A mystery! Any ideas??

[kathyd]

Hi, hope you all had a lovely Xmas . I need to pick your brains...

Our birds live in a large outhouse built of breeze blocks attached to a granite and slate wall. Inside, the building is divided up into separate areas with wood and chicken wire, floor to ceiling. The chickens live in one end, sleep on top of their coop and an attached roosting bar, and their door is currently (temporarily) closed using a hook which slots through a cup hook. It closes tight, and can't be pushed open, the hook must be lifted. However, for the past 2 or 3 weeks we've found the door to the chicken area is open almost every morning, and we have no idea how it's happening.

There are some very small holes in the walls of the building which mice and rats could get through, but nothing any bigger (we hope!), plus the chickens appear fine each day, not even stressed. There's often wheat on the floor outside their 'bedrooms' - yes I know I should sweep up - so if something got in to look for food it wouldn't need to open the chicken door, there's plenty available outside their sleeping areas. And there aren't any eggs to collect at the moment so it's not that either.

We're mystified. Does anyone have any ideas please?

[Jungle Jane]

You could try getting a different lock? I'm wondering if a rat opens it with his nose,hoping a bird will come out,away from the others? Rats would kill one I think? That's just a total guess,but I'd change the lock if worried.

[kathyd]

Thanks, we did wonder whether it could be a rat, but I'm not sure a rat would kill a chicken or just be looking for eggs? This happens at night, when all the birds are asleep, so I don't think it'd be hoping one would come out by itself either... We're not really worried at this stage, just curious - we can't think of any reason why any animal would want to go in there, night after night, when there's clearly nothing to be gained from it. Anyway, the lock will be changed shortly to a bolt like on the ducks' room, and I can tie the door closed on the chicken area for now - but I'd love to know what's going on!

[veggiechicken]

I'm having trouble imagining the setup?
How high up is this hook catch thingy?

[kathyd]

It's slightly higher than door handle height VC - it's a large full sized door in a building that's about the same size as our house. When I've finished me bacon butty, I'll go take a photo if that would help

[veggiechicken]

Oooh yes please. Photos would help
It sounds similar to the catch on the door into my chooks' run, but that's just a wire door and doesn't close properly.

[kathyd]

OK - pics - and possibly mystery solved! While taking these, I tried pulling the door again to make sure it was firmly closed. Which it was, provided I only pulled it once... but if I repeatedly pulled it and pushed it, the hook began to slid up and out the top of the cup hook. It's been very windy here at night recently, so I guess the wind's been whistling through the ventilation gaps under the roof, and through the one window I've not blocked off for 'winter', and shaken the door until it opens... I'm almost disappointed, I thought we had ghosts in there or something!

Thanks for all your time and thoughts anyway