Omlet Smart Autodoor - New in box

[Green Tara]

Hi I hope to get an eglu or cube soon - still can't make up my mind after months of 'chicken research'!

This might be a stupid question. Should the chickens be locked in the Eglu every night and if so what time do I need to let them out in the morning? this could be a deciding factor for me as I have M.E and sometimes (not often]don't get up till nine or ten.

[tara]

Hi l only lock mine up when its really cold l have a cube and eglu the door on the eglu is only half open as l have a brick there and a small tub of garlic up against so not to much cold air gets in as for the cube l only have the door half open.They do seem to like to get up when they like which at the moment is about 7 to 7.30 am mine go to bed between 5 and 5.30 pm.hope this helps

[Redwing]

not a silly question at all

 

Opinions differ on this

 

Some people leave the Eglu door open all year round and rely on the run to keep the birds safe, I am in this camp, others prefer to shut the door every night at dusk and let them out in the morning, between 6-8:30 is more usual, in the summer especially yours will bounce off the walls if kept in till 10am i'd say personally

 

If its a cold night I set the door about one inch open and the hens barge it open to et out in the morning, I open the door fully when I get up and then almost close it again in the evening, opening it fully when I get up means that the door is never in danger of closing during the day trapping the hens in or out

 

If leaving the Eglu door open you need to have complete faith in the run so all run clips must be in place and the skirt flat to the ground, some pegs may help keep it down and do ensure that the two square bits of mesh are in place under the Eglu itself

[igobarefoot]

Hi there

 

My girls put themselves to bed once it starts to get dark and then I close the door to their house to keep them warm and snug for the night.

 

I let them back out again about 7ish when I get up and they seem pretty happy with that.

 

I've only had mine since the end of October, but am hoping to keep to these times even when the days start to get longer, as not sure I fancy a 4am wake up call in mid summer!

 

Hope this helps!

[Space Chick]

I have always left the door open with mine, it is a personal decision though.

 

Not so much of a "risk" now I have a Walk in Run, but I made the decision that my cube run was secure when I first had them. In the summer they will be up at 5.30am, not a problem if you are up early for work, but as Redwing said, if you are in bed until 9 or 10 then will be going stir crazy

[Slim]

TBH If you suffer from M.E. I would not take on chickens or any pet that requires commitment, coops need cleaning ect and i know my girls drink like fish first thing in the morning and i have to refill their water. If you can't commit to get up in the morning I feel you can't give them the commitment they need. Have you tried a cat?

[Tutti Frutti]

Good point Slim. Fresh water could be put out the night before but, in winter and as we know from Dec/Jan just gone (even yesterday here!), it'd be frozen solid by morning and the chooks would be gasping (thirsty little monkeys that they are!). Hot water bottles/snugglesafes/tea lights in biscuit tins wouldn't work overnight

 

Anyone got a solution?

[Space Chick]

We have made a light bulb in a tin which has a circuit breaker attached, but I have only done that because I have an elevated on a bread crate 30 litre drinker in a Walk in Run, something like that wouldn't work for a glug.

 

Do you have anyone who can help you Green Tara?

 

I know that when I was seriously ill for 2 months in the summer I found it ever so hard to do things for my girls. However, I was lucky that my OH could take care of the girls for me.

[tara]

That is a good point l was constantly in and out giving the warm water over this last couple of months

[Lavenders_Blue]

I don't think you can fit them to an eglu (?) but you could look into an automatic pop hole so that the chickens would be shut away warm and safe at night and then let out first thing in the morning. However, that wouldn't solve the freezing water in winter problem which this year has lasted for about 3 months! I like space chick's idea of a bulb in a tin but as she has pointed out, that would only work with a galvanised drinker or similar, not a glug.

[Redwing]

To be fair I have got water out later in the morning to my lot before, its not the absolute end of the world as long as they get plenty and have it until they go to bed, after all some of us that work full time have come home to frozen drinkers before and the chickens havent expired on the back step!

