[Beakybird]

Ok, maybe I'm going to sound bonkers here, but I'm thinking of setting up a bit of an intruder alarm system in the girls' pen (it's a seperate area a little way from my house). I feel very protective over my little ladies. 

Does anyone have any experience with alarms? I don't have a power supply down there, so am looking at a wireless system (the signal should reach my house ok).

Or should I just book myself into the nearest clinic for nutty hen owners??

[Helenaj]

It depends on what you need it for - I'm assuming to stop thieves or maybe foxes? If so, you can get remote battery operated alarms, with a key fob and PARs in B&Q. It includes window alarms etc. I have them for my garden shed and when it goes off it's very loud. I think the whole unit cost me under £30.00 (with the cost of batteries). Obviously, don't put any of the PARs and window sensors where the chookies can set them off.

[joyfull]

I have guinea fowl alarms - these work rather well and I get eggs from them too (guinea eggs are lower in cholesterol than hens eggs I do believe  ).

[Beakybird]

Helenaj - thanks for the reply. I'm looking for the alarm to sound if anyone gets in the pen - so maybe something I can set at a height that won't be triggered by the hens. Also on the doors to the coop for when the girls are in bed. Does that sound like it can be covered by the type of alarm you have?

Joyfull - I don't want something so sensitive that it will go off when I bee flies past several miles away....

[Helenaj]

Beakybird

If you use just the door sensors and not the PARs they should be okay as they operate when the door/window is opened - just remember to bring the alarm fob with you to switch it off before you leave the girls out otherwise both of you will have a very rude awakening as the alarm is like a klaxon - and I doubt the neighbours would be amused either! I set mine off the first time and nearly died of fright! Cue mad race back to the house to get the fob whilst the whole neighbourhood awakes to the joys of my shed alarm!

[joyfull]

these alarm thingies sound a really good idea 

[Helenaj]

I've just looked at the B&Q site and the alarms are now half the price that I paid, but don't have the PARs sensors, just the door sensors - they are called "Response Shed Alarms" and cost £15.98. I believe Argos do them as well.

[evie2]

Don't want to deter anyone from protecting their chooks but those alarms are very loud, so what about the chooks?

[Lindeggs]

You'd need to set them up very carefully to avoid false alarms - imagine if it went off while you were away from home!  :blink:  Chickens trapped in a small space with an alarm like that would be horribly stressed. 

[Helenaj]

I have my door sensors just above the hinges on my garden shed door, and so far the wind shaking the door hasn't set it off. It only activates when the door is opened and the contact broken. I've only set it off once by accident and I do agree that the alarm is very loud and would probably stress the chickens, which is why I advised not using the PARs and getting into the habit of carrying the fob with you to switch it off before you open any doors etc. You can then leave it switched off all day until you put them away at night and reset it. Stick a notice on the door that the shed is alarmed - it will not only remind you to switch it off, but may act as a deterrant to any thieves in the area (two legged ones anyway).

[Beakybird]

Looks like there are loads of different alarms, some which simply alert you with a doorbell-type sound that goes off at the receiver unit (which you'd have in your home away from the site being protected). The good side there is that it wouldn't stress the hens, the bad side is that it relies on you being at home.

I suppose that, should an alarm go off, the hens are potentially in danger. If you take all precautions to avoid false alarms then the only time it should go off is in a real emergency.

[Helenaj]

My house alarm is the type that "dials" a list of numbers should the house alarm go off - if it doesn't get an answer on the first number it tries the second and so on for up to 10 numbers. It can even text nominated mobile numbers to tell you if your house or fire alarm is going. It was expensive, but well worth it as my old alarm kept going off on it's own for no reason and was a right royal pain. So at the moment, family and trusted neighbours are on my list and me theirs. Our shed was put in after, hence it's not connected.
If you intend to upgrade you house alarm in the future, why not consider one of these?