[Bert]

So what time dose every one let there chickens out in a morning? Don't want to know about all you with automatic door openers, you will just make me jealous  (I do want to know really). Also what time do your chickens go to bed? Do they all go to bed at dusk? Anyway I let my chickens out at 6.30a.m they are going to bed at 10.20p.m (at the moment, but you can add a few minutes on every day. The little sods aren't going to go to bed till it's close to midnight by time the longest day comes around next month ) Chickens are great aren't they?

[plumseverywhere]

Ours get let out at around 6.45am and go to bed just before 10pm currently. We hover about watching from the upstairs window and once they've all put themselves in, we go and shut the coop doors!
Hard to believe that not that long ago, they were all tucked up in their beds by 5pm!

[Mammyshaz]

Ours are let out at 6.30am. I like to do it manually so I can check they all look ok and eat etc.
The bedtime is getting later by the week, and I try to sneak out quietly because if they hear me they rush out in case there are tasty morsels going. Currently it is 9.45 - 10.00pm.

[plumseverywhere]

and I try to sneak out quietly because if they hear me they rush out in case there are tasty morsels going.

    ditto!! they hear the creak of the back door and you just see a flurry as they come running back out (if hubby's shutting them in, you then hear muttering and obscenities too!! haha!!)

[Oneeyedhen]

You all make me sound like i have a lie in but its 7 for mine, 7.15 sometimes if I'm lucky! I can hear our cockeral who reminds me I should be up but if that doesnt work I usually have 2 kids jumping on me by 7.15!   At the moment they're just in at 10pm but I think I'll soon have to start staying up late!!
I'd think I'd like an automatic door opener but at the same time I quite enjoy letting them out and like to just check everyones ok too. More to the piont I have two hen houses and I'm far to tight to spend the money on two door openers .
Its great to be up early on these lovely sunny days, long may it continue 

[tazbabe]

depends on my shifts!

if i'm on days i let them out at 0645, just before i leave ofr work, if i'm nights the get out at 08.30, when i get home.

they are coming in at about 22.15 this week.......

the geese are in earlier, and the ducks later. no such thing as an early night in the summer, is there!

[suziequeue]

Yes - ours are out by 6.00 am and in at about 10.15. We have an automatic door and two of them roost in the trees. The eggs usually come between 8 and 11am.


Couldn't be doing without an automatic door

[jools66]

Ours are out at 6:00 weekdays and at weekend 7:00 at the latest and now go to bed about 10:15. First thing in the morning the girls hear us coming and can look out 1 of the vents and see us and the noise they  then make is unreal it sounds as if they are kicking their coop to pieces We prefer letting them out so we can check them over

[Bionic]

Oh gosh, mine don't get let out until between 7.30 and 8.30. At night they are very good at putting themselves to bed so the coop is usually shut up about 21.30.
Sally

[chrismahon]

6.30 for me Bert. Started closing the pop-holes at 9.45 yesterday evening and the last were in bed by 10.15. Some are late risers and early bedders. Some are getting noisy at 6.30 so I darn't leave them later, the little darlings.

[Eastling]

Our go out at 7.30 ish into a run then into the garden once i'm out and about. In bed by 10pm at the moment.

[rockstar]

Usually ours go out at 6:30-7:00am. This morning i had early start at work laying tarmac so they were out at crackof dawn 4:30am

[manian]

mine are up and out about half six, and go to bed between 9.30 and 10pm- but gets later.
I'm having difficulty staying up for them
usually OH does evening shift

[Will.i.lamb]

Get an automatic door opener. I can honestly say its one of the best things i've ever bought.
 
Really useful if your away for a few days or even late home, you have no stress or worry as you know the girls will be locked away.
Only down side is they can be a bit heavy on batteries but once i started using rechargable batteries the problem was solved.
 
I noticed someone mentioned they had two hen houses. If they are close together then a few small wheels/pulleys and one opener will do two doors.
 
 

[Bert]

Glad to see I'm doing pretty much the same as everybody else  . The automatic door for the rare occasion that I'm out late would be great for peace of mind, I do like to know my girls are all shut up safe when they eventually haul there sorry arse's  to bed  . Even though the early morning starts are fiscally killing me I do enjoy letting my girls out in a morning and having a chat with them. If I'm a few minates late lets say  between 6.32 and 6.35am (I'm never more than 5 minuets late) they shout at me, there is nothing like being put in your place by 7 chickens at some unearthly hour of the morning  You would think I'd left them in for an extra 3 hours the way they carry on  .  love chickens they are very entertaining