A Cupcake-tacular Competition, the Funkiest House for Guinea Pigs and Why Chickens are Great for Everyone!
National Cupcake Week
The staff at Omlet HQ are rather partial to a cupcake, it has to be said, so we are delighted to hear that this week is National Cupcake Week. An excuse to eat lots of sweet and tasty treats? How fabulous! So fabulous, in fact, that we think it calls for a sugar celebration. That's why we've teamed up with the ever-so-delectable Môn Cottage Cupcakes to offer a cake-tastic competition!
Do you want to brush up on your baking skills in time for Christmas? Well, Môn Cottage Cupcakes would like to give one person the chance to attend their Christmas Cupcake Class in Anglesey. Running on October 26th, in Holyhead, this course will teach you how to model six cute Christmas characters to top your festive bakes and cakes. Of course, you'll need a gorgeous new apron to wear on the course, so we will send the winner a glamourous Vintage Marilyn Apron too. We've thrown a few extra goodies into the prize package aswell, so one lucky cupcake aficionado will win the following:
* Egg Skelter in Bright Pink
* Vintage Marilyn Apron
* Utterly Scrumptious Cake Cases, Toppers and Doilies
* Tala Icing Bag Set
* Silicone Star Muffin Pan
* Cupcake Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons
* Christmas Cupcake Class in Anglesey (worth £85)
This prize is worth over £150, it is a cake lover's dream, and it's easy peasy to enter. So, for your chance to win, just do the following:
1) Like the Omlet Facebook page
2) Like the Môn Cottage Cupcakes Facebook page
3) Sign up to the Omlet Newsletter
If you have already done one or two of these things, just do the others and you will be entered. The competition closes at 11:59pm on Friday 28th September. The course is on 26th October, there are no alternative dates and you will need to arrange your own transport to Anglesey. Good luck!
Hello Autumn!
According to the experts, Autumn officially begins tomorrow, and there's a definite nip in the air. Although it's sad to say goodbye to Summer (a very rainy one), we think Autumn is a great season...especially for chickens. There are lots of worms, grubs and bugs to tuck into, fallen leaves to wriggle about in and loads of tasty fruit and veggies on offer. But Autumn does mean it's getting cooler, and while we can just layer up and get the woolly jumpers out, hens don't have much of a wardrobe to choose from. Cue our wonderful range of Winter Warmers.
Yes, we may be jumping the gun a little with the W word, but our carefully selected range of products will keep your chickens happy, healthy and cosy over the next few months. Choose the Extreme Temperature Jackets for Eglus to provide extra warmth and insulation at night. Treat hens to a cosy bed with the Snugglesafe Heatpad...perfect for when your girls are under the weather. Give chickens a healthy start to the season with a dose of Battles Poultry Spice and treat a cold with a few drops of Higher Nature Citricidal.
And for yourself!? We always think a hot chocolate with marshmallows does the trick!
Tweet of the Week
"The eglu has arrived :) "
(@IzzyMunchkin)
The arrival of an Eglu is an exciting day for any first time chicken keeper, and Izzy's tweet made us smile. How gorgeous does the Pink Eglu look on an Autumnal day!? Enough to brighten up those Winter months a 'tweet'!
The Funkiest House for Guinea Pigs
The Guinea Pig Eglu has been given a brilliant review on parenting blog site 'Susan K Mann'. Susan bought her children two guinea pigs earlier in the year and they had been living indoors in a 'boring but large' cage up until this month, but then she was introduced to the Eglu. Although she compares it to Mork's space ship from Mork and Mindy (that's a new one), she does call it 'the funkiest and coolest looking guinea pig habitat in the planet'. Well, we don't like to brag!
The Eglu withstood Susan's kids test-driving toy cars up and down it, and it has proved to be the perfect choice of guinea pig house for the whole family. She loves the bright colour, ease of cleaning and convenient access to the food and water. Plus, living in Scotland, the twin walled insulation and draught free ventilation is a dream!
You can read the full review by visiting her blog, or visit our website to read more about the Guinea Pig Eglu.
It may be cold outside but it's always sunny in an orange Eglu!
Keeping Chickens Helps Children
Keeping chickens is not only fun, but greatly beneficial for many people, as Heronsbridge School in Bridgend has proved. They have been keeping hens for a few years now, and have found it to be brilliant for their pupils with learning needs.
Gardening teacher Anthea Guthrie said this: “I've kept chickens for years and when I first got involved at Heronsbridge I didn't know any school which did, but I knew how tame they can be and how much fun....We have a huge mix of kids with special needs, many can speak, but others can't, anything sensory is good, it's all about stimulating the senses and helping each child to achieve their very best - generally far more than you would realise at first sight. Our kids interact with the 'girls', they have to clean out the Eglu, collect the eggs which they use in our coffee shop (where the kids cook), or take home, feed the hens, let them out top free range, herd them back in to their run, this all teaches them life skills which are essential for the day they leave us. The hens are so tame now they will sit next to you and share a sandwich, in fact they really are very cheeky.”
Keep an eye out in the Guardian this Saturday for a feature on Heronsbridge School.
Smite Organic Natural Mite Powder 350g
Smite Organic Natural Mite Powder is a odourless, naural powder that helps get rid of red mite in chicken houses.
Smite Powder is a safe and naturally-mined mineral product, made up of fossilized remains of diatoms. Instead of containing chemicals and pesticides, this product kills pests by causing them to dry out and die. It is safe to use in animal housing, and if ingested by animals or birds it can even have digestive benefits.
Smite Powder is safe for earthworms and will have no detrimental effect on the natural ecosystem, but it will help with the control of ants, fleas, bedbugs, cockroaches, mites, book lice and silverfish.
Smite can be applied directly to areas with red mite infestation, or it can be mixed with water and sprayed onto the areas. It can also be applied directly to small animals, dogs, cats and poultry, to control fleas and mites. Alternatively, try adding to your hen's dustbath to get it worked into its feathers well.
Smite Organic Powder comes in a 350g puffer bottle for ease of use.
