Automatic pop hole opener/closer?

[lynda66]

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.

[Becca]

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..

[di]

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.

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

[lynda66]

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

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??

[di]

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?

[lynda66]

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.

[di]

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.

[lynda66]

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.

[Hashette]

Cheers Snadger, thanks for the advice

We will (hopefully!) have a fox-proof run. Hubby's got a bright idea that as well as burying the chicken wire a foot down, he's going to wind bamboo canes in right at the bottom and bury those, so that the only way of digging underneath it would be to dig up the entire wall of the run, which hopefully should be beyond the most determined fox!

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!

[Hilary B]

I don't think the chickens I used to keep ever got shut in at night. We never lost any to a fox either, and a lot of the time they were completely free to wander (actually that is cheating a bit, because some of the time we lived in Orkney where there are no foxes.)Mostly we got the benefit of living where foxes had alternatives, although the fact that the hens often shared their accommodation with the goats may have helped too.
When we had space enough for totally free-range we also had geese. A good gander will see off a fox 9 times out of 10.

[Becca]

Have just ordered one from ascots so fingers crossed if it's delivered in time I'll get it fitted this weekend