Bedtime dilema

[Hungry Hannah]

Hi all,

I got some ex-bats just over a week ago, and they are so good already at taking themselves to bed, that all I have to do is colse the door. Problem is now that tonight I'm going out a good hour or so before they go in thier house, so do I a) Shut them in early and have them be mad, or b) close them in their run-let them go in thir house when they're ready and shut the door when I come home? Will
they be ok if I do this? not get cold etc?
Much help appriciated.
xx

[Suechooks]

If you're SURE the run is fox-proof you could shut the run and then close the door when you get home. They won't get cold.

HOWEVER I'd put them away early and put up with the tantrums!! You'll be worrying if they're ok all the time you're out otherwise. They'll have forgiven you by the morning!

[di]

Is your run foxproof?If you're going to be really late & it isn't then I'd be inclined to pop them away early,otherwise they should be fine waiting til you get back.Or also,if you're going to spend the whole evening worrying about them,then ditto shutting them in...they really should be fine about it.
We often shut ours in a little earlier than they'd like in the summer....as it gets lighter in the evenings,they'll be later & later putting themselves away & it's not always possible for us to go up to them at 9:00...some of them make a little fuss about going in,but they've usually settled down by the time we leave!

[Hungry Hannah]

Thanks guys, The run is fox proof, but thankfully hasn't been tested-which just makes you worry- thinking is it?????
Think I'll pop them in early- is it bad to bribe them in with more corn? theyve had their hand full today with extra love for 3 eggs 2 days in a row!! (we have 3 girls)

[di]

When we had our Banties,they hated being picked up.If we needed to get them either to bed early or just back in their run,a handful of raisins always did the job!

[Bephlam]

I don't close my girls in every night. If the weather is nice I leave the door open...it gives me a long lie...and them freedom to come and go as they please!! (Fox proof run, of course)

[Hans Mum]

the only time i tried to get mine in early it was a battle getting them all (8) in they objected loudly...if i'm going out now i lock them in the run and just shut the coop doors when i get home

[Flummery]

Fox proof run is the way to go I think. It gives you peace of mind at any time - like if you're out for the day and they need to stay in the run. If they put themselves to bed they'll be fine till you return. In fact, in this situation, many people don't shut up the house at all. The chickens will keep warm- they have a higher body temperature than ours anyway - and each other for company!

[Glutton4...]

My four that I had to quarantine don't have an automatic opener on their coop, so I leave it open. No problems so far, leccy fence is on all the time. I'll be glad when I can put them all together again though, it's a pain having two lots of everything to keep clean and tidy. Two more weeks to go.

[lynda66]

for the last week or so i've been leaving the coop door open at night, they are perfectly happy with the arrangement ... run is fox proof and saves me having to go out first thing to let them out, they can please themselves then, they have ad lib food and water

[HayleyB]

How long do you quarantine for Jane? Was it because they weren't batts? I can't imagine what a mare it'd be for me to quarantine the newies for any length of time

[Lemon]

in the winter - when the nights get dark quicker, we can't get home to put chickens away. they sort themselves out and we just shut the coop door and the run doors. We let them out every morning and they have the whole garden to themselves whilst we work to keep them in chicken feed!

in summer, we just make sure run doors are shut at night and the coop door is open so they can come down when they please - especially handy at weekends!