What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[Stella14]

I hope to be moving soon and getting a Cube when I do. Currantly, included in my little flock is Henrietta, a Buff Orp who likes to tell everyone when its dawn At present we cover the coup in a black pond liner (with the vent grill open under it) to keep the girls in the dark until a respectable hour. I'm wondering if this will be necassary with a Cube? I hope not as its a nuisense, especially when its rained and I get soaked by the rain tyat has caught in the folds!

[Egluntyne]

Not totally. Light will filter in through the ventilation spaces.

[Patricia W]

I used to cover it, and used blackout material then gave up when it became too much of a bother to put it on and take it off each day. I just keep them locked up till I'm ready to let them out.

 

Someone on here made a beautiful cover for the cube I remember- flowers and everything on it. A work of art..

[Margaret]

The cover was made by Mummy Hen.

haven't seen her on the forum for a while though.

[Stella14]

Thanks guys. Patricia, do you find the Cube does a reasonable job at keeping the edge off the noise until you open it?

[Dahato3]

Can only speak from personal experience..... We used to have a wooden house which I now appreciate did contain the noise pretty well in the morning. After an ongoing battle with red mite we decided to splash out on a cube. I love my cube..... It is really easy to maintain and keep clean but we do hear the chickens announcing the arrival of a new day. I have tried to cover it but not with a great deal of success!! I have found it quite tricky to balance covering it enough to mask the light, whilst at the same time not covering any ventilation areas!!!! We opted for a green cube but have wondered since whether we should have chosen a purple cube, which would possibly be darker inside?

[clucker1]

I am not sure if a purple cube would make enough difference. We have two very noisy girls who like to announce when it is time that they should be going down the cube steps in the morning as it is light enough so why isn't the door open?! This has been at 5am recently!! After day 2 of this happening, I have been very BRAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and left the cube door open, and it has been open now 24/7 for 10 days or so. The girls have a wir from Avaries4u which is fox proof...I leave them in it when I am out, but for some silly reason I just didn't like leaving them to roam at night (or early morning) without being shut in their nice snug cube. However, didn't want complaints from the neighours, so that is why they now have the door open. Hope to shut it again in the winter.

[Dahato3]

Have often considered leaving the door open but have always felt happier knowing that they are safely tucked up for the night. It probably sounds silly but our garden backs onto a wood/golf course and whilst I know that their run is fox proof I worry that the fox might pay a visit in the early hours and cause them alarm, which would then lead to noise and potentially disgruntled neighbours.

[clucker1]

We are shutting them up again from tonight, just realised when we introduce our 2 new girls, they might not get into the cube or be booted out if the cube door is left open....would rather they were shut in anyway. Just hope they don't make too much din tomorrow morning!