kiwichick Posted February 3, 2008 Share Posted February 3, 2008 Hello all, chicken newbie here. On Tuesday I am taking delivery of my Eglu (thanks Omlet!) and two 3 month old Australorp girls. I feel like I've read every post here and give big thanks to you all for all the wonderful information. It's so helpful!!! One question I have though (and I apologise if it's been asked and answered previously), What do the chickens get up to in the Eglu at night? We have a problem with racoons around here so I'm not going to be leaving the door to the run open overnight yet, but I'm interested to know how the chickens cope with being "cooped" for 12 hours or more. Do they sleep the whole time? Do they play amongst themselves? Sing each other songs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iChicken Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 From guess work and what I've seen of ours I'd say they snuggle up, sleep, eat the food in their crops and clean themselves & each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bantam of the Opera Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Hello and welcome to the forum! its great here with lots of friendly chicken advice and never feel silly about any question, there will always have been someone asking a dafter question earlier on me being one of them. well from what ive heard of my chickens (listening outside the eglu) they spend a good hour shuffling around and settling down. then i think they just sleep, i had to move one of my chickens once, from her nest shed conviniently made under a bush , to the eglu and she was in a kind of dreamy state because shed gone to sleep. wasnt moving or clucking at all, so i guess they just stay like that until they feel it is time to get up again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Hello and welcome to the forum. They will settle down go into "roost mode" as soon as it goes dark. When it gets light they will wake up and will be keen to get out into the run. Don't leave them for 12 hours, other than in the winter. Their stomachs will empty overnight and they will be hungry and thirsty first thing, so at other times of year you will need to get up a bit earlier, if you are closing the Eglu door. If you are worried about racoons (we don't have anything so exotic here) it might be a good idea to site the Eglu and run on paving slabs to prevent burrowing. Put a few heavy rocks on top of the "skirt "to keep it weighed down. Let us know how you get on. It is always interesting to read about the experiences of Eglu owners in other parts of the world. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwichick Posted February 4, 2008 Author Share Posted February 4, 2008 (edited) I did wonder whether they were like my cats and spend 12 hours sleeping at a time. We thought that we would close the door to the Eglu when we turn in for the night so that they can still eat and drink if need be. And the cats get me up at sparrows so it won't be too much of a stretch to let the chooks out too. The racoons are a menace. We thought we were way too urban to get them and tales of them were just Urban Legends. Discovering a racoon in my kitchen in the middle of the night chowing down on the cat food was a shocker. It had come in through the cat door and was enjoying the smorgasbord! I now have my OH leaving his own scent in various corners of the garden to try and deter them. I sure will let you know how I get on over here. I'm actually a New Zealander and a long way from any farmland. This forum was what convinced me that I really could be a city chicken owner. No quarter acre sections here. Edited February 4, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 I now have my OH leaving his own scent in various corners of the garden to try and deter them. Good idea! Many of us get our menfolk to do the same as it deters foxes too.....allegedly! It gets the neighbours curtains twitching if nothing else! We only have to worry about foxes, rats, and the occasional mink or buzzard here. The urban fox is a real problem in some areas though. I spotted this chap one morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Egluntine I have found my hens go into quite a deep trance like state,so much so that you can pick them up & their necks are all floppy still,& they don't rouse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwichick Posted February 4, 2008 Author Share Posted February 4, 2008 I think I might freak out a bit if I saw a fox in my garden. We have squirrels that do not hibernate in the winter (I used to think they were cute but now I know better), rats, occasionally hawks fly over, never seen a snake, scorpion or a black widow spider *fingers crossed*. Ugh - I'm shuddering thinking about it. I have found my hens go into quite a deep trance like state Very Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursechick Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Welcome to the forum,did your Eglu arrive as arranged? Chook watching will keep you occupied for hours.Have a look at a site called Hencam.co.uk it has a night vision camera in the coop and you can have a snoop on their nocturnal antics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwichick Posted February 5, 2008 Author Share Posted February 5, 2008 Thanks Nursechick. I got my Eglu yesterday and picked up the chickens today. After a very stressful 3 hour journey home with both me and the chickens getting quite stressed out, they are now safely ensconced in their new quarters and getting used to all the noises that come with living in the city. Took them only 5 or so minutes to find the grub & the glug and they've started making mincemeat of the lawn in the bottom of the cage. I'm sure this will convince OH to build a beautiful run as seen on Omlet. At the moment the chooks are C1 & C2 until we can all agree on names. My oldest son wants to call them "bread & butter" or "chain & link". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alih Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 congratulations on becoming a chook owner - the name choosing is quite a task - we have 4 kids so very democratically we had a voting system and the top 2 names won - Pumpkin and Edith! One because it was halloween ( my 13 year old) and one after a granny ( my OH)...but when Edith went up to the big coop in the sky rather unexpectedly and I spent a really stressful day disposing of her and driving miles to get a new one before the kids came home from school, all notions of democracy went out the window and I chose Ruby all by myself! Figured I deserved it! We have a male dog who I gather has the same effect as a human male in terms of fox- abating... not seen any in my garden but the advice re racoons is good. enjoy the chickens and beware - you will become addicted to watching them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Congratulations kiwichick. Your life is about to change forever! Names.....how wbout Hillary and Condoleeza! (What were her parents thinking of when they saddled her with that one!) Or .... still on the US theme....Kentucky and Maryland? Can't wait to hear what you decide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Hi and welcome, I have only just got my Eglu and 4 girls, but I have named them after my Dad's ex wives and current wife. Now everytime I call him, he wants to know which of his wives is ruling the roost. Please let us have some pics of your girls in NZ. Regards Dodge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Your dad was married to a woman called Mortisha? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwichick Posted February 6, 2008 Author Share Posted February 6, 2008 Names.....how wbout Hillary and Condoleeza! (What were her parents thinking of when they saddled her with that one!)Shocked Both of those woman drive me nuts. I used to be a big Hillary supporter back in Bill's day but not anymore. Apparently Ms Rice's parents weren't thinking on that day. I have only just got my Eglu and 4 girls, but I have named them after my Dad's ex wives and current wife. Smile Now everytime I call him, he wants to know which of his wives is ruling the roost. I think you've just made my day. Pictures to come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedusA Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Your dad was married to a woman called Mortisha? My thoughts exactly, Olly! Have fun with your girls, kiwichick. I love Egluntine's very topical name suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 O.K. This is my current 2nd stepmother and she is called Patricia or Trish for short. It was her who suggested Mortisha, when I told her of my original names. Also Vera was named by my daughter, in memory of Vera Duckworth Regards Dodge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
