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

[quickcluck]

ie when you go to work in the dark, will the girls still get up or will they stay sleeping and i'll just open the door so they can get up when they feel like it?

 

I know it's a silly question but was just wondering.......

 

Also do they still lay during the winter with the shorter days???

 

Thanks guys..........

[Egluntyne]

I leave the Eglu doors open so that they can get up when they feel like it.

 

Hybrids tend to lay fewer eggs over winter and some pure breeds stop laying altogether.

Edited September 22, 2008 by Guest

[Hen Watch]

My hybrids laid eggs every day last winter. It is only this summer, now they are 18months old, I'm getting less eggs.

 

Open up the eglu door when you feel like it. If it is too dark they will have a peek out and then take themselves back to bed.

[dancing cloud]

I've already opened the door when it's still been dark on a couple of days, and they just look at me with a sort of bleary-eyed "We're asleep" look and then toddle out as and when.

 

I have noticed though that on days when it's not quite light, they shove Chance (bottom of the pecking order hen) down the ladder first - presumably so that any unseen predators can eat her and be too full to eat them . Hens are really not the sweet cuddly things they pretend to be, are they ?

[MedusA]

Like Egluntine, I leave the eglu door open all the time (with rare exceptions for very bad weather). The girls just get up and put themselves to bed when they wish. It works for me and means I'm not forced to get up early in the summer months!