Solitary chicken - need advice

[ValR]

I've been letting my two into the run at about 7.30a.m., into the garden at about 11a.m., then encouraging them back into the run with some goodies an hour or two before dark. I then shut the door once their inside the eglu, just before it's dark.

 

Is this reasonable? Am I letting them out too late in the morning? I've read that a lot of people don't shut the eglu door at all, but I'm not sure whether I'd be happy leavcing them exposed like that.

[welsh sarah]

hi

i let mine out at about 7.30 i do let them out to roam the garden then though.

i just leave them to take themselves to bed and i close the door of the eglu when they are in bed,

i do sometimes leave the eglu door open if i am going out before they are in bed, they then get up whenever they like in the morning

 

i hope this helps, i dont think you are doing anything wrong, whatever works for you and your chickens

sarah

[ValR]

Do they always find their way back into the eglu at night? Mine seem fond of my magnolia tree, and I have visions of them taking themselves up there to roost.

[welsh sarah]

i have been very lucky mine have always found their way to bed unaided

sarah

[Hen Watch]

My routine is pretty much the same and fits around my lifestyle, school & work etc.

 

7.15am open the eglu door & let the girls into the run. Sort out kids for school.

10am (ish) Girls free range (except 2 mornings a week when I work, then it's 2pm).

3pm - 3.45pm Back in run at school pick up time then let out again.

45 mins before dusk - back in run.

I close the eglu door when I go to bed (sometimes midnight).

 

In winter, same routine, except on the very shortest winter days when it gets dark at 4pm, the girls get shut away just before I collect children from school. Very torrential wet winter days, the girls stay in their run and don't get free range time (or they will rip the lawn to shreds looking for worms).

[eggypeggy]

Well, we are the very lazy chicken keeping type.. The door to eglu never closed. I usually let my 3 year old go up, about 8 ish, and open the run door for free ranging. He loves it, little job.

 

They stay like that all day 'til we get them in the run before it gets dark.. tempted in with a few treats. No effort at all... I collect eggs in the afternoon and check on food and water then. When I'm home I always pop out for a bit of chook watching.

 

This is def not recommend for all, we are super lucky and don't appear to have any foxes lurking around. YET!

 

Things have changed recently though as we've added two more and I have to pop up and remove them at night to the shed. But I don't mind a bit.. they're lovely.

[ValR]

Do they lay their eggs in the eglu, or do you have to hunt round the garden for them?

[eggypeggy]

Ours lay in the eglu, we just leave the door to the run open all day, so they pop in and out for food, water, laying etc.

 

I just shut the door to the run in the evening before it gets dark and then they put themselves to bed.

[piptiddlepip]

I get mine up at 6:15 (dawn at the moment, I guess that will get later during the winter) for their porridge, and they free range for a bit then go back in while I go to work. After work I just let them free-range with the run door open and they put themselves to bed. When there are no hens in the garden I pop out, open the nestbox and do a quick head-count before shutting them up for the night.

[Mutrix Farmers]

OH opens eglu door at 7. Bit dusky this morning so they were a bit reluctant to come out! They free range when we get in from work and put themselves to bed as the light is failing. I then go out to close the run and eglu door (I always do a headcount first) at about 9 (that is when I remember it's gone dark and the girls must be in bed!! )

[ValR]

I would worry about foxes if I left my girls out roaming until dusk.

 

Had my first egg today Rather small (41g) but perfect. Not sure which hen it was, probably the Pepperpot. My Gingernut is still rather small and still sneezing.

[Dave36]

My Gingernuts lay light brown eggs the pepperpot's lay a dark brown slightly speckled

[smudgley]

Mine go out at 6am, which is the time I go down the garden & see to the rescue cats & feed the dog etc.

we lock them in after we've had tea etc (about 7- They have a tin of sweetcorn at bedtime between them which they love.

[Misapp]

They have a tin of sweetcorn at bedtime between them which they love.

Do i have the only chickens that dont seem to want to eat any extras? All they seem to want to eat is grass and their pellets. We have tried broccolli, apple, sweetcorn, chicken corn and they arent interested in anything.

Does anyone have any suggestion, i would love to spoil them a bit.

[RubyReckless]

Enjoy it! much cheaper that way, MisH!

[ValR]

Mine were quite fussy too - grapes, sweetcorn, raisins, not interested.

Then I discovered dried mealworms! Now they'll take my hand off to get them.