Grow Your Own Magazine

Hello,

I'm tempted by the idea of getting one of these so I can occassionally get home late/ stay overnight somewhere without worrying too much about my girls, does anybody have any recommendations..? or ones to avoid?

Many thanks,

Becca

Forsham Cottage Arks do a dawn to dusk timer (they call it 'the Gizmo'), which has been tried and tested by Rob Pellet (one of the partners and designer of all the Forsham products). I've seen it working, and it looks ideal. Just make sure the sensor is not in deep shade (coz the door will close too early!!), but this is true of any of the dawn to dusk systems.

Chicken House Automatic Pophole Door Opener | Forsham

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'Resist compromise and hold on to the integrity of the original concept' Kevin McCloud

Country Store wide range of Smallholding, Poultry, Dairy, Cheesemaking, Country Kitchen Supplies

I got mine here and was very pleased with the service, they have lots of other stuff too, well worth a browse! We didn't get the actual door (just the timer/sensor) but have used a tile instead.

Forsham sell theirs with the metal door and runners, because the pulley system is sensitive to being over strained.

For example if a wooden pop hole door gets swollen or warped, it could get stuck but the pulley will still try to open the door in the morning, the mechanism would then over-strain itself and would be badly damaged (the hens could also get locked in or out with the door stuck at halfmast which could let preditors in) - therefore, the metal one is far better because it is unlikely to warp and it is the correct weight for the pulley

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'Resist compromise and hold on to the integrity of the original concept' Kevin McCloud

I'm really tempted by one of these~our chooks are at the lottie so in the summertime we're having to be there about 6:30A.m & then 9P.m,,but I'm sure I read a thread recently where someone said one of their girls got locked out & they only knew because of the noise she made about it(don't think we'd hear all the way from home!).Interesting to hear what others make of them.

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the fates lead him who will;him who won't they drag.

Happiness is not having what you want,but wanting what you have.xx

At the moment I have a wooden door that slides sideways and it is forever getting stuck and now at best I can get it to almost shut.. the plan is to extend the house upwards and swap to an up and down door.. I was getting tempted initially by the 2nd one (on price ground mostly) but, thinking about it, I can definatly see the value of a metal or at least non-wooden door...

You could always have a chat with Forsham (try Tracey in the Sales Office - say Bex told you to contact her! She'll laugh, coz I always fly the Forsham flag) they might know of some alternatives for different style doors.

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'Resist compromise and hold on to the integrity of the original concept' Kevin McCloud

The Gizmo from Forsham and the door opener from Country Store appear to be the same units. The difference being that Forsham want more money to go with the fancy name than Country Store. Or maybe I'm just being picky.

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Why keep a dog when you can bark yourself !

I've heard that baking trays are a good alternative to the £15 metal door on sale!

...but don't let it drop onto the hens neck as it's going through

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http://www.weltaf.co.uk/
Why keep a dog when you can bark yourself !

...but don't let it drop onto the hens neck as it's going through



...maybe I could set up something similar over the catflap...?

HI we have one that is brilliant. At first we had a home made one that Oh made (he designs electronics so was easy) but the darn motor thign kept burning out so eventually we bought one. It means I get a lie in everyday (at least until the children wake me up or the darn builders lol) and can also go out at night too and not worry about them. Unfortunately I don't know where we got it from but OH made the door so we didn't buy that bit.
I would say get one they are worth it.

janeyo

Numpty question, sorry. We're not getting our girls until late September so I'm still learning

If we have a fox-proof run, do we still need a pop hole that closes, or can we just leave it open all the time?

I didn't know you could get one of those sort of things

Not a numpty question at all Hashette! That's exactly what I do!(rightly or wrongly!)

I think it might be frowned upon for some reason, not sure what? but my chooks seem fine with it and they can come and go as they please.

In the wild, no one comes and shuts birds up for the night so it's got to be more natural.
I still have a sliding thingie but only shut it to keep them out when cleaning their hut out or replemishing food or drink container.
Chooks are seven mile away on my allotment so this way I only need make one journey each day to administer to them!

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

i was wondering that too ..... why does everyone shut them up at night? my gran had chickens for years and never closed the door on them, and that way they didn't start squawking to get let out in the morning.

regarding the timing pop hole thing, it seems far cheaper to just get the timer and attach a sheet of thin metal to it, seems like a lot of money for something that wouldn't cost more than a tenner to make.

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got to admit to not being very mechanical.. tho my boyf might be a bit better at that kind of stuff.. i like the idea of a light sensitive one so i don;t have to keep resetting timer.. tho with a homemade one I'd be worried i'd set it up wrong and it'd drop like a guilotine or something..

My Auntie never usedto either~several fox attacks later......!

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the fates lead him who will;him who won't they drag.

Happiness is not having what you want,but wanting what you have.xx

oh yeah, hadn't thought of that, durrrrrr ..... hers had a cover and the base had wire under too, so foxes couldn't get in.

so is that the only reason??

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http://teachy.myminicity.com please visit my town and make it better

http://quiz.ravenblack.net/blood.pl?biter=teach_me please sign up to be a vampire, i get 10 pints of blood if you do, and it's fun as well ....... i have an interactive map if anyone wants it.

For us yes!I know some shut them in to keep the weather out but personally I'm of the opinion that they're a bit hardier than that!
Have you got any yet Lynda?

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the fates lead him who will;him who won't they drag.

Happiness is not having what you want,but wanting what you have.xx

nope i'm waiting for 2 teenagers to get a weekend off work together, so they can sort the shed, ( i have plans, and a roof) unless i can find one really cheap on ebay, then son will buy it for my birthday..... i've got the cage wire and been buying other stuff bit by bit, so either waiting for a shed, or for neighbour to get me some wood from work...... so i'll eventually be ready for some.

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http://teachy.myminicity.com please visit my town and make it better

http://quiz.ravenblack.net/blood.pl?biter=teach_me please sign up to be a vampire, i get 10 pints of blood if you do, and it's fun as well ....... i have an interactive map if anyone wants it.

Obviously not suggesting you drive all the way down to Ipswich but our local paper often has either cheap or if yer lucky free to a good home sheds~so keep an eye out in the papers too!We went away for the w/e & although it was only a couple of days I really missed my girls!You'll get so much out of them~I just wish our garden was bigger so we could have them at home instead of the lottie.

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the fates lead him who will;him who won't they drag.

Happiness is not having what you want,but wanting what you have.xx

i've been looking in the paper, and notice boards, and freecycle, and loads of other places and nothing ..... i'm not giving up yet ....... was actually thinking i'd rather have them at the lottie,(when i get one) so they can have more room, but then they can have a decent sized run at home, just one of my neighbours is a t**t and will probably complain.

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http://teachy.myminicity.com please visit my town and make it better

http://quiz.ravenblack.net/blood.pl?biter=teach_me please sign up t