cabbagepatch Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 Am the very happy owner of my girls, two weeks todayl I've been letting them free range every evening when I get home from work and they love it. But, as the nights draw in, its going to be dark before I get in, so I guess I can only let them out at weekends Is this bad or am I worrying too much? As we go towards November, the dreaded fireworks will be going off I try to get the cats in as much as poss and the dogs do as they are told but what about the chooks??? Am sure they will get stressed so any advice please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chooks Aloud Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 I too am very worried about the fireworks going off so any advice would be much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted September 16, 2006 Share Posted September 16, 2006 I was told my a friend of mine, that they bring the girls into the house on fireworks nights (and the days before and after). Just put them in a large cardboard box with air holes and some straw. Leave them in the kitchen or somewhere quiet. I was worried about this too as its my first fireworks night with the chickens, but luckily I don't have many neighbours. Hope this helps. Christian x x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruth Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 Last year, I just made sure that I closed the eglu door around fireworks nights, and my chickens were fine (went on laying eggs, anyway!). And yes, mine get less time to free range in the winter, but they don't seem to mind. They tend to go to bed much earlier in the winter, basically they follow the daylight, and go to bed when it's getting dark. So don't worry that they have less time to freerange. They'll be fine in the run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 I sort of look forward to tucking the chickens in at 6pm, rather than 10pm I also love the fact that they won't sqwark me awake at 5.30am Mine are just shut in the Eglu around Bonfire Night,as they are most Autumn nights anyway,& we have never had much of a problem. They wil survive on less free-range time,as their body clocks change with the seasons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted September 19, 2006 Share Posted September 19, 2006 I try to give mine a quick half hour in the garden before I leave in the mornings, during winter, as like you its dark by the time I come home. Didn't have any problems last guy faulkes - just closed the eglu door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 20, 2006 Share Posted September 20, 2006 Last year there was the same debate - some people bring them indoors, some don't - mine were fine outside; not a cheep out of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 20, 2006 Share Posted September 20, 2006 Round about bonfire night, we just made sure that the girls were tucked up with the door shut, and on bad firweork nights ( what's the thrill in chucking fireworks around the streets?), we covered the eglu with an old bit of carpet, to provide some extra insulation from the noise and flashes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted September 20, 2006 Share Posted September 20, 2006 Oh dear, I hadn't thought about it, and am really not looking forward to Bonfire night as I am so urban It goes on for about a fortnight, till way past midnight at weekends and is really really loud. I have found some amazingly large pieces of wood in the garden each year which must have come off rockets (a metre long by a centimetre in diameter), I dread to think what damage they could do if you were outside looking up! Don't really know what I will be doing with the chickens, it frightens me sometimes so they may be terrified, and Snooty is scared of her own shadow anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted September 21, 2006 Share Posted September 21, 2006 Have you thought about brining them in for a few nights - in a nice large box or dog cage or similar with lots of comfy bedding. You can keep them in the quietest part of the house and then, when its light let them out again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted September 21, 2006 Share Posted September 21, 2006 Have you thought about brining them in for a few nights - in a nice large box or dog cage or similar with lots of comfy bedding. You can keep them in the quietest part of the house and then, when its light let them out again? Thanks for the advice Mel, I will look around for a suitable large box. I only thought about it when I read this topic, so I will have to see what happens. If I have a box ready I suppose I can whisk them all inside if it all gets too much. You never know, they might surprise me, they weren't upset when I played some Motorhead near them as a trial Maybe they are just Rock Chicks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted September 22, 2006 Share Posted September 22, 2006 sometimes I think that we get more worried about how our animals MIGHT react rather than how they ACTUALLY react - if your lot can cope with Motorhead then they can cope with ANYTHING Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted September 22, 2006 Share Posted September 22, 2006 Its not really worth doing anything special round here. Its so multi-cultural that there no knowing who's going to start setting off fireworks when - its a free-for-all and I think the chooks are just used to it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballgunner Posted September 22, 2006 Share Posted September 22, 2006 i put my chickens in a puppy box (1 each) and had them in my bedroom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
