Luvachicken Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 I'm sorry to ask, but I'm trying to get my head round the whole leaving the door open all the time thing. I asked before if you all left the food in the run overnight and I got the impression that you do, explaining that the rat could put a stop to me doing that. I think we have sorted him now. I had a lazy weekend, leaving the door open so the girls could get up when they wanted and the food in the run. It was cold and dry both nights. Tonight it is pouring down here so I have shut the girls in and brought the food indoors. How do you sort out the food ? Wouldn't it get damp on a night like tonight ? Do you give them fresh food partway in the morning ? What is the best way to do things ? I am really thinking I'd like to leave the door open towards the Summer - when it might be drier - and thought I could practise each weekend maybe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 My lot have the cube door open 24/7. Food is left out 24/7 in omlet grubs. We have a run with roof. If it does get damp, the girls have made no complaints and still eat it. I top up pellets every 2-3 days when they run out...I have 2 grubs for 8 chickens. Hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted March 2, 2014 Author Share Posted March 2, 2014 Oooh thank you My food is well covered - since I found it got wet on one side of the run and moved it to the other - so I might give it a try. Mine were quite noisy last year in the early summer mornings and I thought it would be better for everybody if they could get up when they wanted but the food was giving me a worry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted March 2, 2014 Author Share Posted March 2, 2014 Oh Clucker1, I have just seen your list of chickens and poor little Primrose who has been renamed Dimrose That made me laugh out loud, poor wee thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 She is completely THICK!! There is little sweet about her I am afraid to say, apart from she lays an egg most days. My other girlies are all lovely. In her old age, I think she is gaining a small brain as she chases the younger chickens round at the moment. Re the door, I can't remember what made us start leaving the door open 24/7 but it must have been open for nearly a year now. It works a lot better for us, no noisy mornings of "let us out" and "Ooops, word censored!"ody has to go down the end of the garden to shut them up at night. Just do a morning check when convenient for us to check all ok ie "Ooops, word censored!"ody keeled over in the night and check the cube steps to the nest box are in place...they occasionally go askew and then all manner of noise kicks off as the girls can't get to the nest box without some form of mad flight involved!! That is it really, far easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted March 2, 2014 Author Share Posted March 2, 2014 Thanks again. The thing that worries me most is if something scary comes into the garden very early and they start making a racket, that must be worse than the racket they make when shut in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 No problems with any noise now, far better that they have the door open for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Thanks again.The thing that worries me most is if something scary comes into the garden very early and they start making a racket, that must be worse than the racket they make when shut in Exactly...that's what I worry about, especially on a Sunday morning I set my alarm for 6 in the summer and let then out then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Unless it i below zero or in high winds/storms I leave the cube pophole half open, I still check on the girls in the morning and evening plus at least once during the day, obviously if I am around the more often. I have treadle feeders so I don't need to bring the food in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted March 3, 2014 Author Share Posted March 3, 2014 I guess it's just a case of taking the plunge. Last Summer I did cover them up with dark tarpaulin but it didn't help an awful lot and I still had to get up early to stop their noise. I just need to be brave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Luvachicken - what kind of dog is that in your picture? We are thinking about getting a cocker spaniel and I can't decide if that pic is one or not! Thanks and good luck with leaving the door open. Overall, I think our chickens are now a lot more chilled than when the door was shut. They like having the freedom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted March 3, 2014 Author Share Posted March 3, 2014 Hi Clucker1, you are right, she is a cocker spaniel. She is called Daisy, but sadly we had to have her put to sleep in the Summer She was a lovely companion and was almost 17 when she left us. Useless at puppy training lessons though - no one told me the trick was to have treats and they'd follow you anywhere. I'd love to see a few pictures if you get one I have left the door open tonight and will see how it goes. It's a bit chilly though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Arrr, she's lovely. Lived to a very good age too. I am sorry she isn't here any more. Well done on leaving the door open I was paranoid for the first few days Mine have had the door open for the last year in all weathers, no complaints from them at all. Their body temperature is greater than ours and with all of those feathers keep nice and warm. Plus being snuggled up to their friends, lots of heat. Hope to get a cocker spaniel puppy in the summer, a working type hopefully. Hope all goes well tomorrow. Enjoy the lie in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax49 Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Hi no matter how early we got up even going out in the dark we were never up before our three chickens, they would be banging on the door telling us off. so with all rain and mud I tried letting them put themselves to bed and getting up in the morning, Worked really well, the food even if it gets soggy they still eat, just have to change the water an top up feed as needed. My husband says they're chickens and I spoil them, well I did go out with a torch the first