4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[cliveb]

My two put themselves to bed at 8:30pm almost without fail at which time i shut the Egloo door. However when i get up at 06:30 for work the chickens are allready knocking at the door to get out,as they have a big run outside the Egloo run itself.

At the weekends they are going mad to get out by the time i get up at about 07:30. My question is would it be allright to leave the Egloo door open overnight so they have constant access to the green wire mesh and let them into the main run later?

I dont want to leave them in a draft all night!

 

Many Thanks

 

 

Sharon

Lorraine

[Egluntyne]

I never close my Eglu doors.

 

Gallina always shuts hers.

 

You have to weigh up the risks....however, as you seem to have a run within a run, I can't see any problem.

 

They won't be in a draft.

 

Mine were quite happy even in the cold weather.

 

They are wearing duvets don't forget.

[MaxBaz]

At the moment I always shut them in at night (getting slightly later each night - currently 8.20) and open up the door for them in the morning.

 

I get up at 5.30am anyway to walk the dogs, but have noticed the last couple of days that even at that time they are waiting for me and I hear their little "Bok Bok" calls as if to say - "hurry up, we're hungary!"

 

I think that during the summer months, I will probably leave the roosting cube door open all night for them to sort themselves out - because (embarrassing to admit) they will probably be going to bed AFTER me in the summer! The mesh door will remain absolutely shut though!

[Laura & CTB]

I have a secure walk in run so my girls get to go in and out as they please. I must admit though in the winter I shut the eglu door - it just seems more snug somehow

[cliveb]

Thanks MaxBaz that is what i was thinking of doing, just needed a bit of reassurance i guess.

It is indeed a run within a run as Egluntine says so hopefully the girls will be safe and sound and not so frustrated by being shut in in the mornings.

 

 

Sharon

Lorraine

[TheCoop]

I get up at 6.45am and it looks like our 3 have been up for some time already!

 

They always get themselves to bed and I currently leave the door open all night so they get up when they want.

[TAJ]

After the 1st month I never shut the eglu door, so they can get into the run in the morning - they seem fine with this - well they haven't complained.

 

Tracy

[Stevie]

I think i might try leaving the Eglu door open after reading your posts.Im up at 5.30am during the week,but Sage & Onion are already awake and theres almost a stampide to get out.

[Cooks]

I wouldn't be able to sleep, I like the idea of them being tucked up safe..

[BarbaraJ]

i must have lazy chickens lol i shut them in their coop 8-30 ish at the moment and they get let out at 7 during the week, 7-30-7.45 at weekends and they are usually quiet until they hear the run door opening. its well venttilated but very dark so maybe they just dnt realise its morning lol

 

I must admit though they were shut in their run all day i forgot to shut the coop till just now lol they were totally unbothered i was a bit disgusted to find the run floor covered in slugs

[FruitandNutCake]

Last night I had trouble getting mine to go to bed at 8:30 - they seemed to want to stay in the walk in run. One had actually started going to sleep in Dinkys nest box! And they were so eager to come out this morning at 6. So I might let them stay in the run during the night -with access to the coop.

 

My walk in run is like fort knox with two layers of weld mesh aound the sides, weld mesh on the roof, covered by corrugated plastic, and I haven't seen any evidence of foxes trying to dig in, so feel confident mine would be safe in the run overnight. Even if a fox did try to dig in, the mesh goes down into the ground where there is soil, on both sides of the frame.

 

The rabbit's have tried to dig out, but have given up now!!!

 

But if I didn't have two layers of mesh an inch apart, I wouldn't take the chance, as I have had pets attacked through a single layer of weld mesh in the past.

[HRC99]

I've never closed the door once for them and they are quite happy. That's just with a normal Cube + Extension on paving slabs.

 

If I wasn't around at the weekend and my girlfriend had to open the door, it'd be a miracle if they were let out before 12:00pm!

[cliveb]

I think i might try leaving the Eglu door open after reading your posts.Im up at 5.30am during the week,but Sage & Onion are already awake and theres almost a stampide to get out.

