joybelle Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 Hi everyone, Some advice please on whether to close the egle door at night. Since I`ve had my chooks (last october) I`ve always shut the door when they have gone to bed, but as the longer days and shorter nights arrive I`m thinking of leaving it open. In the summer months its light at 4 ish and I dont fancy getting up at the crack of dawn to let them out!!!!! We have a security light in the garden and they come back out when its on joybelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iChicken Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 I'm wondering the same thing at the moment. Last night the Eglu door was left open because their digging had left a pile of soil and bark against the door so it couldn't be shut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 i shut my door all year around no matter if its summer or not. I have noisy chooks and i worry my neighbours will be woken up. Therefore I let them out in the summer around 7am otherwise they would be bawk bawking at 4am! They dont mind being in the eglu, they even lay an egg sometimes. in the summer i cover the eglu with a dark cover to keep it darker inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 I leave my Eglu doors open except for in the coldest of weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh sarah Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 i leave my door open they have a nice big secure run and they are against the house so well proteced from cold it just means i dont have to worry about letting them out they get up when they want sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 as long as they're safe and nothing can get at them and they're not noisy, I'd leave it open. We're thinking of (will decide nearer the time) leaving ours open when it gets warmer as our girls make more noise to be let out than they actually do when they're out. They're quite quiet and well behaved once they're out. Depends on your circumstances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedusA Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 I leave my Eglu doors open except for in the coldest of weather. Me too! They seem happy and can get up when they want to. I only close them in when it's frosty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomaxsmith Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 I'll leave mine open when the weather warms up, at the moment my Coral sits in the nest box until I go to close the door then moves to her roosting space - her space is by the door and I guess it's a bit drafty! Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 I leave mine open unless below-zero temperatures are forecast. (1) In the summer, it means I don't have to get up early to let them out; (2) I am sometimes away overnight, so at least they are used to having the door open, and (3) when I'd only had them a few weeks, and had to leave very early the next morning, I absent-mindedly SHUT the door, when it was supposed to be left open. They were shut in the Eglu all day, and I felt terrible. I never want to go through that experience again (they were absolutely fine, if a bit puzzled!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 I leave mine open except if its really windy, as its draugts that kill not cold. Although if its severly cold I normally close it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clash City Rocker Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 I never shut mine whatever the weather. My car has an option called "follow me home lights". The car lights stop on after the engine has been switched off for 2 minutes allowing time to get from the car to the house, no matter what time we get home after dark my 3 chickens always come out when the car lights are on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I used to leave to door open all the time (and I would really love to do so still). But late last Summer after two or three 4am "bawk, bawk" very noisey wake up calls I gave in and now shut the door each night and open it at 7.30am. The 4am bawking was at cats but the noise was too much for me and I worried the neighbours would complain. I'm sure with these dark mornings that wouldn't happen again so I would suggest you give it a go. Having said all that, when I go on holiday, I leave the eglu door open permanently so whoever is chicken sitting just comes once a day to feed/water/egg collect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I work away from home a few nights per week, so the eglu door is always open, run door shut. If I am home and it is very cold then I lock them in the eglu, but they seem fine with the door open all night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen&Lee Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 We shut ours, simply because we can then walk into our run in the mornings and top up their food before letting them out. However, when we are away the run door is left open so the neighbourscan come and sort them out for us in their own time during the day. Helen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...