CR666 Posted October 17, 2012 Share Posted October 17, 2012 (edited) We have found that the are getting up very early in the morning whilst it is still dark, does anyone elses chickens do this. We have been leaving the eglu door open at night during the summer and thought as the mornings are dark later the chickens would not be up before us, but we have found that they still are at the moment. Edited October 18, 2012 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackian Posted October 17, 2012 Share Posted October 17, 2012 I used to have my coup doors open in the summer and they were getting up before 5am and that was too early even for me as they are close to the house and I was more concerned for neighbours comments ,so the doors were closed ..The neighbours have not complained yet I get up really early and I can hear noises of "let us out of here" about 7 and they come out then into the dark...So why do they go in as soon as it is dark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenthelibrarian Posted October 17, 2012 Share Posted October 17, 2012 We were leaving the eglu door open during the summer, then we started getting the delightful 'I have laid a lovely egg' song far too early for comfort. We then tried to remember to shut their door on Friday and Saturday nights and not let them out until 8.00am so as to keep the peace with our neighbours. Now it's colder at night we have been shutting their door after dark/roosting and letting them out when we get up, usually that means 7.00-8.00am. I recently took part in an Omlet survey about their developing an auto door-opener. My initial reaction was a bit 'not bothered' but after some mornings of trotting up the garden in the rain in my 'jamas I'd happily shell out [ ] to get one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanTheDiver Posted October 17, 2012 Share Posted October 17, 2012 We don't shut our cubes inner door unless it is about -10 deg, they are always fine. As to what time they get up, yes they do get up before it's fully light but it has to be just getting light for them. Our neighbours don't complain of the noise, in fact (maybe we are lucky) they say they enjoy hearing them in the garden. They often go to bed when it is dusk too, sometimes later if the weather has been nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LottyJ1 Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 Mine are let out in the morning before I go to work 7am and its still dark but they all want out right away and rush down the ramp! They seem to know its morning even if its still dark? Perhaps they hear the wild birds? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smartrus Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 Hi, as my chickens have an open enclosure and a lockable house, I have always shut them up at night. They only get up when I let them out so I am boss when it comes to mornings! However, I have just got an automatic door, so we shall see how that goes. I went down yesterday and it wasn't open yet so I guess the door has the same attitude as me, mornings are civilised!! I'm not sure what will happen in the summer though!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamspencer98 Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 I let my chickens out in the mornings whenever I wake up, but now because it is darker in the morning its about 7am - 8am anytime round then really. I always shut the door at night! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsatroy Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 We got girls at the end of August just as the dark mornings were setting in. Currently I go down to them around 7.15 and it is usually all quiet till I they hear me putting in the grub & glug. I have a feeling that come the bright summer mornings next year I will be leaving the cube door open so they can get themselves up! I am not an early morning person Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Momma Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 Our two girls arrived at the beginning of September and basically they get up when we do. My husband opens the Eglu door and puts the feed container in (which we lock away at night!) when he takes the dogs out at around 0730 during the week. (Bless that man!) At the weekends I do the same at around 0815/30. They only really make a noise if one of them is laying and only occasionally is that early in the morning. At night they go to bed by themselves when it is dark and I just pop out, remove the food and close the Eglu door. As someone who is totally new to henkeeping I just figured it would work best if they got into OUR routine rather than the other way round! BTW I am now TOTALLY obsessed with them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savena5630 Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 Had mine since April, and I've been letting them out every morning at 7.30am, and 8ish on the weekend. Would all go in at 9.30pm throughout the summer. Got some new girls in September, and although we still open them at 7.30am, they take a bit of persuasion to leave the eglu. They also go in at 6.30pm, when its not even dark! No wonder I've got no eggs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
good_egg Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 We shut ours in at night - they are quite near our house and I am a softie and worry about my four little girls in a big cube getting chilly (oh for more!).... They put themselves to bed like clockwork - 8/10 minutes after the BBC website says it is sunset (I say 8/10 as it takes at least 2 minutes of faffing, but they are getting quicker). I currently let them out at 7:30 (although I have been moving this by about 15 minutes every 2 weeks). They will continue to have their door opened at about 8am as I leave for work then but having had to get early flights I know that if I open the door before they are awake they will just stay put. I don't think they are awake before I let them out as I hear them start to shuffle to the door when I am puting the grub and glug out. I used to let them out at 6am but we have never had ours in the peak of summer, not sure I will let them out any earlier - might take advice at the time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken shack Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 I have not got a clue what time they get up but I can assure you it is long before I am up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superkitty Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 I have not got a clue what time they get up but I can assure you it is long before I am up. Ditto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simondegaris Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 Well mine are a blooming noisy lot! By about 7.20am recently if they haven't been let out they squawk noisely! This therefore gets my attention (even when I am asleep) and they get let out! A couple of days a week I have the early shift and so get my own back by opening the door up at 5.30 am each in turn sticks her head out to see what on earth this dark coldness is, before disappearing back in......revenge is best served dark and cold at 5.30am! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
