My eco solution to rat problems

[Sheilaz]

Olly, I'm sure you're not the first nor the last, and no harm was done, so don't feel bad. It could have been worse, without water would have been bad in a heatwave, but they were safe, and it was only a few hours really. It was good of you to post, we're all human & it will make us all think carefully.

Hope you manage some quality time with them soon, perhaps at the w/e, and you can see tjhat they think you're a great chickenkeeper! Best wishes,

[Jaime]

I must admit that I'm extremely forgetful and Olly's experience of leaving the chooks locked in is one of my nightmares.

 

As well as checking the cooker is turned off about three times, locking the door and then going back to check before I go to work I now have the chooks to worry about.

 

They have learned to open the door now - they soon learn. I started with leaving it open enough to get out of... and then each day I closed it slightly more, now it's virtually closed and they push it wide open everyday themselves.

 

I only close the door after the chooks have gone to bed to keep them warm at night but I never lock it. I'm not worried about foxes being able to penetrate the run - I'm sure they can't.

 

I talk to the girlies every morning that I can manage but at least I no longer have to worry about them being locked in.

[Olly]

Thank you, fellow forum members, for being so sympathetic! I felt awful last night, and in the dark it was hard to see how they were. I guess they were mostly cross at being woken up and having a torch shone in their eyes! This morning they are absolutely fine.

 

I'm kicking myself, because it wasn't so much forgetting to open it, as forgetting that I wasn't meant to close it in the first place! Will try the idea of not locking it, just pushing it to, in future.

 

Jaime, I'm sorry that I hijacked your thread - in answer to your questions:

 

usually about 7.15, (but they will be letting themselves out in future)

 

I stagger up the garden in bright pink clogs (is that the ONLY colour they sell!) and my dressing-gown with a waterproof over the top. I can see I'm going to have to start wearing PJs!

 

I can't go back to bed once I'm awake; if it's a weekday then there's not usually time, and if it's a weekend I make a cup of tea, sit in the kitchen and gaze at my chickens!

[Liz Steed]

I was just wondering what time people get up and let their girlies out in a morning?

 

I don't!!!!

 

 

Do you scuttle down the garden in your dressing gown and wellies?

 

Only when the resident fox is chasing them up and down from on top of the run and there's so much sqwacking going on that the whole streets awake!!!!

 

Do you go back to bed if its early?

 

Most definitely

 

Have you trained your girlies to open the door on the eglu themselves?

 

 

YES YES YES.....come June they'll be up by 4.45-5.00a.m

 

 

 

Do you leave the door open all night?

 

Yes I do, but push it to without locking it when its cold

 

 

 

[Gallina]

I left the door shut once after cleaning the Eglu, and the hens couldn't get to bed. I found them slumped in a heap outside, leaning against the door. It was difficult to open it so that they could crawl in, and they were very sleepy.

 

The Eglu run is only fox-resistant, not fox-proof. Don't leave the Eglu door open at night unless you have paving slabs weighing down the skirt and under the Eglu. Be especially careful if you have light soil.

[Helly Welly]

I have a double height layer of bricks all the way around the skirt so i thinlk it will be okay, though of course i'm worried now

[bridgy chooks]

We left Maggi & Gabbi with the eglu door open a little bit last night and they opened it to get into the run - presumably when it got light - the problem is is that being in the run isn't good enough for them in the mornings - they were being really loud from 7ish this morn so we felt we should let them out to free range because we didn't want to disturb the neighbours. They only free range at the weekends but surely they don't know what day of the week it is?!?!?

[hillfamily]

Ah ha - never underestimate the intelligence of a chook.

 

My Girls always know when it's the first Sunday of the school holiday - the only morning I ever truly have a chance to have a lie in

[Laura & CTB]

I thought I'd have a go at leaving the eglu door open a bit last night.

 

This morning i had a look out the bedroom window - they were obviously still in bed so went down to let them out.

 

Only when they heard the back door of the house open did they come dashing out of the eglu..............so still didnt get my lie in.

 

 

Got to work on this one a bit me thinks

[Egluntyne]

I thought I'd have a go at leaving the eglu door open a bit last night.

 

This morning i had a look out the bedroom window - they were obviously still in bed so went down to let them out.

 

Only when they heard the back door of the house open did they come dashing out of the eglu..............so still didn't get my lie in.

 

 

Got to work on this one a bit me thinks

Mine are too gormless to take the hint. I've left the door slightly open for the last 3 nights, and they haven't worked out what to do yet. They don't even nudge it open when I open the back door, they just set up a squawking and a hollering until I open the doors for them. What puzzles me is that they are in 2 different Eglus, and neither set of hens has worked it out. Edited March 3, 2007 by Guest

[Laura & CTB]

Guess you dont have to be smart to be a chicken

[Snowy]

Mine almost taught themselves - they scratched up a heap of bark chips so that the door would only half close - just enough room for them to get in and out without pushing it. After that I closed it a bit more and they squoze out. Now, I can almost close it and they'll push it open. Trouble is then it can swing shut behind them - a problem if one wants to lay early!!

[Egluntyne]

I love the word "squoze"!

 

It describes the action perfectly!