The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: shearling on July 25, 2011, 06:18:35 pm
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Do you lock up your poultry at night if you have an electric fence?
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I do just in case but rather have the annoyance of hurdling the electric fence in the dark, I have one of these
http://www.chicken-house.co.uk/acatalog/Automatic_Door_Openers.html (http://www.chicken-house.co.uk/acatalog/Automatic_Door_Openers.html)
Saves effort and you'll never forget to shut them in again!
Just for the first couple of days that they have gone in, but after that its a stroll
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Your kidding, hurdling obviously a long shanks ;D ;D
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how do you ensure they go in at night rather than being shut out?? ::) I have some very 'challenged :dunce: chooks'
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I still lock up at night - including heavy weight on the external nest box lid and large twig to ensure sliding door cannot be opened by the gingerfoxyone. oh and 20 kg of oyster shell grit up against the door (perhaps overkill but I like to be sure ;D )
so far only lost one chook to the fox, and that was a rather dappy one that obviously walked up to him (it had snowed, we could see chicken prints go up to a set of fox prints...)
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Wouldn't dream of leaving my chooks unlocked at night and I have never had a problem with them going to bed. Trouble is, up here in the summer, that is usually around 10.30pm and I find it hard to stay awake that late :-\
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Yes I lock ours away almost every night. It's a very rare exception that the henhouse is left open.
We have an electric fence round that area, too, although the goats just go vertical. It's mainly to keep the pigs off as Hamish kept moving the henhouse.
Last night I'd been working all day and decided on a shower after tea. Relaxing in front of the telly afterwards I suddenly remembered the girls were still outside so the neighbours were treated to the sight of me, Drizabone over my dressing gown with just a pair of wellies, leaping the electric fence to shut the henhouse door, then back again.
Managed it without getting anything sizzled.
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I lock mine in every night and I am sure the ladies are waiting for me to do it! They're already all bosied up by them and it makes us all feel safe. I wouldn't be able to sleep otherwise wondering if they were ok :D
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I make sure they are in by walking past the hen house at night when walking the dogs with a torch. It has a light sensor and clock. So the door closes at a set time but if it gets too dark the door closes. They soon get used to it! I've had it for ten years and only on a handful of occasions has one been shut out. If it happens I pick them up (the chickens) and lift pophole door and let them in.
If you go on holiday the person doesnt have to shut them in at night making it very user friendly.
Many advantages!
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Just remembered the other very good reason for locking ours up at night...we have a cockerel! so long as he's still in side until we decide it an ok hour to crow, the neighbours still like us (we hope) ;D if we left them to go in and out themself, we'd have crowing at 4.30am (don't ask me how I know, I'm still mortified about how our little part of the village all got woken...)
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Mmm very taken with the automatic door, not that we go away together often it would make it simpler when we do or if ill. Think I might invest.
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we're still new to hen keeping, so possible are over cautious but we get ours in a fox proof run by about 8ish or so, and we shut them in their house at bedtime (for us that's 10ish). So far they are always in the house by the time we go up to shut them up.
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I have 2 cockerels! You can set the time you let them out so they dont have to come out at crazy hours!
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gh just saw the price tag :o Very expensive
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I've had one of mine for 10 years and it is still going strong
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Wouldn't dream of leaving my chooks unlocked at night and I have never had a problem with them going to bed. Trouble is, up here in the summer, that is usually around 10.30pm and I find it hard to stay awake that late :-\
ours were 11.45pm at midsummer, even the ducks. it makes along day!!