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

[josieadc]

Hi, Forgive me if you have had a query about this before, but I'm a newbie and just finding my feet. We've got a Cube with an extension run, and have 3 hens, have had for just over a week. We have been shutting their Cube door at night, but are now keen to leave the door open and shut the 'outside' door on the extension run so they can get up and out in their own time, but will I presume still be fox proof. My question is shall I bring their food in at night, - laying pellets in a 'grub' or can I leave them out overnight. Surely they will want to have them to eat as soon as they are outside, but I'm not sure if this will attract rats etc. I'm not sure if rats can get through the green wire mesh, or if it's rat proof as well as fox proof. Hope you can help. Thanks

[Raina]

Hi, i bring the girls food in at night

 

i only bring it in to stop rats, and i think a rat could easily fit through the bars!

 

We have a couple of rats (one which is quite fat) and we have had to replace their cage as they fit through the gaps which were smaller than the ones on the eglu run

[Hen Watch]

Bringing the food in at night is a good routine to get into if you can. Having said that, I go through fits and starts of bringing it in religiously and then a few months of not bothering. Mind you I'm not aware of a rat problem and if I was I would not leave it out.

 

I used to leave the eglu door open (it is much easier that way) but do bear in mind that chickens will get up at first light. Which isn't too early now, but in high summer they'll be up and about at 4am. That's ok if they are quiet, mine aren't so they stay locked in the eglu until 7.30am. But if they were quiet I would have the door open as many others do on this forum.

[Redwing]

I leave the food out but if I suspected that it was going down quickly and was being eaten by something else I would start bringing it in

[Budgies]

I would bring the food in. You're much better off not making things appealing for rats in the first place rather than trying to deal with a rat infestation somewhere down the line.

 

When you think about it, chickens in domestic situations used to be fed a handful of corn or mash twice a day, so them being without their food for a while each morning isn't too big a hardship for them!

[Egluntyne]

I bought a treadle feeder as I didn't want to deprive the girls of an early breakfast, but at the same time didn't want to feed the local vermin.

[josieadc]

Many thanks for all your advice which has been really helpful. I've now decided to bring the food in at night and they can wait for their breakfast until 7 ish. So far they do seem to be quiet in the mornings, I can't hear them anyway, and I'm nearer to them than my neighbours. Thanks again.