CrazyDaizy Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Hia Folks We shut our chooks inside the Eglu when it gets dark (those chooks are better at putting to bed than kids arent they? ) We usually let them out of the Eglu when we get up the next morning, about 7am. Now that it is lighter mornings, do we need to get up earlier to let them out, and what about weekends when it might be 7.30 or 8am when we let them out? We find they are quieter if kept inside til then, otherwise they can cluck cluck loudly at 5am and wake us all (and the neighbours up) Its not cruel to leave them there a while is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 no its not cruel. We have to do exactly the same. Im in my 2nd year of chook keeping. We always close the eglu door ( as one day ella was crowing in the summer at 5am ). In the working week they are let out 6.50-7am and weekends its 8-8.30 am. In the summer I do cover the eglus in a dark lightweight material so it appears darker for longer inside. My girls have been absolutely fine with this arrangement believe me i pamper them in every other single way but this im not budging on - im the boss when it comes to getting my sleep and my neighbours also!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyDaizy Posted March 11, 2008 Author Share Posted March 11, 2008 Thats what I like about this website.... such a quick response in the replies..... I know where to come if I need some attention I am glad Im not the only person who does this.... the only time the Eglu will stay open is if we are out for the night..... lets hope they dont cluck too badly for the neighbours, at least they wont be waking ME up! Ta xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 no problem at all I think there are quite a few who shut the eglu doors at night. Its all about what suits you really. I do feel guilty sometimes but at least once im up and the door is open I can hear if there is any trouble going on in the garden. I would worry and not sleep if the door was open all night, not just regarding predators but with the noise factor, I dont want people to complain they've heard them egg announcing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 I would be careful in a heatwave (stop laughing) as it might get a bit too hot in there even in the early morning. Not likely to be a problem at this time of year though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 I would be careful in a heatwave (stop laughing) I actually havent had to come across that yet eglutine in my time of chook keeping!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyDaizy Posted March 11, 2008 Author Share Posted March 11, 2008 I would be careful in a heatwave (stop laughing) as it might get a bit too hot in there even in the early morning. Not likely to be a problem at this time of year though. Hia, since the sun doesnt get round to the garden til the afternoon, I think we will definitely be up by then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cluckbok Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Hi, We shut ours in at night and let them out at the same time. Maybe a little later on the weekend. It works for us and them. They very quiet when inside the eglu, it's funny how they put themselves to bed!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keanie Bean Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 You must all be lucky, our chooks are busy clucking whether the door is open or closed! They wake us at the weekends now about 6.30 to be let out now that its getting lighter, must be the special light here in South East London, or should I say the never quite dark light. Sarah.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyDaizy Posted March 11, 2008 Author Share Posted March 11, 2008 You must all be lucky, our chooks are busy clucking whether the door is open or closed! They wake us at the weekends now about 6.30 to be let out now that its getting lighter, must be the special light here in South East London, or should I say the never quite dark light. Sarah.x Well, I do wonder whether them being locked away will stop them clucking, but hopefully that clucking should be muffled enough not to cause too much of a disturbance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraJ Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 i did worry about this when deciding to keep chickens as we have 3 close and 2 not so close neighbours, the first day i paniced a bit when Amber went nuts because the others were still in the coop. i waas shhing her frantically lolol well since then they haven't really made a noise , so far its been 7-7.30 quite early enough i feel but this morning hubby opened the coop at 6.15 as i didnt need to get up and they didn't come out lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 I shut the door at night. (Leave it open when we are on holiday). I struggle out of bed after my alarm clock goes off and open the eglu at 7.30am in the week. But at weekends it's a bit later. Mine don't seem to mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol U Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Mine seem to be opposite to everyone else's (typical)! If I shut their door at night, at first light next morning they squawk as if they're being murdered - so loudly that I can hear them through the double glazing. However, as long as they can come and go as they please, they're no trouble at all. They're such pigs that I think they can't bear to be separated from their food! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chili pepper Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 I too wish my children would go to bed with as little fuss as the chooks!! I always shut the eglu door at night and its opened about 7am each morning. I'm always up at the weekends anyway as I wake naturally by 7am During the light summer months last year my girls would actually knock and peck at the eglu door to be let out which makes quite alot of noise at 5.30am when everything else is silent So in the end during the hot summer nights I left the door open so they could get up early if they wanted to. There have been a couple of occasions, usually when I've had a glass or two the night before when I havent let them out until 8 or 9 am But they were fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krysia Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Sorry but my Son goes ot bed like a dream! (He is onlt 17months so I'm sure it will change) We rarely shut our girls in unless very cold windy ot other bad weather, When we just had the eglu we would push it shut but not lock it the girls learn't to push the door open in the mornings so we still got a lie in when we wanted. (Lie ins are a thing of the past now though!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChickNic Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 You must all be lucky, our chooks are busy clucking whether the door is open or closed! They wake us at the weekends now about 6.30 to be let out now that its getting lighter, must be the special light here in South East London, or should I say the never quite dark light. Sarah.x I am in South East London too (Denmark Hill), where abouts are you?. My 2 are so noisy at the moment too (in or out the Eglu) and I'm getting pretty exhausted getting up so early (6.15am this morning). I already have a dark tarp over the Eglu, it makes no difference! It's getting so bad that we might have to think about re-homing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 Can you not just leave the Eglu door open so that they can let themselves out in the morning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChickNic Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 We did try that, they are then up even earlier (before 6am) screeching to be let into the garden. The only thing that keeps them quiet (but only for abut 45mins) is if I throw treats in there. Now they probably expect them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 How about giving them something like a cabbage to peck at.....it takes a while to eat..... Are the hens bothering your neighbours? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChickNic Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 Cabbage was yesterday's treat, they have also had a corn on the cob etc, but nothing seems to last very long. They are also both laying before 6am at the moment. They have usually laid before we open the eglu door. They just seem to be in a such a hurry to do everything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...