Big Chicken Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 We are going away for a couple of nights in November and although we have people who can come in during the day to feed then and supervise them whilst they free range for a bit we struggle with someone to do the early mornings letting them out. (We have a secure walk in run, which will be locked) In your opinion can we leave the door open and add one of those snugglepads and will they stay warm enough over night? Is anyone around this time of year still leaving their door open? Big Chicken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 If you are confident that your run is secure, they should be ok. The entrance to my cube is quite sheltered by the run roof and a winter shade so that reduces any cold draughts as well. I leave mine open all winter (but there are 10 of them snuggled up together!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 Normally I leave the door open, but as it is now colder and I have one moulting I just close the door to almost closed (but not locked) - they then open it themselves in the morning. One thing you do however need to think about is water - if the water gets frozen overnight you must have someone to check the water in the morning as chickens cannot survive without water - they drink about ½ pint each per day. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheik Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 Thanks for the replies, @ Snowy : I'm not sure of how the Cube looks inside - can your chickens sleep completely away from the open door? We have four in our Eglu, but one or two always have to face the draught really. @ Tracy : Regarding water, we can get a neighbour to come round later on in the morning (say 9am ish) - we just don't like to ask them to get round before 7am! If anyone has any experience with these snugglepad gizmos, we'd like to hear your opinion! Thanks, /\dam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helenmb Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 The Snugglesafe stays warm for several hours longer than a hot water bottle but wouldn't be still hot by the morning (I have one and have tested it on myself!). It would certainly help if you were worried but you'd have to make sure that it didn't fall onto the girls if you didn't pop it in the droppings tray. I have previously kept a weather station thermometer in my Eglu in previous winters to monitor the temp and its always a few degrees higher inside than outside even with the door open. Suggestion - if you are not going away immediately could you try to leave the door partially open and unlocked and see if they can work out how to push it open then maybe that might be a better option. I normally only close the door if its going to be frosty - keeping in closed just at the moment for the fireworks as it will deaden the sound a bit more. About the water worry, Christian (one of the moderators) suggested on another thread to pop in a couple of ping pong balls which he does which is a really good and cheap idea I think. The Glug wouldn't freeze solid unless it was seriously cold I have only ever had it freeze the top centimeter or so a couple of winters ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JEAN Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 We are just back from a weekend away, only had the girls 3 weeks and have been worried sick about the cold/fireworks etc. We have 8 in a cube and left the door open and floated balls in the drinkers. It has been cold and frosty here and returned very relieved to see them all safe and well! My main concern was the water which has been getting a thin ice layer of late but all seems fine. We had my OHs parents on standby to pop round and check on them if the temp became really bad. We actually have a snugglesafe for our dogs but when I suggested putting it in for the hens OH said I was being paranoid so we didn't bother in the end. Good luck with your weekend - if you have somebody checking on the water I reckon they should be just fine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alih Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 my door stays open all year round and they are fine - I remind myself that they are birds and most birds shelter in trees etc which reassures me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheik Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 I notice the people who leave their doors open tend to be Cube owners - I wonder if Eglus can be considered to be the same? There are generally less chickens inside after all. /\dam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 I have always left my Eglu dors open....4 hens per Eglu and they have been fine. There have been a few threads about the Snugglesafe lately. **Here is one** . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheik Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 Thanks Egluntine, do you leave the door open even when it is below freezing? /\dam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redhotchick Posted November 4, 2008 Share Posted November 4, 2008 I've been worrying about this recently. I am an Eglu owner with only 2 chickens. I always close the door. I was away for one night this weekend and got my mum (who is in her seventies) to let them out in the morning. Would it be possible to attach a piece of hessian sacking to the front using (but not blocking) the ventilation holes? I might give it a go, and see if the hens can work out to push through it to get in and out. It would have to be something that didn't fray, or the hens might eat it, and block their crops...... back to the drawing board maybe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 4, 2008 Share Posted November 4, 2008 Thanks Egluntine, do you leave the door open even when it is below freezing? /\dam Yes....and they have been fine. The inside of the Eglu gets very warm indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted November 4, 2008 Share Posted November 4, 2008 I always close our eglu door but have left it open during October when we were away for a week. It was vile weather that week too. I think I've read that someone has used a garden cane to keep the door ajar so the hens can come and go but have a little bit of shelter behind the door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alih Posted November 4, 2008 Share Posted November 4, 2008 I have always left eglu and cube doors open all the time and they have always been fine. They are well-insulated themselves and I didn't want to have to get up at the crack of dawn to let them out. If I did shut the door it would be more for security reasons than temperature reasons. But we live in temperate climes - I may feel different if I lived in northern Scotland Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helenmb Posted November 4, 2008 Share Posted November 4, 2008 I only had 2 girls in my Eglu for the last two winters and they were fine too. I just made sure that they had cover from snow and rain in the run and over the doorway to the eglu so the wind and water didn't blow in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleTree Posted November 4, 2008 Share Posted November 4, 2008 I started leaving the door open just a few days after getting our girls, as I knew we were going away over half term. It was really icy cold last week, but the water only froze over thinly once - the girls pecked through before I discovered it, and they were fine while we were away. My dad came every day to check on them, give fresh water, top up pellets, clean poo out of nesting box. They were so fine Mash laid her first egg on Sunday while we were travelling home and my dad found it - slightly jealous. Very excited to get our first egg though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
