Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[thenewchick]

Hi I know we are just coming into summer (although it doesn't seem like it) but, when we have short days and long dark nights (I live in Scotland) will the hens go to bed as soon as its gets dark and will they need food and water in their during these long hours??? Sometimes we only have about 7 hours of daylight which doesn't seem very long to eat what they need to eat!!

[Laura & CTB]

Yes they will go to bed when it's dark - they are pre-programmed that way though they will be fine. They wont eat or drink while they in the eglu but will stuff their little faces during the day!

[ali-s]

In the depths of winter my girls go off into the Eglu before 3pm and don't get up until after 8.30am.

 

In the height of summer I have to coax them back into the run at night if I want to get to bed before 10.30pm and they are up between 2.30am and 3am.

 

I leave the Eglu door open so they can go in and out when they want to unless it is very cold, the Eglu door was shut when the temperature got down to -5c this winter.

 

They eat the same amount of pellets in summer and winter and as Laura said they stuff their faces in the short daylight hours in Winter.

[Alis girls]

There was iceon the girls water this morning and this is NW London so what its like up north goodness only knows. I peered in at them in their Eglu ladt night looked sooo cosey and snug I wanted to get in there too. Mind you the chicken poo put me off a bit

[thenewchick]

How fab are hens they are better at going to bed than children!!! Thanks for putting my mind at rest!!

[Alis girls]

Tell me about it - I suspect the fact they dont have TV's etc does help - or do they - I spose they have to watch "chicken Run" while they knit and chat

[thenewchick]

Yeah