Single hen

[fog_horn_leghorn]

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone leaves thier eglu door open all the time? Mines out of the prevaling wind with a wind block running on the mesh from the pod to about .5mtr. The reason I'm asking is a very knowledgable poultry keeper advised me not to close the door as if we got up late one day to let the chooks out the chooks may have half pecked each other to death!

 

They've had the door open at all times for the last 5 days. All seem happy, preening as usual, feeding fine etc etc. The weather has also been very miserable and windy!

 

Opinions please.

 

Oh and I've been wondering about making a door flap thing to keep a bit more cold out, you know those sort of clear plastic things that are sometimes dangling over warehouse doors but smaller of course?????

[The Dogmother]

I leave the door open at night unless it's sub-zero. Do bear in mind though that the eglu can't be considered secure with the door open, so if you're worried about fox attacks, you need to close it.

[fog_horn_leghorn]

I'm sure we dont have foxes. There is a duck pond with litterally over 50 ducks about 50 yard from the house and a dog who lives next door. I'm guessing there would be a trail of death if we had foxes in the area.

 

Thanks

Phil.

[Saronne]

Don't be so sure! There have been threads on this very topic - and it often happens to those who say they don't have foxes..

 

I always keep mine closed at night.

 

 

Saronne x

[Janet G]

I leave the door open all the time even in the very cold weather this winter, but then I'm a late riser, & that seems unfair on the hens. We have a Cube & we've put plastic sheeting over the top half of the run, also it's sheltered by a hedge & the house. There is a fox roaming around although I've not seen it, but the garden is well fenced & there's lots of rabbits around, which I'm told they prefer. The house & run are on a woodchip area surrounded by paving slabs which a fox could not dig under. It's a toss up between hen happiness & the very very slight fox risk.

 

Janet.

[Patricia W]

I shut my eglu door because we have a cockerel and for the sake of the neighbours (and his life!) need to keep it as dark as possible for as long as possible.....

 

Tricia

[Margalot]

I have just started leaving the cube door open, not wide open but about 1/3 open. We had to do this when we went away for a weekend, and have just left it like that ever since. I too was concerned that it would be too draughty at first, but my OH reminded me that pigeons and other wild birds sleep in the trees, so he was sure the chooks could cope with an open door, especially as they all cuddle up together anyway.

 

The other morning I got up very early and they were already up and about! We do occasionally have foxy visits at night but so far no signs of digging around the run, anyway not sure if a fox could squeeze throught the small gap of the door?

[Adams Egg]

I was leaving mine open but as the days have lengthened they were getting up early and making a racket that woke me, never mind the neighbours so I started shutting the door which worked for a couple of days then they became cross. Now I close but don't lock it and they have worked out how to push it open. Strangely they did work out how to close it as one night we came back late to find one inside the eglu, door shut and the others roosting in the run. Can only summise that in the scramble to get in they knocked the door shut. Its just a matter of trial and error and see what works.

[alih]

I never close mine.

[jomaxsmith]

I keep mine open at night during British Summer Time, and on occasional nights away during the winter months. I figure that during the winter the hens are asleep at a reasonable time and don't mind staying in until I get up at 7am so shutting the door isn't an inconvenience for me. During the summer, I don't like the idea that they're awake from 5am when it gets light but can't get out. I'm lucky that my girls are pretty quiet, though!

 

Jo

[Egluntyne]

I never close mine either.

[Janepie33]

I've never closed my cube door (I'm not a morning person!). When we had very very cold weather I went out with a torch late at night to check the girls were warm enough and 2 of them were roosting right at the front of the entrance with their heads sticking out!

Occasionaly I've found poo in the nesting box in the morning, so figured that the girls snuggle up in there if they feel a bit chilly.

We have loads of foxes in our area and the girls have been safe at night with the cube door open and previously with the eglu door open.

[MadMitch]

Never close mine.

[chelsea]

Mine is always closed, come summer, winter, rain or shine. I can sleep sound knowing they are safely tucked away and also that they are not annoying the neighbours at 5am in the summer making noise!

 

3 years later with door closed, and no hens pecked to death either.

[Peachy77]

Always leave mine open. Unless its freezing.