Jaime Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 I was just wondering what time people get up and let their girlies out in a morning? Do you scuttle down the garden in your dressing gown and wellies? Do you go back to bed if its early? Have you trained your girlies to open the door on the eglu themselves? Do you leave the door open all night? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Looney Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Weekdays they get let out at 6.15am (just before I head off to work). Weekends I'm usually up by 7.30am at the latest so I trudge down the garden in my pyjamas and purple clogs (quite a sight! ) to let them out. Once it starts getting light before I am up and about I think I will start leaving the eglu door unlocked to see if they will push it open themselves.... I have left the door open all night if we have been away and they seem fine. I prefer to close it if it is a really cold night. Are you finding it hard to get out of bed at the weekends to let them out - and do you lie in bed feeling guilty about it if you have a lie in?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillfamily Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Ah..............the PJ, Dressing Gown. Wellie dash....................good laugh for the neighbours My Girls are ready to be let out about 7am at the mo.........later in darkest depths of winter.................much much earlier in the summer On weekdays I'm already up but at weekwnds they get let out.......then it's back to bed for me (if i don't have to be somewhere) I know some people have trained their girls to push open an unlocked eglu door but, my girls squawk if they aren't allowed out of the run as soon as they're up. Now of course the most important thing is your outfit for the early morning garden dash...............there are many combos...............do you coordinate with your eglu...............wear the latest designer gear..............it needs to be considered very carefully Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Yes to the scuttling down the garden in my wellies Usually when daylight dawns enough to see by, but I keep meaning to train them to open the door, but actually feel safer fastening them in properly at night, Up to now we have been lucky and not been troubled by foxes, but I don't want to tempt fate karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Do you scuttle down the garden in your dressing gown and wellies? Pyjamas and wellies.....dressing gowns are for wimps!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Mine are let out around 6.15 midweek, when OH or I return from walking doggies. At weekends I either get up around 7 ish, or if its mild, leave the door ajar about 3 inches, with the handle bit pushed down so it stays there and they can force their way out into the run if they want to. My girls are not free rangers at all, so are pretty laid back about the whole thing. I think chooks will only seem to get "punchy" in the mornings if they perceive the run as simply a corridor to the outside world! Oh, and yes, Pyjamas, green wellies and long wax jacket for me... my chooks are on our yard out the front, and although its down a quiet lane, we do get the occasional car drive past. My neighbours don't bat an eyelid.... They are resigned to living next door to madness.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Licken Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 This morning it was the pyjamas, slippers inside shoes and fleecey jacket option - the girls were still asleep and so thankfully were the neighbours. They are usually out at about 6.30 in the week and a bot later at the week end - doggy alarm clock is a little erratic!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 I leave the Eglu door open a fraction & they barge their own way out at some ungodly hour in the morning We do a check on them as soon as its light,as a couple of times they have managed to shut the door after themselves so can't get back in to lay *DIDN'T SOMEONE ON HERE ADMIT TO DOING A NAKED EGLU RUN???* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillfamily Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 *DIDN'T SOMEONE ON HERE ADMIT TO DOING A NAKED EGLU RUN???* I remember that as well......................think it might have been someone who's name begins with M .......but of course I may be wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 *DIDN'T SOMEONE ON HERE ADMIT TO DOING A NAKED EGLU RUN???* Cor...that must have been a grisly spectacle. It would put my girls off laying!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 *DIDN'T SOMEONE ON HERE ADMIT TO DOING A NAKED EGLU RUN???* I remember that as well......................think it might have been someone who's name begins with M .......but of course I may be wrong Good memory Pam....that rings a "Bell" with me too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillfamily Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 For some reason it stuck in my mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 yes, im a pyjama dasher I lock the eglu door every night. our girls are let out anytime between 6am and 7am. if its a non work day, they are let out early in my jammies and then I go back to bed. Girls have their breakfast in the run for an hour. then they are let out and free range till 5pm in the garden Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Dressing gown and crocs (well I do only have to dash across decking) at about 6.30am