ElvisFan Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Hi All Bit of forward planning here (I hope) In the week I always shut my girls up in the eglu and then let them out again in the morning at 7am when I go to work so their water and breakfast is already in the run for them. In the summer I want to leave the eglu door open and will leave the water out for them but I will want to take the food in at night to avoid a problem with the dreaded rats, Ok get to the point, if I leave them to it in the summer they are going to be up a lot earlier than 7am do you think they will make much noise until I take them out brekky at 7am ?? Does any one else to this with any success ? thanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C&T Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Ironically, I leave the door open in the winter, but often shut them in the Eglu during the Spring/Summer... Mainly because they get up a whole lot earlier, and start announcing to the world what a wonderful morning it is at 5 am (and that is with access to food) - and even if my neighbours don't mind - I do!! So my suggestion would be keep the same routine going - lock 'em in and let them out at 7am with their food etc. Otherwise I think you will have a few noisy chooks on your hands - especially if they have no food to fill their bellies with... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gongladosh Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 If you do it right, in the height of summer, even if they wake up at 4am, if the eglu door is shut, they will doze for a couple of hours until rumbling hen stomachs wake them up... Then the 'let me out' noise comes You'll need the food on standby for when they get out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 I may have ambitions to run a 4* chook hotel, but I'm certainly not about to get up at 4.30am to serve summer breaky. Last summer I kept them shut in at night and let them out for breaky around 7.00 am, but during this winter I have been letting my chooks out a bit later as it is so dark outside till about 8.00. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 You could consider a treadle feeder so you don't need to take it in. http://www.chicken-house.co.uk/acatalog/10_kg_Rat_Proof_Treadle_chicken_Feeder.html However, I am an advocate of shutting them away safely at night and would never consider leaving the door open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 They will definitely need their brekky as soon as they get up otherwise they will let you, and the whole neighbourhood, know VERY LOUDLY that they are hungry To be honest, I leave the food in the run and the pop hole open in the summer (although they soon start shouting to be let out to FR ) as the mesh on my run is small and therefore rats can't get in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckmum6 Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 I leave my cube door open at the moment, and they get up at 6.45 when I go out in the dark to open their run door. Onion my cockerel is very busy first thing trying to jump on the sleepy girl, he dances round them making his deep bok bok's . This is then followed by much crowing about what a virial boy he is (not that he actually manages to catch any girls usually)! He is blissfully unaware of my light morning plans for him, he is going to be in his solitary Eglu in the shed under a black out fabric, I intend to raise the roosting bars up to limit his ability to crow.....mmmmm not to sure it will work but I shall have a go !!!! They have access to food in the grubs 24 - 7, without any problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 I leave the doors on the houses open all year round The was shut over the winter but that was only 'cos the cockerels were in there and to keep them quiet at 5.30am. I also leave the food in the run all the time, we've had a couple of problems with rats living in the greenhouse but sorted them out so hopefully it wasn't to do with the chickens 'cos they couldn't get in the WIR. If you want to let them out at 7 and feed them that should be fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Mine get let out at 8am no earlier at all times of the year. I rule the roost, not them! Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sageandonion Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Only had our hens a couple of weeks but I'm only letting them out at 8am too, I'm starting as I mean to go on - don't do really early mornings! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lougarbard Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Mine come out between 8.30 and 9am all year, sometimes slightly later if its the weekend and I have laid in a little bit! The door always get shut at night, but this is mainly so it muffles the crowing first thing in morn!! I did get a complaint lasst year, but it went no further, but at the moment, i have 3 cockerels (only 2 crowing!) so I am even more paranoid about the noise! I am hoping one will be off to his new home later this week! None of my feedres get taken in, i do try to hose down regularly, more in summer. We have had 2 rats in 3 years, so dont think thats too bad! My pen needs a modernisation, as they have all taken to free ranging themselves once they have had enough of mash! There are too many things they can jump on to escape! But as its winter I dont mind! But the bulbs are not fairing too well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 With so many dark mornings I have got away with 8.45 and even then they didn't want to come out. Since the little mares are just starting to lay I get the very loud announcement at 8.10. It can either mean I want brekkers before I lay an egg or I have laid an egg and I want brekkers. This is the maran - I recognise her voice. This morning I let them out before brekkers and just threw a few meal worms down for them while I sorted their food out. I'm in two minds - I like my lay in but then again after no eggs for a while (and my alarm is set for 7.30) it's also nice - as long as she doesn't yell any earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margaret Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 I Leave the house at 6.30 am to travel to work, so I never shut the Cube door. WIR is on concrete ( Auboise on top ) always leave feeders in and so far no problems after two years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElvisFan Posted January 26, 2011 Author Share Posted January 26, 2011 Thanks guys, food for thought indeed, I wasn't too bothered about getting up at 7 to let them out but I thought they would like to be out earlier in the summer and 5am isn't going to happen, i like the thought of a treadle feeder, thanks Plum, I'm going to have a look into that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneyolktoanother Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 in the winter we shut the coop doors at night and take the food and water in the house and then let them out at 8 in the morning. In the summer we leave the coop doors open as they are very sercure in a massive run (it takes up the whole garden so my oh keeps reminding me ) and also leave the food and water out. So far we have never had a probelm with rats fingers crossed and they are quiet till i get up and then they make a racket but only for five minutes so it's not that bad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gongladosh Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 We lock the door after dark - tht way we can *guarantee* nothing can get to the hens. It'd be nice if they could get out earlier but we'd rather not chance it. We let them out at 7am or so in summer, and at the moment, about 8am when it's getting light. They get out for about 30 mins in the morning if we've got plenty of time before work, but if we don't have so much time, they get out to do their monster poos (which are, let's face it, so evil that they don't want them even in the run) - once they've done those, they're more than happy to go back into the run! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
