[karlooben]

my girls are inside a very { so far } very secure run , could i just leave them of a nite time to do as they please , would they all go into the shed to roost without me going out to get them in the shed  or would they end up staying out all nite just roaming around .
does anyone here allow their girls to do this or anything similar
 :?:

[monarch]

My chickens are housed much the same..they come in and out as they please and go in  on an evening of their own accord to roost, so long as the run is secure from foxes the chickens should be ok.

[Kate and her Ducks]

In the summer or if I am away for 24 hours I leave mine secure in their run to let themselves in and out of their house as they please and they are quite happy with that, of course they are hardy ducks.

[Foxy]

They should instinctively go into the coop to roost. As long as the pop hole is closed soon after they should be fine.

[poultrygeist]

I think the only real problem would be predators. They may even stop out all night but if you're confident of security then it shouldn't be a problem.

make sure the roof is secure too. Foxes can climb well and will go 'over the top' if they can.

Rob

[karlooben]

well i know the foxes have studied the run of u can say it that way , as a while back there was fox poo rite next to the main fencing. the run is just of 7 foot high with 4 strands of thin wire around the top similar to what u would see around a prison    looks funny on the chicken run but mum demanded that it got done . it drives me up the wall trying to get them in every nite at around 4pm { bit earlier at the mo } but i was just wandering wether they would be safe enough .

the last time we had really strong wind the 2 joined sheds came apart an 3 or 4 of the girls must of got out during the nite an they seemed fine, but i doubt i would want to try this in the winter months .

[poultrygeist]

It sounds like it should keep them out. It's always a risk.

The draught through the open pophole may give them a problem unless you can hang something over the hole.

They can withstand the cold quite well but draughts will give them problems.

Rob

[karlooben]

think i may give it a go but not until the spring. i have 2 or 3  girls  at the mo that are being rite pain in the butts an my run is so water logged an slippery at mo { porbably like most ppls } that i wanted to try to  go in there as less as poss. poop hole door will be fitted next weekend as its still attached to the old shed door but i think i will place that to the far side of the shed as its not in a windy area .

if i left them out tell it was dark then went out to check them i know they will come running back out    then i would stuggle to get them in .
 i did  think  about using netting of some sort that i could attach to one side of the run an slowly walk the girls to the door a bit like rounding them up but does that seem cruel  :?:
most the girls go in really well but theres the odd few that love to play chase me .

[Sassy]

Just wondered if you were able to leave it a few minutes later whether they may have gone to bed on their own so you are not chasing them round?

[Vickie & Richard]

My girls always take themselfs off to bed at dark time, i've never left the run open over night but i have left the door to the coop open, if u put food down at bed time, it means you can have a lie in!!  always handy at Christmas party time!!

[karlooben]

lay in whats one of them ummm think i  have forgotten those    ,only time i get a lay  in is the summer when the horses stay out all weekend .
i have always been up  very early so i am used to it , i perfer to get my jobs done early then go back to bed during the day for a few hours   .

before i do any of this  i need to sort out MR RAT  hes still in there i do have a friend whos dropping me of some traps over the next few days so hopfully by the end of the week the prob will be sorted      he cant get out as i have blocked all holes an re wired up the main gate .

[meterman]

Ive never closed my poop hole in 18 mths sometimes 1 or 2 will roost outside even in the middle of winter the only time i remove outside roosts is end october to mid november because of fireworks

[monarch]

I  wwould refrain from feeding at night...towards dusk as the chickens may not eat it and that means Mr Rat will get fat..and he will have some groceries for his family?!?!?!

[sandra d]

Mine put themselves to bed and I just go out and shut the doors. We have two hen houses. Four in one and three big girls in the other. Yesterday morning when I opened the big girls house, five of them came out instead of three. I don`t know if they are confused or just like the company. Theres never a dull moment.

[violet]

Our girlies are in the garden all day although they can go in and out of their cube if they want...about an hour before dusk (how do they know) they line up at the study window for supper....after they have finished... in a very specific order they go off to bed and I then go out and shut the door...they go to bed in the same order that they eat out of the dish!