Single hen

[GillC]

Just passed the 1 year mark since I got my chickens. Feeling the urge to build one of those chicken palaces that I see on the gallery pages. They positively enhance the look of a garden

 

Meanwhile, I have a pink eglu with a run extension, two sun shades and three chickens. During the summer I got into the habit of leaving the eglu door open overnight. I was worried that the chickens might overheat inside in the early morning sun. I felt it also allowed them to get out as soon as the sun was up instead of having to wait for us to open the door.

 

They're now accustomed to getting out each morning whenever they want to but I'm thinking that I should shut the door as the weather is now colder.

 

What is the consensus about the door. I was reading about draughts and started wondering if I should have kept it shut overnight all summer. We don't get foxes as we live in the country (I know, doesn't seem to make sense, but my town dwelling chicken addicted friends have great problems with foxes whereas I never see them) so they don't get disturbed overnight by visitors with evil intentions.

 

Does anybody else worry about overheating chickens?

[Jillus]

When I had an Eglu I left the door open every night unless it was absolutely freezing. Now we have traditional coops I also let the girls put themselves to bed and get up in the morning. They are often up very early even when it is barely light. They have not suffered and we like you do not have foxes as we too live in the country

[moomin]

I shut my Eglu door every night, even in the Summer as I am worried about them getting up at silly o'clock and waking the neighbours. They were fine and didn't seem to overheat. One of them's a huge feathery Cochin so for the other one it must have been like sleeping next to a 20 tog duvet!!

[Egluntyne]

I leave my Eglu doors open all winter. So far so good.

 

I have noticed fox prints around them in the snow though a few times.

 

We all have to balance the odds according to our individual situations.

[GillC]

Many thanks for the advice. That's really helpful. My main fear was that I had unwittingly exposed my poor chickens to unhealthy overnight living conditions. However if its just a matter of what works best in each situation, I may to leave the door open as long as possible as they really seem to prefer it. Maybe not in the depths of winter mind

[Sandychick]

I've been wondering what to do in the winter. I don't want to shut the door at night because I am always late and utterly disorganised in a morning before work - I worry that I might forget to open it one morning.

 

I have covered the run so that it goes right to the floor for the first couple of feet at the eglu end. Thought this might prevent any draught or driving rain / snow in the worst conditions.

[WitchHazel]

When I first got my chickens, I shut the cube door every night. Then when it got warmer, we tried leaving the cube door open. It was great all through the summer, as the Girls liked to get up at about 5am.

 

Ebemn as it started to cool down, the Girls seemed to prefer it with the door open - in fact, they tend to sleep with their shoulders in the door way and their heads out!

 

It's now getting much colder, and I was wondering whether I should start shutting the door. But I've only seen them move right inside the cuvbe when it's raining and the rain is coming in directly.

 

I'm still leaving the door open, but on very wet nights I pull it partially closed - they can still get out in the morning, but they have a bit mor closed space if they want it.

 

And like the OP I'm interested to know what other prople do when it gets colder still.

[MaggieMcHen]

I have left mine open for the past six months or more. The girls like the freedom to get up as and when and don't make a lot of noise, until they see me!!! They haven't had any problems with the cold even in the depth of winter. They are wearing duvets after all.

[beach chick]

I think I've only ever closed mine when the forecast is for minus silly degrees. if you've ever put your hand into a bunch of sleeping chickens, its warm as toast!! however, having said that, we live next to the sea and hence tend not to get really deep frosts.

[eggstravagant]

I am also a bit concerned, living in the very North of Northumberland (its frosty and freezing here today), but my neighbour has assured me that they will be OK with the door left open, even mid-winter.

 

Daisy (White Star)

Poppy (Goldline)

Dot (Amber Star)

Petal

Scatman the very tollerant cat

[Mrs Slats]

We left our door open all summer as it wasnt' too cold and they were getting up at silly oclock.

 

Now it's got much colder and is darker for longer we've started shutting the door. We open it when we get up at 0645 and they seem fine with it. Although yesterday I have to confess they were shut in till 8 as I was sleeping in

 

As ex bats they are still a little threadbare in places so I do worry that they feel a chill more than most... they had really started to huddle up at night and their egg production has halved in a week.

[cam1]

We have also been wondering about this. When we first had the chickens we shut the door but after reading about leaving it open as lots do during the summer we left it open which suited us all! was wondering as it was getting colder what to do. It was frosty here this am and cold and the door was open, they dont seem to have minded and were still up before me! cam

mya

velma

[owenofj]

We just push it to if it's going to be a cold night, they just push it open themselves when they want to get out, but they're protected (ish) during the night.

[frenchtoast]

I left the door open during the summer to prepare them for when we went away for a week but they were noisy, even although they had food and water in the 3m run. My daughter (aged 13!) got up a few times at 6.00am in the holidays to let them out into the garden because of the bok bokking (I couldn't hear them from the front).

Now I lock them in the Eglu again - the main reason - the Grub is covered in huge slimly slugs filled up on bokashi and pellets ugghhh! So I'm back to my initial routine of bringing the food in at night. Much better especially as it is still darkish here at 6.50am now and likewise in the evening so they can be tucked up well before I settle down for the evening.