I would agree with you about the stampeed in the mornings, thats what prompted me to ask the question in the first place.

I left the Egloo door open last night for the first time and still they were gagging to get out of the mesh run first thing, at least the were'nt shoulder charging the Egloo door as usual though

Edited May 1, 2008 by Guest

[cathybc]

I have only had my girls a month. At first I thought I was getting away lighty, I could leave the door shut until about 8.30 am !

 

But whether they are now getting cheekier, or perhaps because it is warmer, I can hear noises if I am awake at about 6. So I think I will start to leave the door open.

 

They sre still in bed by the end of eastenders tho !

[chucknette]

Hi

 

I have been debating wether I should leave the cube door open at night.

The reason I havent done it yet is because Im worried that they may make a lot of noise too early.

 

How do your hens get on?

 

My girls make it a bit difficult to shut the door as they sleep perched at the entrance with their heads hanging out.

 

They are all in bed by 8.45 though.

 

Nette

[Pookylover]

Hi, I havre trouble getting mine to bed I must admit. Our dog at the moment is not very good with them so I have been trying to coax them into bed at around 8pm. Last night I thought I would be clever and take some pasta up for them (they follow me if I have food). 5 of them wandered in after me and I spent about 15 minutes chasing the other 'night owls' around the garden before finally getting them in too! Then the dog is able to go out in the back garden for a wee. He gets let out on the front lawn but is too busy being nosey to do anything! Hopefully we can get them aquainted and we won't have a problem. Clare x

[ajm200]

Ours had to be lured into the run last night at 9:30. I had to run around in the pouring rain to catch dippy and dopey as they still can't find their way into the run if the others sneak in while they aren't looking! It's been in exactly the same position for 3 weeks now.. hence their nicknames.

 

I don't know what time they actually went to bed as we keep the cube door open and I was definately in bed before them.. dirty stop-outs

 

I know that they were up at sunrise this morning as they were in the run when I came downstairs with my son just before 6am.

 

They've definately got more get up and go than me...

[abwsco]

We let ours free range for the first time tonight. I thought letting them out at 7.45 for about 1/2 hour would be a good idea. However, only two of the little darlings had put themselves to bed by 8.30 so at 8.45 we had to help the others get back into the run so we could go inside and get warm! Think it was around 9.15 when they'd all gone to bed.

 

One of the "early to bed" ones was funny though as it just ran across the garden and into the coop at full pelt

[cliveb]

Hi

 

I have been debating wether I should leave the cube door open at night.

The reason I havent done it yet is because Im worried that they may make a lot of noise too early.

 

How do your hens get on?

 

My girls make it a bit difficult to shut the door as they sleep perched at the entrance with their heads hanging out.

 

They are all in bed by 8.45 though.

 

Nette

One thing i have not found a problem is noise, all i get is a gentle clucking from the girls.the last two days now the door has been left open overnight and I was aware that they were out in there run at 05:00 but they were far from noisy.

However they are now even keener to get out into the main run in the mornings, I think i have spoilt them

 

Sharon

Lorraine

[kiwichick]

The reason I havent done it yet is because I'm worried that they may make a lot of noise too early.

 

Until 3 days ago this is how it went over here:

7.00pm - I shut them in the run because Mr Racoon would like to eat them and he comes at dusk. Chooks try to dig their way out.

10.30pm - I shut and lock the eglu door.

6.00am - I am woken by the noise of them screaming to get out. The bedroom is at the front of the house, the eglu at the back. Who knew chicken noise would carry so far?

6.30am - I stomp outside to let them out of the eglu & run then stomp back to bed (mornings are still cold)

6.30am - 7.15am - I lie in bed listening to them squawk all over the garden, cursing them and worrying about the neighbours.

 

Now, I've eliminated the worrying about the neighbours part. We live close to a train line, and an airport and at the moment the wind is carrying both noises right to our back door. The few times that I've forgotten to go back out and lock the eglu door we've been woken by them screaming to get out of the run at 6.30am. There's just no pleasing some chooks

 

Weekends are differentiated by me kicking OH out to go let the chooks out