[newatthis]

Hello, i was woundering, about the day light hours or the lack of them over the winter and what other people did, to solve the problem of letting out.
the reason i ask is the allotments im on have now started changing the padlock at sunset and sunrise so i cant get on to my plot,
as my girls wait till it's dark to go to bed im putting them to bed about half an hour befor lock change(ie lock change at the min is 6.15 so my girls go at 5.45ish) and then they are let out at 9ish  instead of 7ish, as i have school run in the morning and cant get there and back in half an hour as they put the lock back between 7 and 8,
my friend has said that it's wrong to keep them locked up that long with out food or water, so she said i should give up the hens, which i dont want to,
i would get 1 of the atuo pop opener's but i dont have 165.0 ish for the vsb 1' but someone on fle bay is selling a battery 1., which is still out of my buget but if they are any good i will get 1,

the question is im asking is

is it wrong to keep them locked up for more than 12 hours at night/morning with out food or water?

i know when winter is in full swing it will get dark at 4 and light around 7/8ish, so what to do...
please any advice would be greatfull, sorry it's long winded

[compostqueen]

If work prevents you getting to your girls then I'd consider moving them to your home or if that's not possible then giving them up.  They need as much daylight hours as they can get, especially in winter and they do go ballistic if they can't get out

You can only risk leaving their door open if you know your set up is completely fox proof adn that would involve a secure cover over everything

[newatthis]

hi, i dont work, the reason is the allotment are changing the locks to stop people from going on after sunet or going on befor sunrise, my set up is i hope is fox proof, and i do the school run between 8.30 and 9.00 in the morning, and as for them being at home is a big no no as it's a rented and they have said noway

[compostqueen]

Another option is to get a key for the lock so you can get to look after your hens. I would certainly ask about this

[newatthis]

already asked and the answer is nope, i wll just have to leave the pop hole open till spring, i was just woundering if they could use a cat flap...

[compostqueen]

there are plans on here I feel sure for home made flaps

Your run would have to be covered over as foxes are brilliant climbers and diggers so you'd have to cover all angles before leaving their door open 

[joyfull]

if you can get to let them out at 08.30 they will be ok, what time would you be able to shut them up? It does get dark early anyway. One of the main problems in winter is their water freezing - would you be able to change this mid day as well?
I wouldn't leave the pop hole open all night - cold draughts can kill birds.

[GrannieAnnie]

I am a late starter so ours don't get let out until 8 - 8.30am, and at the end of the month the clocks go back, so they will be going to bed an hour earlier anyway until spring.

I think going without food is okay for a bit longer, but if there isn't room for a little drinker in their coop, could you perhaps get one of these things that hangs on the side and make a little hole through the wood for the nipple or whatever it is they drink out of?  That way at least they will be able to drink, and the bottle could perhaps be insulated to stop it from freezing?

Just playing with a few ideas here.  Btu I agree, leaving pop hole open isn't a good one

[8doubles]

Sounds like you need an automatic opener.


Ps, Possibly an early Dec 25th present?

[PaulineM]

Hi
I don't know anything about allotments but could you maybe get a bigger shed that your chooks could live in. It would mean that they could hop of their perches and dander around inside your shed until you can let them out. You could maybe pick one up on freecycle.

[newatthis]

hi thankyou for your replys, i am toying with the idea of making my shed bigger at the min they are in a 4ft by 4ft shed and i have at the min 9 girls with the poss of 4/5 girls more to go in (they are 10/7 weeks old at the min and in their own coop and run inside the main run), as for early Christmas, already had it, a new drill, the greman shep eat the charger... lol

so what size would i need to make it if i had 15 girls in there, the shed that is thankyou

[Aunt Sally]

They change the locks at night time     - I've never heard of any site doing that before.  Why do they do it ?

My DIL has a battery operated pop hole opener and it works very well.

[newatthis]

yep they change it due to having a new playground put in for the children and they dont want it being nicked...
thats good news about the battery operated pop hole opener, i will get 1 but i better save up for the next couple of weeks

[Aunt Sally]

Crikey - do they think the plot holders will steal it ? 

Could people with a legitimate reason for access e.g. need to see to chickens, not be issued with the new lock key - Have you asked ?

[newatthis]

yep they think someone will take it, as there has been people on the site after dark and befor sunrise, and i have asked about a key and they said no.. so i have to get sort something out fast, i will look in to getting a battery op pop hole opener and may be looking at getting a bigger shed for the girls, may be a 6ft by 4ft, which is 2ft bigger than what they have got now but at least i can fix a water container in there somewhere