maizey Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Hi All, Come 05.45 am my pair of chichens start chattering to be let out of their coop. So every morning i'm having to rush downstairs to let them out. If it was 07.00 it would be fine. At the moment i'm considering attaching a long piece of string to the door with it's handle raised so that i can simply tug on the string from my bedroom to open the door. A timer mechanism would be even better. Perhaps the inventers of the eglu could come up with something? I have presented the problem to Barbara who suggested covering the run to prevent light entering the coop but this did not work. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Maizey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 we leave their 'bedroom' door open, and just shut the end of the run. then we let them out to freerange whenever someone gets up... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Yes ours get up on their own, run door shut of course. BBx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starboyhull Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 We leave the eglu door open on ours now and just the run locked up......Saves a lot of messing about, I have locked them in the eglu when a fox has been around but not every night now..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UkButton Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Same as above I leave the Eglu door ajar. I also use a small piece of bark in the bottom slot to stop the door closing fully (as Thelma gets out and Louise is left pecking the door). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Ear Plugs.....for me! Not the chickens! I let them out at the same time every day, 7.30am . I think they are used to it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Ella is a very noisy and dominant hen. If she had her way she would be up at 5am bawk bawk bawking and waking the village/neighbours. We keep the eglu door shut overnight, we have a duvet folded over the eglu (to muffle sound) and a dark camouflage tarpaulin over the top blocking out most of the light. We let the girls out 630-7am every morning and the crowing is under control....my girls dont mind at all as they are laying in the early morning anyway. We remove the duvet and tarpaulin by day to let air/light circulate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 I used to leave the run door open 24 hrs a day and the girls got up when they wanted (usually at 4am). It was a great system and I really want to go back to it. But for this week my girls are in the naughty corner.... Once a week, for last 3 weeks they have decided at unearthly time of the morning to all bawk loudly at intruders in the garden (usually cats). They made such a racket I woke up and hubbie is worried the neighbours will complain. So for this week, I'm back to locking them in the eglu at night. Night time noise has stopped and I hope once I've broken this habit I can go back to keeping the eglu door open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridgy chooks Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 I think someone has mentioned this before, you can buy automatic door openers: http://www.chicken-house.co.uk/door_opener.htm But I guess they wouldn't fit the eglu... I wonder if omlet will come up with something similar.... ours aren't too bad since we;ve moved house but maybe thats cos we can't hear them as they are at the bottom of the garden and we're sleeping at the front of the house Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 I open the cube door about 7 ish. I usually hear them chattering, but I will not get up until I really have to I usually go back to bed afterwards too (for 5 minutes - just cos i can ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maizey Posted July 25, 2007 Author Share Posted July 25, 2007 Hi Folks, Thanks for all your suggestions. Unfortunately the idea of leaving the coop door open and run door closed did not work, At 05.30 i was woken up by their insistant bawking and had to go downstairs and let them out into the garden. It's a shame because i have to be up by 0.6.30 anyway. So now it looks like i either have to pass them on to new owners or come up with some timer mechanism which will open the door of the run. Any more ideas or suggestions would be much appreciated. Regards Maizey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debratugwell Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Hi All, Come 05.45 am my pair of chichens start chattering to be let out of their coop. So every morning i'm having to rush downstairs to let them out. If it was 07.00 it would be fine. At the moment i'm considering attaching a long piece of string to the door with it's handle raised so that i can simply tug on the string from my bedroom to open the door. A timer mechanism would be even better. Perhaps the inventers of the eglu could come up with something? I have presented the problem to Barbara who suggested covering the run to prevent light entering the coop but this did not work. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Maizey I also leave the door half open and just make sure the main entrance to the run is closed. This way they can let themselves out when they wake up and at 7.30am when I finally get there, I feed/water them. They are absolutely fine scratching around until I get to them. It just means they are not squawking to be let out and the weather is warm enough to have a breeze in the eglu. Will probably shut them in during the winter though to keep it snug. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChickNic Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Hi Maizey, This is my main concern when my chickens arrive in a couple of weeks...I hope I get quiet ones otherwise thay may have to go back...my neighbours are very moany! Nicky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 just keep the eglu door shut at night and open it in the morning when you feel its an appropriate time. My big chicken Ella is extremely dominant and noisy and this has worked for me. On a working weekday we open the eglu door 6.30-7am ish -(most people are up at this time during the week anyway) On a weekend we wait till about 07.45 ish, the majority of the time the girls are laying an egg anyway. Once the autumn/winter comes and the days get shorter you will be up and gone to work before your chooks even leave the eglu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutechicky Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL!!! It might be a good idea to ignore them. If you make sure you let them out at around the same time every morning, they will soon get used to it. This way you are in charge and not the chickens!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffygrue Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 I leave the eglu door slightly ajar, so they don't tend to notice it's light outside, but they can still nose the door open when it's a sensible time. My main concern is when we're away and there's no-one to open/close the door for them, as very occasionally they'll start bawk-bawk-bawking at cats in the middle of the night.. I've been tempted to try and rig up some sort of automatic roman-blind type door using one of those automatic pop-hole openers. It might possibly work.. but yes, an eglu-specific opener would be fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happymama Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 I only close the Eglu door if it's going to be subzero - LITERALLY, and mine are in no way unhappy with it. Hens are ok to about minus 10 with a full coating of feathers, and of course I do make sure they're not in moult. I do give them a good rich diet in the winter, though, porridge and sweetcorn with spice three or more times a week etc, after their layers pellets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave and Emma Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 We have owned the eglu for 2 1/2 yrs and this has always been a concern especially when we have neighbours. We used to keep the door open however Mr Fox did pay us a visit and although he could not get at our girls he scared them relentlessly at 5am. Mr Fox is clever enough now that he will return in the hope of early breakfast (which has happened last yr) and thus i am not prepared for another early morning episode. My advice would be to get into a routine and let them out no earlier than when you have to - 7.00 - 7.30. At first the girls did not like this but after a few days they understrood the routine and are now perfectly quiet until they are let out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
