Storms and chickens

[TESSANN]

Hi there

 

I know this is probably an old question and already covered on the board, but just wondered how many folks leave the Eglu door (not the run) open at night.

 

I am wondering whether to keep mine open so they can come out when they want to, except when it gets really cold then I will shut it.

 

Rosemary

[Egluntyne]

I don't shut my Eglu doors.

 

Even in the recent cold snap they were fine.

[chelsea]

always close here. Not so much because of cold but of noisy chooks.

 

Ella woke me up one morning at 5am in the summer, so we shut the door every night - then we are in control of when they can come out. They are let out most mornings at 7am anyway just as I leave for work.

[The Dogmother]

Never close mine neither.

[MaggieMcHen]

Mine variable

 

I always shut them into their run before dusk - give them corn etc. Then if they are still star gazing when I go down to shut the Cube door when it gets dark I leave it open and then often forget to go back again later.

Even when it was 'brass monkey weather' the other night they didn't come to any harm!!!!

[chelsea]

Then if they are still star gazing when I go down to shut the Cube door

 

Awww! Ours stargaze too!!

 

Hubby always goes out to check on them at roosting time and then he comes back in saying "ella's still looking out the door" so he leaves the door open for a while so she can look out before closing it.

[Gallina]

In my experience, foxes visit most often at first light, which in summer is when only the hens are up.

 

So keep the door closed if you are bothered by foxes: the hens will be traumatized if they step out and see a fox looking into the run and smacking its lips.

 

Otherwise you can leave the door open. This must make life so easy, and I am jealous of those who can do it. I can't imagine life without urban foxes, who are dangerously tame.

 

Do people who leave the Eglu door open always leave food out all night too? I couldn't do this either, because of rats.

 

I seem to have more pests in my garden than country people, even though I live in the city near a main road. (But the rats may now be ex-rats, until the next invasion.)

[chelsea]

Its weird isnt it Gallina.

 

I live in the country in Devon, we are seconds from woodland but we've never seen a fox in our garden our near our garden. I do shut the eglu door but we dont bring in the food and touch wood we've never had rats either in 2 years.

[Aunty e]

I leave mine half open when it's cold, and fully open when it's not. Mine nibble and perch and scratch quite a bit at night, so it's rare that I can actually get them all in.

[Cinnamon]

I do close the banteenies in when its chilly like this, but the sube door stays half open so the big girls can come & go as they please

[chili pepper]

I always shut the eglu door when its cold or windy, I have left it open by mistake a couple of times and have got up in the middle of the night to go and close it as I lay there and think of them shivering away! But if many of you say it does no harm then I might not feel too guilty anymore.

 

I do leave it open in the summer only because they start pecking at the door (which is surprisingly loud) to be let out at the crack of dawn, and especially on a weekend I do NOT want to get up at 5.30 or 6 O'Clock.

 

I have often thought a door that could open on an automatic timer would be a great invention!

[Basset]

I always leave the door open. Even in the coldest weather.

[Snowy]

I tend to leave the door open. If it is going to be below freezing I go out to shut it, but often one of them is roosting half in and half out so I have to leave it.

 

We are surrounded by fields and no foxes here either.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

We always shut the door - but haven't been through a summer and early risers yet so that may change .

 

Always take the grub & glug in too - mainly because it's easier to fill them in the kitchen.

[bellekatz]

I always leave mine open.