 

Its not ideal granted but at the end of the day think how much pleasure your chickens bring you, to someone who is ill they must be a good distraction and wonderful to have around

 

Green Tara - you'll certainly need someone who can cover the tasks when you are too unwell and do consider the ease of cleaning out etc.. a taller run with an Eglu inside would be ideal (a walk in run) if you do have the back up then go for it

[Woodcat]

hey

 

 

I have M.E currently (quite severly) and have kept chickens for several years. What i do is to set an alarm and get up at 7ish put my dressing gown on go out and sort them out and then go back to bed for awhile. In your position i would get a cube or a walk in run. i found that the main difficulty i had was moving the eglu to clean the run out but with either a walk in run you could stand in or a cube that you can role at least part of this would be taken away.

 

I would suggested getting chickens as appose to a cat or any other animal simply because they are far more capable of managing on their own.They don't require continuous attension at odd times like cats do and they aren't nocturnal and keep you awake like some house animals If you want to talk to me about what it's like managing with them and m.e your more than wellcome to pm me and we can have a chat about it.

 

I would definably recommend it. My chickens have greatly improved my quality of life and pulled me through some really rough patches.

[beulah59]

That's good to read, woodcat ... hope things continue to improve xx

[fluffyknickers]

I have an Eglu and three chickens.

 

I do not shut the door at night as they wont let me! If I go out to do it they simply come out the Eglu! I have the standard run screwed in the ground with the screw peg things and slabs down on the skirt.

 

I dont always go out to them first thing but do always go out at night and check they have water and food, that way I know they have it in the morning.

 

 

I also have extra water and food containers.

 

Let us know what you decide.

Michelle

[Green Tara]

Thanks so much for all your helpful and thoughtful comments. I wanted to point out that I am reccovering from m.e and im working 2 days a week(teaching) so Im definitely well enough to take on the commitment and hopefully will continue like this. I would NEVER EVER consider 'trying' any pet. I have had animals all my life including horses,dogs,cats etc and without my adorable dog(who gets a walk and a swimfor over an hour a day)I dont know how I would have managed the last year. However I always think of the worst case scenario and couldnt ask a neighbour or friend to get up at sunrise.

Sorry for the rant but I cant bear the thought that anyone would think I would take on any pet lightly.

Woodcat-I hope things improve for you soon. Your idea sounds great and Im sure I could manage that. If I ever got really ill again one of my kids would have to come home so they could do chicken duty too.

So much to think about but it helps to know that you great people are willing to help. Will let you know if I decide to go ahead.

 

Green Tara

p.s was supposed to go t o St Andrews at the weekend to visit chicken breeder who has eglus and cubes but it is snowing really heavily so will probably have to postpone.

[C&T]

TBH If you suffer from M.E. I would not take on chickens or any pet that requires commitment, coops need cleaning ect and i know my girls drink like fish first thing in the morning and i have to refill their water. If you can't commit to get up in the morning I feel you can't give them the commitment they need. Have you tried a cat?

 

 

Disagree!

 

Perhaps it's my job - but always believe if you want to do something, you can. As long as you think about everything, and make sure all scenarios are covered.

 

There are solutions to water, as mentioned above, and tbh, that is not many nights of the year depending where you live (appreciate we are just beginning to come out of the coldest winter for however long!!).

 

We go away for weekends (as I know many others do) and while ensuring there is someone to defrost water is on hand if needed, it does prove that you don't need to be at a chooks call all hours of the day and night (despite what they may think!). And it is very unlikely that my neighbours are checking water at 6 or 7 in the morning - more likely 8 or 9 - and I personally feel this is fine on these more rare occasions. And I should say their eglu door is left open all the time for them to come and go as they please.

 

Personally, I would say go for it!! You seem to have thought it through. And while I fully appreciate ME is not in the mind, the chooks may help you get motivated and up and going in the morning.