Grow Your Own Magazine

Jimster · #1 (**permalink**) 06-10-2008, 05:20 PM

My chicken coup is located in a very sheltered spot in my garden, and I'm pretty confident that the run is fox proof. At the moment I'm leaving the hatch on the coup open, so the girls can start pecking around early in the morning. The evenings are now getting colder, so is it still going to be ok to leave the hatch open?

Bramblehen · #2 (**permalink**) 06-10-2008, 05:40 PM

Chookies dont do well in drafts, especially cold damp winter drafts so best to close. I open the coop up for our girls now about 7am so its not too early in the colder months.

T-lady · #3 (**permalink**) 06-10-2008, 06:14 PM

Do you think it's OK to leave it open for a little while? I don't get home from work until 6.30pm minimum and soon the nights will have drawn in proper and the girls will be in bed by the time I'm back.

They'll be OK in the chilly dark for just a couple of hours until I shut them in ????

Snadger · #4 (**permalink**) 06-10-2008, 08:02 PM

My pop hole stays open all the time apart from when I'm cleaning the shed when I stick a spade over it to keep them out!

The internal area of my pop hole has a boarded ell shaped tunnel to keep out drafts.

Probably not ideal, but mine are in a secure pen on the allotment........5 miles away from home and they seem happy enough!

lynda66 · #5 (**permalink**) 06-10-2008, 08:17 PM

i was also thinking of making a tunnel to stop draughts, even though they will be in the garden, i'm not going out in my jammies at 7am to let them out .... even the cats don't get up that early lol....... i did also think of some kind of cat flap attachment for the front, but still don't know if chooks or ducks would work that out

when the council eventually get the allotments sorted, they will probably move down there, or some of them will..... and i'm certainly not going there in my jammies lol.

Snadger · #6 (**permalink**) 06-10-2008, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lynda66

i was also thinking of making a tunnel to stop draughts, even though they will be in the garden, i'm not going out in my jammies at 7am to let them out .... even the cats don't get up that early lol....... i did also think of some kind of cat flap attachment for the front, but still don't know if chooks or ducks would work that out

when the council eventually get the allotments sorted, they will probably move down there, or some of them will..... and i'm certainly not going there in my jammies lol.

I thought of using a cat flap idea........just a lump of rubber belting with a hinge at the top would do. If you're realy ingenious Lynda a revolving door similar to that used on hotels on your new chook house would be another idea!

Maybe not,........... just had a vision of a chook going into a revolving door, around it, and finishing up back outside with an astonished look on her face! Lol

lynda66 · #7 (**permalink**) 06-10-2008, 08:32 PM

lol, can just imagine what a mess i'd make of a revolving door ....... i'd need a tape measure and tools that don't just chop bits off willy nilly, cos you've steered them in the wrong direction.

anyway, i was worrying enough about them being 2 thick to use a cat flap, ......... they are chickens after all

hmmmmm i was kinda thinking of using the chopping board i just bought, hadn't thought of rubber, *wonders if car inner tube would be thick enough*???

chicken slave · #8 (**permalink**) 06-10-2008, 08:57 PM

Mine are let out at 5.30am and are out till I get back from work at 7.30pm. I was seriously considering saving for an automatic pop hole thingy, but I'm worried incase they get locked out as I live in the middle of no where and it is pitch black up the garden perfect for Mr Foxy. He would probably go for my chickens as next door have ducks and maybe a bit easier to catch than them. I have a run that I have made as fox and vermin proof as possible but with my luck they would still get in. A neighbours chickens got it when the fox or badger chewed through the side of the coop (poor chooks).

lynda66 · #9 (**permalink**) 06-10-2008, 09:01 PM

i thought about the automatic type, but didn't like the idea of one of them getting locked out, and as i'm getting ducks, apparently they don't always go inside at night voluntarily anyway.

Bephlam · #10 (**permalink**) 06-10-2008, 09:08 PM

lol @ Snadgers description of the astounded chook finding itself back at point A, after a trip around the revolving door!

Noodle · #11 (**permalink**) 06-10-2008, 09:20 PM

I was really tempted by the cat flap idea! Think it could work well if the hens could be persuaded to use it! Don't think anything heavy in any way would work as I have, what looks like and old rubber backed shoe wiper thingy (can't think of the wod!) it's very thin, but quite heavy. They don't even try to move it unfortunately. I thin I might put in an l shaped wall to stop the drafts, it works for rabbets and guinea pigs, s it should be ok for hens!

lynda66 · #12 (**permalink**) 06-10-2008, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bephlam

lol @ Snadgers description of the astounded chook finding itself back at point A, after a trip around the revolving door!

lol, he hadn't written that when i replied ....... my old dog tried to get in one at the same time the door passed, and he nearly chopped his head off ....... so now i have visions of a big pile of headless chickens whist the other one is still running round.

lynda66 · #13 (**permalink**) 06-10-2008, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Noodle

I was really tempted by the cat flap idea! Think it could work well if the hens could be persuaded to use it! Don't think anything heavy in any way would work as I have, what looks like and old rubber backed shoe wiper thingy (can't think of the wod!) it's very thin, but quite heavy. They don't even try to move it unfortunately. I thin I might put in an l shaped wall to stop the drafts, it works for rabbets and guinea pigs, s it should be ok for hens!

did you try leaving it open, then part open, then a little less open, so they get the idea?

Alison · #14 (**permalink**) 06-10-2008, 10:30 PM

Was speaking to the woman on the next plot earlier today and she said that she lets her chooks find their own way in every night, never locks the coop although they are normally in a large, fox proof (hopefully!) run and only let out properly when somebody is there. She said that hers are fine and even in the middle of winter didn't suffer in the slightest.

lynda66 · #15 (**permalink**) 06-10-2008, 10:34 PM

cool, that's saved me hours of work trying to work out a rotation device then

Noodle · #16 (**permalink**) 07-10-2008, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lynda66

did you try leaving it open, then part open, then a little less open, so they get the idea?

No I didn't, it's pretty heavy though so can't see it working. THey don't show any interest in touching it even when I shake their food outside and they're inside!

I think that mine may be left open as the run is (almost certainly) foxproof. I've watched the foxes out of the window trying to figure out a way in! They haven't managed yet so fingers crossed.

A friend of mine lets her hens free range over 2 acres and most don't use the nice cosy hen houses her hubby built, they nest in trees, even when it snows, she says she keeps expecting to be hit on the head by a frozen chicken in the mornings!!

Hilary B · #17 (**permalink**) 07-10-2008, 05:10 PM

Chickens that are well fed and have become gradually acclimatised should be fine with an 'open door' in respect of the weather. If they can't stray into fox-danger (and he can't get to them) they are tough beasties. One exception I would make is if you get ex-bats in autumn. If they have just come from a heated battery house they won't be acclimatised to cool outdoor weather, and should be shut in for the coldest part of the nights for their first winter. "When I get home from work" should be fine, and letting them out 'as convenient' in the morning.

T-lady · #18 (**permalink**) 08-10-2008, 02:13 PM

Thanks Hilary, that answers my worry about working horrid hours (shame I can't tell work that I have to leave early all winter to put the chickens to bed!)

Hashette · #19 (**permalink**) 09-10-2008, 07:13 PM

Thanks Hilary, you've just answered was one of my main concerns too

T-lady, if you get that one past your boss, do you want to have a go at explaining it to mine?

T-lady · #20 (**permalink**) 10-10-2008, 10:23 AM

Hashette - I'll keep you posted but I'm not holding out much hope for success!

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