The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: The Relic on April 03, 2009, 07:11:55 pm
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was just wondering if anyone is leaving their chucks out longer in the evenings. Mine tend to wander over to their beds around the half six (probably cause i feed them at that time) and I lock them up for the night. this is a good time for me but is it for my feathered friends. I let them out between 7am and 9am and they can wander wherever they like (ususally sitting outside my patio door) digging up critters and just being chickens. my question is as the evenings are getting longer should i leave them out longer. cheers
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Mine are free range and they put themselves away at dusk. I just go down and close the pop hole - just been now (8 pm) .... I suppose we are risking a foxy visit, but i like the girls to have as much daylight as possible.
It does get to be a bit of a pain in June though - I often have to down the garden in my jammies!! ;D
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My girlies put themselves to bed too, I usually give them some corn at around half five, sixish and then go out and lock them up and put away all the food dishes etc at dusk, quick count to make sure they are all in and then I am letting them back out in the morning at around 6.15am just now.
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My ducks were really good all winter, putting themselves to bed at dusk. All we needed to do was shut the door. Now with the summertime they just roam about forever and we have to chase them again! :&>
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We let our chickens behave naturally - we shut them up for the night when they have gone to bed for themselves . This can be quite late at midsummer. We do keep them within electric fencing it could be a bit risky let them stay out late if they are not fully protected from foxes.
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Mine also put themselves to bed at dusk. It's great and no bother to us just to go down the garden and lock them in at about 8 to 9ish. I let them out at 7 during the week and 8 at weekends. If we are late in letting them out (after 8 am), they have been known to eat the occasional egg - they must be hungry by 8. We live in the country so I would like to let them out sooner in the summertime to make their lives as natural as possible. However, we have a neighbour who lives at least 300 yards away who complained about the cockerel crowing early. At the time he wouldn't go into the coop and would roost up a tree so he was quite noisy. Other villagers say that if you choose to live in the country you should expect to hear country sounds. I agree with them but don't want to fall out with the neighbour. We had his wings clipped and he now goes into the hen house.
Brenda
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That poor cockerel, ha ha ha. I wish my ducks were as clever to go to their bed on their own! They are out about 6.30 in the morning and go to bed about 7.00pm - just for their own safety. The same is said for the geese although some nights they stay on the river so we can't lock them up. However, it has to be said they have been in their bed for weeks on a row, long may it continue. I prefer them locked up as one was taken by the fox last year.
James
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We let our chickens out before 8 every day except Sunday - the twice we have had fox attacks have been Sundays between 8 and 8:30. We think office workers from the small industrial estate across the feilds must be feeding the foxes in the mornings ... but obviously not on a Sunday.
It's our excuse for a lie in, anyway!
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let them decide when to go to roost.
at this rate, your posts are beginning to suggest that you might not be best prepared to have chickens? ???
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yes wellies thats fine if they are enclosed with no chance of attack. when they can wander wherever they like it raises other issues. already lost 1 to the fox dont really want to loose anymore. great layers these girls are. i dictate their bedtime not them mine
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Until last week Jamie(my LS cockerel) was starting to crow around 8 am which was fine by me, then he started as soon as there was the slightest ray of light. So yesterday I got a tube of my acrylic paints and a brush and BLACKED out their window! :farmer: :chook: :chook: :chook: Success this morning - back to 8 am again! They put themselves to bed when it's getting dark, so all I have to do is go out to close the hatch. But not dem flicking ducks - up all night sometimes I think. They are quacking when I shut the hens pop hole, and again when i go out to feed in the morning, so I can't shut their door. Blasted things!
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Maybe it's that there are so many more beasties around to hunt after now, I've got the same problem! I was thinking of luring them with food into their run as it's going to be a pain once they're still out and I want to go to bed! And I thought I had them trained lol :&>
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wellieboots will love this one. i keep'em in a converted trailer ( corrugated iron nailed to the top) its quite comfy actually considered sleeping there one night when i was locked out and had a few beers on board (all the poo turned me off). when i first got my chucks i fed the twice a day morning and night now just put it in the trailer when its bedtime (time can vary 5.30pm to 8.30pm) and they all toddle in happy as larry. its also handy if someone else has to lock them up.
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Mine are out by 7am and put themselves to bed at dusk, although I may start feeding them at 8pm and shutting them up, 1.. I dont want to be waiting for the chickens to go to bed before I can in the summer & 2... Mr fox worries me.
Maddox x
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I would like to think my chooks are getting maximum freedom and day light. Because i work shifts and can be on call, and out all night from a midday start,, I have invested in an automatic pop-hole closer. It is fantastic. The hens naturally make for the coop before dusk and the door closes before dark. it opens again for them when it is light enough. I have never had a chicken trapped outside overnight, or had a loss to Foxy either. Touch wood this has done the trick.
This time last year I lost nearly all my flock because i was late home from work....medical emergencies crop up at the most inconvenient times!!! I think Foxy had it all sussed.
I couldnt manage with out my gadget now
Emma