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

[debbier]

My friends are coming round morning/eve to check on my chooks whilst we're away for a week.

 

I've only had my chooks for a couple of weeks, but they have settled into a nice routine of my shutting the eglu door at night and letting them out at around 8 a.m.

 

I'm a bit concerned about leaving the door open all the time, due the run not being completely fox-proof, unlike a closed eglu but think it might be easier for the sitters.

 

Any thought?

[Olly]

I think it depends on whether your friends are available at those times. It's true that the Eglu run is not totally fox-proof, there are some rare instances of chickens being 'foxed' somehow through the run. However if your friends can't do the hours your chooks are used to, I don't think you have much choice, do you?

 

I leave the door open all year round unless it's exceptionally cold, because although I'm aware of these instances, I'm confident that my run is safe - it's on firm ground and nothing has ever tried to tunnel into it. It's a matter of personal choice, as with so many of these decisions.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I had a similar situation almost 2 years ago. We went away leaving them in the care of a friend and left the eglu door open (having always shut it every night). I made sure the skirt of the run was well weighted down with slabs just to be on the safe side. They were fine .