[orchardlady]

I know you have asked about a key and you have probably done the request by phone or face to face to one person. However how about the mighty pen (or printer/keyboard)? Write a formal letter to your allotment committee/ owner/council or all three requesting access to the allotments and a key. Also make it  clear that you are a responsible adult (you are aren't you?) and also request in your letter that if their decision is to decline you access you would like the reasons put clearly in a return letter.  Keep everything extremely polite, positive but firm. Indicate the problem you are having as clearly as possible. If you hear nothing for 10 days send a copy of your original letter with a covering note saying you've not heard back yet.

Think politely pushy and persistent.

Best of luck. OL

[8doubles]

Stress the fact that you need access to the hens and when you are on the site your eyes and ears improve security rather than lessen it.

[orchardlady]

Excellent point 8doubles.

[newatthis]

i will phone them today and ask about the key/lock today as i have to report my greenhouse glass being smahed yesterday, after i left at 10 in the morning

[Flowerpower136]

Blimey, what a set up?!  Don't suppose there are alternative allotments?  I'd definitely complain to the committee.

Would strongly recommend battery operated auto pop hole opener.  They are expensive, but worth every penny for peace of mind.  Mines never failed yet.

[newatthis]

i have phoned them and they are going to have a meeting about the padlock being changed to keep it going or not, i manged to get up there by 8 this morning so im hoping that i can put them to bed by 6ish tonight to try and give them a bit more daylight hours, i did tell them about my greenhouse and i also told them that i have noticed my eggs have dropped from 6-8 down to 2-3 eggs per day since me putting them to bed early and letting them out later, lets see if they choice not to carry on with the change of padlock,

but there was question i didnot put to them i only thought about after i spoke to them
they are worried about plots being broken in to and the playground stuff going missing at night but what about the day time??? i've been on my plot and i've been the only person there so to be truefull anyone get on anytime of the day and night as not alot of people go on in daytime...

i did ask about changing the padlock thats on there for all of us to use and they have said it would cost 600.0 to change it and thats not poss to do...

[Aidy]

I think everyone has covered all your options on this one. The whole changing of locks is so bizzare, if anyone wants to nick owt the just go through the fence!
We have discovered just last week several fence parts loosened, we have the propper big high security fence but then discovered that some of the bolts were only finger tight 
Lets hope the commitee see sence and allow you back on at the times you want otherwise the auto door opener looks more attractive.
Good Luck

[hillfooter]

Unfortunately my "how to make a low cost auto pophole controller" works off the mains which I suppose is no use for you.  

If you get the the vsb one you'll likely need a timer anyway which is expensive.  It's as well to get some advice from someone who has one to check if they can be set to operate well after dark or just at dusk.  If the latter they may lock your chx out, which is what I found with my home designed light operated one.  I needed  a dusk delay or a timer which was easy to design in but it may not be possible with the Vsb unit without a timer module at an extra £45 or so.

My post on making a mains powered one is
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=65865.msg757124#msg757124

Re locking them up early and letting out late is not an issue as long as it's close to dawn and dusk as naturally birds roost through long nights without food or water.  15 in such a small house sounds a tad crowded though.  

Personally I'm with GA, I'd say if you can get down there within 30 - 45 mins of dawn and dusk I wouldn't be too concerned.  Black out any windows etc to make the house as dark as possible so they don't notice the light.

HF

[Flowerpower136]

the auto pop hole we have is a light sensitive one, and to start with a few girls were getting shut out!  But it is adjustable, so we were able to get it to suit their preference.  I think you can buy a timer?

[newatthis]

hi im going to get a battery op 1 from fle bay this is the http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300480282245&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

im getting it looks smiple enough to put together, so fingers x

im cutting back on the chicks till next spring so there will only be 9 oldies and about 4 youngters, i will be looking for good home for a couple of the older 1's that are in their 3rd yr of laying

[Craig69]

We all have a key for the lock on our gate & can go up at anytime. I've been up there at 10pm before!
I thought one of the rules for been allowed to keep hens on an allotment, is that the welfare of them is kept up & not neglected?
Having this restriction by the allotment commitee is causing the above, therefore they are braking their own rule!

[hillfooter]

We all have a key for the lock on our gate & can go up at anytime. I've been up there at 10pm before!
I thought one of the rules for been allowed to keep hens on an allotment, is that the welfare of them is kept up & not neglected?
Having this restriction by the allotment commitee is causing the above, therefore they are braking their own rule!

Very good point Craig and certainly worth putting to the allotment management.
HF

[newatthis]

i will let them know that 1, as it was we was late coming of the plot last night due to trying to sort out the chicks coop as rats have made a home under it so we had to move eveything and put the coop on blocks/railway sleepers to stop them going back there.. and i will be taking a trap(non-killing) up this morning and doing a bit more work to make it safe and better looking than we did last night..

[Fisherman]

Could you not ask your commitee to modify the locking arrangements so that there are two padlocks, one for the general allotment members to use which they can change at night if they want to and one for you or anyone else keeping hens to use. This can be done using a sliding bolt arrangement with a padlock on either side that allows the door to be unlocked by undoing either padlock.

                    I
                    I
          Q===[]=Q
                    I
                    I

I  = Door Frame
Q = Padlock
= = Sliding Bolt