This works out to about US$ 150 to US$ 400 for 10,000 worker bees, a queen and brood.

A hive can produce up to 100 kg of honey in an ideal season. The Beehaus needs to be carefully positioned in the garden and can be placed on a flat roof so long as.

Source: GO Media - Written by Dave Harcourt - Photo by scrumpyboy on flickr under a Creative Commons license.

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