few nights!!! The eggs seem to be nicer as they are up the full daylight hours and they lay every day. Afraid ours still make a racket to let us know there's an egg and there's cats around but they are only brave enough when the girls are in the run, they take a wide berth when they are out. A friend of ours has a fox that lays on top of the coop and won't be deterred, but he gets eggs in abundance! Hope this helps and all the other replies posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted March 4, 2014 Author Share Posted March 4, 2014 Well Clucker1 , all was well this morning I think I was even up before 2 of them I get up at 7 am so don't get much of a lie in but I will be able to have one at the weekends. Mind you, our windows were shut tight so I wouldn't have heard them even if they did make a noise. I thought March was a nice time to start leaving the door open. Daisy was one of the most loveable pets we've had and I am quite excited for you that you are getting a puppy. There are only a few months to the Summer Jax49 I'm glad things have worked out for your girls. I must admit trudging around in the pouring rain is not fun. I just hope that come Summer they are just as quiet as they were this morning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Fantastic and well done I hope all goes well tonight, look forward to hearing how the next few days go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dipsychick Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Oh I think you are all brave ! I would like to do this but worry they will be even noisier ! I can hear jack sparrow crow in the morning with it shut up I'd hate him to be louder at that time in the morning Still I maybe brave and try it half open , I guess until I try I won't know Home of the flockers 2 gennoa blues chuck chuck Oddball !egggreen!1 white star Clever girl , 1 rooster, golden partridge pekin, 9 pekins ,lavender pickles,2 buff pumpkin,Elsie , 2 salmon Thelma', Louise ( evil Edna ),2blues pecketty , Henrietta , golden partridge browser , milflure freckles . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 I have a wire roof on my enclosure, once I get a fixed roof I might be brave and have the open door, at least the roof might then dampen any noise if they start. Are any of us not worried by the noise? I think that's the worry when you have hens in an urban garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dipsychick Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Well quite gavclojak , my worry is for the neighbours , we have only had the flockers since last May and they were all very quite as they where only about 9 weeks old , so not laying or crowing then . Now a couple of them that have just started laying are really loud . I am not looking forward to the neighbours windows being open Home of the flockers 2 gennoa blues chuck chuck Oddball 1 white star Clever girl , 1 rooster, golden partridge pekin jack sparrow , 9 pekins ,lavender pickles,2 buff pumpkin,Elsie , 2 salmon Thelma', Louise ( evil Edna ),2blues pecketty , Henrietta , golden partridge browser , milflure freckles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Try asking the neighbours what they think. I worried a lot till I did, and was amazed that they all said they LOVED hearing the chickens - and we have a cockerel! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimnpaula Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 I leave the door open all year unless the weather gets really nasty. I don't worry about noise - my neighbours don't ask before their dogs bark/ they start mowing/ playing music/ their friends/family have loud conversations late in summer evenings etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JellyBean2605 Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 That is a good point, my SIL complains about the chickens in her neighbours garden (to be fair they do whiff a bit) but when she is in the garden she is so loud I reckon they can hear her down the street! Especially after a drink or two! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dipsychick Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 jimnpaula I see you are very close to me , you make a good point and they are my thoughts about the neighbours over the back of us , always loud music, shouting ,swearing etc , either side we have students and a really nice family I have grown up with the last 30 odd years and they are up before the chooks the neighbours on the sides know we have the chooks and say they don't hear them , but they are louder now. I don't want to ask the other ones for fear of letting them know something they didn't already know, if you know what I mean. I have just been panicking ever since we rescued jack sparrow that he would upset the chicken run , so to speak and we would end up with complaints and loose the flockers . It is dark still when he first goes off , only a few mins , but I am dreading the lighter mornings . wont he just be louder and worse with the door open ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimi5 Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Well, yes boys do doodle do earlier with the lighter mornings But when I had Monty with the girls I never changed my routine, let out at 7 am. Keeping them in the cube does dampen the noise a bit. I'm hyper sensitive at the moment as I've gone from no cockerel for a year to 2 who now play tag doodle But my neighbours are lovely and like the sound of the boys I sometimes think the girls are worse Sometimes they bicker and I have a couple who are really noisy from about 6.45 am trying to move being let out forwards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PoachedPlease Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 I have always kept the coop door open (actually I think I have lost it!) . When they do their egg song it is loud and I go outside to tell them off, but realise they are still in the coop, so the door would make little difference! The point made about them getting a few hours extra sunshine is a good one. We have 5 girls, all laying an egg each now (2nd winter), so I swear by tough love, few treats and no coop door! If its good enough for the Robins and blackbirds.... Xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
