Chicken Memorials

[yvonne]

I wonder if anyone could help me please. I have read several posts where people have trained their chickens to let themselves out in the mornings by leaving the eglu door unlocked overnight. I'm realy keen to try this when it gets a bit warmer, but with the mark II eglu, the door lever just seems to drop down and lock once the door is closed. Any suggestions on how to prop it open very gratefully received.

[Carol U]

Actually, once it gets a bit warmer, you can leave the eglu door open all the time. A lot of us only close it when it's really frosty. Chickens are really good at keeping one another warm.

[emu]

Does anybody know how mink proof the eglu run is? Also would it be safe to leave eglu door open at night?

[Christian]

Don't quote me on it, but i'm sure Omlet said the run is mink proof. I have a rat at the moment who tunnels into the run, so if he can't get through the run gaps, a mink wouldn't be able to.

[Gallina]

People on this forum are divided about leaving the door open at night.

 

Those of us who have suffered from foxes would say never leave the Eglu door open at night. What is the point of buying an Eglu, which has been specially designed to be foxproof, and then leave the hens exposed all night?

 

The run is not fox-proof: it is only fox-resistant.

 

You can't assume that because you have never seen a fox in your garden that one isn't around. They are everywhere.

 

And rats find digging into the run a doddle, and I would hate the idea of them going into the Eglu when my hens are asleep. If you suffer from rats as well, you can't leave food out in the run for the hens, so it seems much easier and safer to keep them shut up at night, as there is nothing for them if they do come out early.

[Carol U]

I have to disagree with the last post. Provided the run is on flat, solid ground,

it is indeed foxproof. Before I bought a Foxwatch, foxes tried very hard to get into my run at night, but never managed it. Also, I was advised by one of the Omlet team that it wasn't necessary to close the eglu door at night unless it was exceptionally cold.

[Olly]

While I don't disagree with Gallina's points above, I have to say that I usually leave the door open unless it's very cold. I don't (*crosses fingers and touches wood*) have a rat problem, and in the summer my girls like to get up much earlier than I do.

 

Can you leave the door just slightly ajar, will that stop the lever from dropping down? they would still be quite cosy.

[Gallina]

Carol: the run is not foxproof. Even Omlet don't say that. It is fox-resistant. Only the Eglu and the Cube themselves are fox-proof.

 

Three people on this forum (including me) have had a hen killed through the mesh early in the morning (no digging required). In my case the fox lay on top of the run and slashed till he got something. This kind of killing is utterly pointless, as he can't get at the hen to eat it.

 

At least two others have had foxes burrow in at the weak point near the Eglu early in the morning and kill their hens. (Last spring Omlet produced extra mesh squares to protect this vulnerable point in all Eglus made before around April 2007: I can't remember the exact date.)

 

The morning does seem to be a particularly dangerous time. But most of you seem to be lucky, and my shutting the door at night didn't stop my hen getting killed because it happened after I had let them out. If you are sure foxes don't visit your garden, you will probably be all right as long as you take preventive action at the first sighting of a fox.

 

I would advise everyone to look at their garden next time it is frosty, because often when there is frost I find a fox-shaped patch on the grass, near the Eglu, where someone has been watching and waiting for a long time in the night. Snow is even better, of course, as you can see the big footprints.

[chelsea]

I always close the elgu door even during the summer. That way I can sleep at night (im a terrible worrier ) knowing that my girls are tucked up safely at night.

 

I also have a crower (well 2 now ) so they cant wake up the neighbourhood at some terrible hour!

[Egluntyne]

Whilst I respect and understand Gallina's point of view totally, I only ever close the Eglu door in the coldest of weather.

 

My Eglus are on paving slabs and the runs are weighed down with boulders.

 

I have seen a fox from time to time.....usually when the Foxwatch batteries are dead!

 

I have also had rats attempt to tunnel. but they haven't managed to get in the Eglu because of the slabs.....they just keep going and come out the other side.

 

My poison boxes are baited, and they have been eating the contents so hopefully they will pack their bags fairly soon.

 

Everyone's circumstances are different and you have to do what suits yours best.

[emu]

Gallina - you are absolutely right as the eglu is foxproof so makes sense to maintain this factor to our hen's property by shutting the door.

Egluntine - your'e effectively applying security measures to the accomodation instead of closing the door-when shutting the door is proven to do the job simply,safely and effectively.

Comparable to an unlocked but alarmed car i suppose, it doesnt deter a break-in but could cause damage eg pointless vandalism in the case of a car but death in the case of hens.

 

But everyone has to weigh up their individual opinion on this

[Aunty e]

I would shut mine in if I could, but they just don't go to bed - EVER. There's always one of them up, even at three in the morning. When I had the eglu they always went to bed, but since I got the cube (and a few more chooks) they keep each other awake and I can't shut them in. I'm going to make a real effort to catch them asleep today (in case it snows overnight).

 

I never had a problem with my eglu door dropping down, but there was always quite of lot of rubbish in the slot that the bar went into, so I usually couldn't lock it anyway. the chooks learnt to let themselves out VERY quickly.

[Cinnamon]

Aunty e,it sounds like your hens are true Eastender girls - up parting all night

 

If mine are up,which they sometimes are,or if they come out of the Eglu when they hear me,the bearer of treats,coming down the garden,I just shut the 'gl door & post them trhough the egg port

 

They are a bit put out,but they get over it

[Olly]

I had the same problem when I did shut the door, when I first had them ... as soon as they heard me coming up the garden, they would be out! I'm going to try and do it tonight, because of the snow forecast.

 

Gallina, good tip about looking for the fox outline or prints - if we do get snow, it will be a good opportunity.

[Richard]

I never used to fully close my Eglu door - I left it just ajar so the girls could let themselves out. Now I have the cube I do close the door ('cos leaving it ajar isn't an option) ..... when I remember. But I often leave them a day or so when I'm away and the door doesn't get closed then.

 

I don't use the Omlet run as I have my own ramshackle alternative. But from reading the forum I think I am lucky in that I don't seem to get visits from the fox even tho I live in the country.

 

I put it down to the male urine round the run, but I know a lot of folks wouldn't agree with that and would claim that I'm just laying down an excuse for my unsavoury nocturnal habits (when I come home from the pub and don't want to wake her indoors by bumping into the bathroom door and tripping over the sink ... who left that there? )