dublover Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Now winter is slowing coming am wondeing what to do with my ladys ? they dont really have a run as they are free all day long in my back garden so what am wondering is can i let them out everything day in the winter or do i keep them in the coop Am also thinking of moving them into the outhouse/shed i have (tho is has some tools in and other bits that i can cover over ) which means they dont have to stay in the coop all day but not out in the snow/wet what do you think would be best Oh an one more thing LOL what time does everyone let there ladys out in the morning ? xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 My girls continue to free range all day in the winter. There is some winter advice Here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dublover Posted October 10, 2011 Author Share Posted October 10, 2011 Thank you xxx Do they even go out in the snow ?? I will read all that info thank you again x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKMARCH Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Ours will go out in the snow but for a limited time as they prefer not to have icy feet so will have a mooch around and then go back in to their covered area you could always set up a tarp or perhaps they could go under a table, ours like to hide under our covered table when it rains heavily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 I would just add a note of caution; whilst foxes are about all year round, in the winter they are likely to be hungry and therefore more desperate. You're very lucky if you can let your ladies free range all day, but do be aware of the increased risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Do they even go out in the snow ?? Mine do, they never choose to be in the run or cube even though it is accessible all the time. I do echo what Olly says though about being extra vigilant re foxes in the snowy weather as they do get desperate and braver than normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Mine free ranged all last winter and didn't seem too put off by any snow, but each morning I did s"Ooops, word censored!"e any snow off of a widish area immediately around their home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dublover Posted October 10, 2011 Author Share Posted October 10, 2011 I would just add a note of caution; whilst foxes are about all year round, in the winter they are likely to be hungry and therefore more desperate. You're very lucky if you can let your ladies free range all day, but do be aware of the increased risk. The farmer on the back of me kills all the foxes so its not a really worry for me ..tho i do worry sometimes i cant help but not Thanks you every one for all your help they have a few places in the garden they have a small dog kennel filled will hay and bedding and a table and a huge bush xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chookingham Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Chickens tend to get up as the sun comes up, so in the winter we humans get more of a lie in:) Our eglu and coop are in a fairly sheltered spot and I must admit that as I am NOT a morning person, the door to each is left open all the time in the summer and only closed overnight when the temperature hits about -3 in the winter. They have a big safe run and although we live out in the sticks, we have been lucky never to have seen signs of foxes in our garden. My old Annie managed last winter with a moult of her frilly knickers just as the first load of snow came down and was fine. I think we weak and feeble humans tend to underestimate the insulation properties of feathers . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dublover Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share Posted October 11, 2011 Chickens tend to get up as the sun comes up, so in the winter we humans get more of a lie in:) Our eglu and coop are in a fairly sheltered spot and I must admit that as I am NOT a morning person, the door to each is left open all the time in the summer and only closed overnight when the temperature hits about -3 in the winter. They have a big safe run and although we live out in the sticks, we have been lucky never to have seen signs of foxes in our garden. My old Annie managed last winter with a moult of her frilly knickers just as the first load of snow came down and was fine. I think we weak and feeble humans tend to underestimate the insulation properties of feathers . Thanks for the help iv been getting up everyday at 6.45 to let them out am kind of used to it now LOL xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 The thing to remember is that chickens are effectively wrapped each in her own little duvet. Not goose down I know, but chook down is pretty warm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carolemagic Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Hi All Am I just overprotective - I have closed the door on mine at night ever since I had them in July, though it was at 10pm in the summer. I was wondering now what time people close up at this time of year. I felt it was getting a little cold and tonight I have closed up shortly after they went to bed (about 7 at the moment). Perhaps a better question would be whether they close them up, rather than when! It is worse than having babies, trying to do the right thing, isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackian Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 I close mine up for their own safety and open it at the moment about 7 ...But ..We are going away at Christmas so I need to start leaving it open just in case the chicken minder oversleeps I need training for this I am concerned as I have not had my girls for a winter yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickanne Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 I'm amazed by how hardy the girlies were last winter. They did not seem to mind the cold at all and would quite happily potter in the snow but they lost interest when it was so deep they could not see the vegetation. Working full time, my biggest problem was keeping their water unfrozen all day.During the supercold period around Christmas I moved them into my large greenhouse which has soil borders they could scratch about in all day, which they loved. It has brieze block walls to 1 metre so it is fox-proof too. (Mind you, it was soo cold the water still froze during the day!) I'll do the same in Dec/Jan again this year as it is much easier to deal with them in the darkest mornings and evenings during the week when you are undercover and you can keep food etc to hand in the dry. Otherwise they will stay in their outdoor pen which is in our compost/woodshed area whoch has plenty of opportunities for bug-hunting. Note to self: must get OH to run electricity to the greenhouse so I can install lighting....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carolemagic Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Hi Jackian What time do you close the door at night? Ours have a netting run all around the eglu run... as soon as they go in to roost I close the metal door so that they are safe but I have been leaving them open to the air till about 10pm, then go out and close it but fear it is a little chilly for them now. However, people say that they don't mind the cold because of their feathers so maybe its better to leave it open later. Out of interest does anyone knw whether they are sleeping all the time they are inside or do they just sit? I would love a webcam to see what they are up to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackian Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Carolemagic , They go in on their own at dusk/dark Clover being the bravest and always last. I open it about 7 in the morning. They are in a 12 x 6 ft WIR and I close the door of that around about 8ish.They free range all day while I am at home. I I also bring in their food and water then.My concern is that I reckon their food and water will have to be left out while we are away so they can attack it as usual when they first come out , but not sure I want anything else attacking it first. My chicken sitter I would say is going to be very reliable but you never know as they have never done it before although he works in a pet shop...He and his girlfriend live next door but like a lie in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckmum6 Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Mine are let out of the cube train just before 7, although they are now still in bed when I go out, lucky things . My cock Onion is however up and trying to entice his wives down with his fluffed up turkey dance (the girls are having none of it) interspersed with loud crowing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 I let mine out as soon as it is light enough for me to see without struggling with a torch. Once they are all in bed I shut the and door. I have always shut the door at night. Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 I've always shut the coop door when all my girls are in each evening (that is after checking that they are all there, and that "Ooops, word censored!"ody has sneaked off to sit on a pile of eggs under the bamboo ). That way I at least know that Mr Ratty won't be in there amongst them while they snooze. I'm not sure if they really sleep all the time or just sit there on their perch, keeping their toes warm under their breast feathers, but I certainly don't hear any noise from their coop when I put the dogs out last thing at night, whereas they make quite a racket when they first go in deciding who is going to sit next to whom. Mornings now are getting a little more relaxed and they don't seem to get up till about 7.30 - the lazy boneses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
