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

[cherryblossom]

Hi all,

 

we have had our chickens (2) for two and a half weeks. Last night hubbie and I went out, getting back at 1.30am. Hubbie put the light on in the back garden and sat out for a bit while the dog went to the toilet. In that time, the chickens woke up and were wondering around!

I turned off as many light as I could to still see myself and tried to put them back on their purches. But no, they were awake. I turned all the lights off and left them to it. At least one of them slept in the nest box.

 

 

Is this a problem other people have?

[Guest]

no because they all put themselves to bed in the cube, then we close the door until the morning. Do you have a coop/eglu you can encourage them to use?

[cherryblossom]

We don't have an eglu, but they do have a coop, with a door, but there is a wire bit they can see out of with all their food and water in (we have to worry more about ventilation than keeping warm here in Oz, especially as we are in a heatwave at the moment, they especially need water at all times).

 

They were in a nice dark 'room' with purches, and the light wouldn't have shone directly into the bedroom bit, but they must have seen it in the 'dining room'.

[Olly]

Gosh, just seen where you are posting from - welcome to the forum! (edit - you've obviously posted before, but I didn't know we had anybody so far away on here!)

 

Mine used to get up every time I approached the Eglu when they were new, I used to tiptoe up the garden to close the door after they'd gone to bed and they would almost always hear me coming and get up in the hope of food. Once they started laying they were much more settled, and I'd have a job to disturb them now - they obviously realise how important their beauty sleep is! I would guess that when yours are a bit older, they won't be so easily disturbed.

[feemcg]

I go out to collect eggs when I get in from work and can access the runs via the garage. As soon as they hear the garage door go up they all troop out the eglu and cube in the pitch black, come over and crowd round my feet blethering and waiting to see if theyre going to get any goodies, then they all turn round and head back to bed

 

I hate waking them up but don't like leaving the eggs till the next day in case they get broken.

[Angels4]

Sometimes when I get home late at night, I have to turn on a big flood light so I can go up and shut the eglu door, this light shines right into the eglu and my girls ALWAYS wake up and come out into the run, now when I get home late in the evening I turn the light on, but once I've made my way to the eglu my sister turns it off, once the light is off it takes a few moments for the girls to head back into the eglu and I can then shut the door.

[KAZAROO]

We don't have an eglu, but they do have a coop, with a door, but there is a wire bit they can see out of with all their food and water in (we have to worry more about ventilation than keeping warm here in Oz, especially as we are in a heatwave at the moment, they especially need water at all times).

 

They were in a nice dark 'room' with purches, and the light wouldn't have shone directly into the bedroom bit, but they must have seen it in the 'dining room'.

 

To solve the problem of early risers making loads of noise- I cut up my old wellies to make a "flap" for the pop hole and window.... Maybe a dark cotton sheet doubled up and cut into strands so ventilation is okay....

[cherryblossom]

Thanks very much everyone.

[cherryblossom]

The little sods have stopped sleeping on their purches. I noticed poo in the nest box this morning. Tonight I went to shut them in after they had gone to bed. One was in the nest box, and the other was laying on the floor next to the nest box. I have no way of shutting the nest box off from the purches and food/water.

I am not sure why they have started doing this, I am wondering if there is not as much ventialation in the bedroom bit, so maybe it is hotter and they want to stay where it is cooler?

 

I bet they would love a bit of snow. I'm not sure if they have even seen rain in their life as it has been so long since we had any.