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

[quickcluck]

Hi there...... I work 7-2 three days a week...... what do others do about letting hens out into the run? Is it OK to keep them in the eglu while i'm at work or should I let them out? I am worried about early morning noise as they will be much nearer a neighbours bedroom window than mine!

[Hen Watch]

Hi there...... I work 7-2 three days a week...... what do others do about letting hens out into the run? Is it OK to keep them in the eglu while i'm at work or should I let them out? I am worried about early morning noise as they will be much nearer a neighbours bedroom window than mine!

 

They can't stay just in the eglu (apart from overnight). I work 2 mornings a week 9-2pm. Mine are used to being in the run and don't protest (apart from very occasionally). Mind you, I open the eglu at 7am but I suppose if you start work at 7 you will be opening it much earlier.

 

On the days I don't work, I still don't let my girls out of the run until 10am even if I'm around all day. That means letting them out of the eglu into the run at 7am, then I can do the school run, any shopping etc. and they get chance to eat all their pellets before free-ranging. It's good for them to get used to being in the run when needed.

[Egluntyne]

Don't keep them in the Eglu itself, but let them out into the fox resistant run and they will be fine.

[Chickvic]

Hello! I leave my girls in the run all day til about 3.30 - 4pm. I work in a school and that's what time I get home. They are fine in the run and I don't shut the eglu door so they get themselves up in the morning. Luckily mine are quiet even when they've laid! I swear they can tell the time, if I'm out in the morning before school they don't bother but after 3.30 they start pacing and looking for the way out!

[clucking mad]

i had never even given 'leaving them in the run' a second thought. i let them out at around 630 and they are completely by themselves all day until about 4.

even the neighbours cant see them, only pps that can are those on the top deck of bus 24/25 as we live on a bus route

they are used to it now but i do get alot of clucks when i arrive home

[*mummy_hen*]

Ours come out at about 6.30 - 7 am, then most weekdays they are in the run until about 4.30 pm but we don't have an eglu, we have a walk in run although they would be fine in the eglu run also i would have thought.

 

It would be mean to leave them cooped up in the eglu itself all day but they would be perfectly happy and safe in the run bit itself and would always have the shelter of the eglu if they wanted it.

[TAJ]

I never shut the door on my eglu - they get themselves out into the run in the morning & to bed at night and I have had no problems with noise.

 

Tracy

[Jane 20]

We leave our door open too They are always in the run when we get up - about 5.30 am and put themselves to bed at about 8.30 pm.

The only time we shut the eglu door was when our new girls came and there was rather a lot of noise - and when it was snowing

[Chickens@61]

we do not have an eglu, but ours stay in their run (with access to their coop) until around 5-6pm on weekdays, then they free range until they put themselves to bed. at weekends we let them our a little earlier but we leave the run door open whilst they are free ranging and they often all wander back in!

 

they seem to know the routine - like others have said they are real little creatures of habit. we have had no problems with noise so far, when they get up they are too busy eating and drinking

[Lapinou]

I never shut the door on my eglu - they get themselves out into the run in the morning & to bed at night and I have had no problems with noise.

 

Tracy

 

I'm so glad you've said this! My mum (who has kept chickens) told me that when we went away, it should be fine to leave the elgu door open in the very likely event that we can't find anyone to open it at stupid-o'clock in the morning and return to close it in the evening, as the run is so fox-resistant. After reading this thread, I was starting to worry that we wouldn't be able to! But your response has made me feel quite a lot happier!