Single hen

[Ecky]

Hi,

 

at the moment I am locking the ladies into the cube when they have taken themselves to bed and let them out around 08:00. So far so good and no noise (but then this is still the honeymoon period, less than a week). I then read all the advice of darkening the cube, should they make a racket to early in the morning during summer, which sounds reasonable and practical. However, this obviously will not work when they are home alone for a few days.

So, the question is, do I lock them in every night when I am at home and take a chance when I am away or don't I lock them in at all and only lock the run or can chicken been trained to not expect one or the other, by just randomly rotating the two?

Anybody with experience and advice please.

BTW: the chicken diet is working, I've lost already 4 kg due to worry. Do you think that will be the next big celebrity diet ? (But then I'm sure in a month I'm putting it all back on, sitting in the garden, G&T, biscuits watching the ladies toddling along ).

[esta]

Hey,

 

My advice is lock the chickens up EVERY night trust me from a lot of experience. I have kept chickens for about 5-6 years and i left 2 out and bang the fox had them. Don't count your lucky stars and don't be ruthless as the sight that will be left is awful

 

Hope i helped need any advice please pm me

 

esta x

[Jewels]

Hi Ecky

 

I thought about this when we went away for Christmas, was really worried they would make a noise, but if they did no one complained when we got home (they were left for three days)

however I left their cube door half open (with run door shut) and they came in and out as they pleased. Lots of other folk have said this is good to do in the summer at night, leaving their cube door half open so if they get up early when it gets light they can just come straight out into their run. I will def do this this summer ( I not had mine a year yet). Mine normally are let out of coop about 8.am but at weekend this is later and they patiently wait for me to let them out with virtually no noise.

 

Hope this may be helpful.

 

[Carol U]

I only close my eglu door at night when it's really freezing. The rest of the time they seem quite happy to get up when they please and help themselves to breakfast. We haven't had a noise problem so far. The wild birds make a much bigger racket.