at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaime Posted February 17, 2007 Author Share Posted February 17, 2007 You guys all get up so early I'm hopeless in a morning - I'm lucky to be up for 8am and then I have time for a quick shower, a banana and coffee for breakfast - let the girlies out and off to work for 9am start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Yes, but you only have to be on autopilot to let the girlies out - then it's straight back to bed for the lie-in. During the cold weather I've even switched my electric blanket on for the few minutes it takes to sort the girls out - back to a warmer bed then when I left it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 My Dad always lets them out at 7am in the morning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 I was just wondering what time people get up and let their girlies out in a morning? Weekdays, chookiehubbie lets them out on his way to work around 7:30, weekends, I let them out about 8am Do you scuttle down the garden in your dressing gown and wellies? Chookiehubbie does it in full bike leathers and helmet, I however do the weekend shifts in PJ's and fluffy slippers, cardi on top if it's cold... Do you go back to bed if its early? Too right I do!! Have you trained your girlies to open the door on the eglu themselves? Do you leave the door open all night? In the summer, the door is either left open, or ajar for the girlies to get themselves up at some ungodly hour of the morning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 I was just wondering what time people get up and let their girlies out in a morning? Depends how many times i have hit the snooze button on my alarm! Usually around 6.30ish in the week and 7.30ish weekends Do you scuttle down the garden in your dressing gown and wellies? Is there any other way?? PJs & spotty wellies every morning! Do you go back to bed if its early? On weekends yes - would love to on weekdays too but i would get fired Have you trained your girlies to open the door on the eglu themselves? No that lesson is yet to be learnt but it will be before the summer comes Do you leave the door open all night? No its always shut to keep the girls warm and i put 2 blankets over it in the winter as well so they are all snuggly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 8-8.30 here sometimes earlier depends on the levels of chaos Weekends no different Lie in? Whats that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 I don't shut the eglu door at night and they don't seem to mind. The eglu is against a large wall with the winter shade covering the majority of the other side which kind of stops draughts! The chooks take themselves off to bed when they are ready and then get up when they want to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickpea Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Mine generally get out around 8:30am, then they get to free range for the rest of the day - except for yesterday when I had to go up to North Yorkshire for a funeral, then they were let out at dawn to their joy, but confined to the run until I got back in the evening! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helly Welly Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 I leave the eglu door open unless its really cold but i don't let them out of the run until i get back from the school run. I NEVER leave them free ranging if there's no-one in the house so its just not worth them coming out in the morning and not worth trying to get them back in. They never go back in if they feel they haven't been out long enough. At the weekends its about 8am when they wake me up with their squawking, demanding to be let out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 I am NEVER closing the Eglu door again. I've had a really busy week, including having to stay away overnight on Tuesday. I'd already tried leaving the door open overnight, and the girls have been fine, so on Tuesday morning I made sure there was plenty of food and water, and left for work. Got back on Wednesday after dark, and they were in bed. Knowing that I had to leave at 5.30 am today (Thursday) to go to Cardiff and wouldn't have time to visit the Eglu in the morning, I topped up food and water again, and closed the door to keep them warm. This morning, the cab arrived early, so I rushed out of the house in the dark, thinking 'at least I did their food and water last night'. At 7.45 this evening someone asked me 'how are your chickens' and immediately a mental picture flashed up of me closing the door last night ... AAAAARGH! When I got home I RAN up the garden. They have been in the Eglu all day and I feel just terrible. I was convinced I was going to find two dead hens, but apart from having eaten all the aubiose in the nesting box, they seem ok. I tempted them out with some corn, which they couldn't resist, but they just seemed rather sleepy, and when I checked later they had gone back to bed. I'd rather risk chilly hens than EVER go through that again; this was what I dreaded about a full-time job that sometimes means working late/staying away/leaving early. Am not sure I am a fit person to have care of chickens Please put me out of my misery and tell me I am not the only person who's ever done this! Am I? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 I've had nightmares about doing this Olly....and I'm sure you won't be the only one this has happened to. At least they are ok. Put it down to experience and forgive yourself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
