Chicken PANDEMONIUM!

[drdoct]

Last night, my automatic chicken door closed before the hens were ready. The cockerel is always first to head to the house so he was just sitting in there waiting. Then a Hen came in and the door closed the other 3 outside (Totally Unknown to me!). Around 9pm, it was pretty much dark so I went to go shut the door on the little chicken coop. They're free ranging as their own flock right now and probably a month or 2 from laying. I don't count them or disturb them in the coop, I just close their enclosed run door. Never has there been a problem.

This morning I wake up to chicken noises of bawking not crowing. The auto door usually opens 10m after I get up so I knew something was off. I follow the sound and I have one of my hens sitting on my front door stoop just bawking away lost. So I lead her to the back and hear a crow. Just then the auto door opens and Rooster and hen come out looking for their flock. You can tell the rooster is furious. He sees his lady following me and lets her know his displeasure. Just then around the little chicken coop there was !!!!CHICKEN PANDEMONIUM!!!!!

Turns out 2 of the hens decided to go slumming back to their old coop and the little chicks. Spent the night there. The Pandemonium was when rooster was released and they saw him. They started going nuts and wanting out! That caused the little chickens to lose their minds thinking they were getting attacked. Feathers and flying everywhere for a split second until I got the door opened.

I think rooster is going to spend all day chastising them because he was upset. He pecked each one and did a dance to let them know who's hens they were.

Days are getting longer and light is taking it's time to go to bed. Be sure to adjust your doors accordingly or you too may wake up to CHICKEN PANDEMONIUM!

ps... I'm well aware I use the word cockerel and rooster back and forth. We call our cockerel a rooster.

 

[DavidReaves]

Last night, my automatic chicken door closed before the hens were ready. The cockerel is always first to head to the house so he was just sitting in there waiting. Then a Hen came in and the door closed the other 3 outside (Totally Unknown to me!). Around 9pm, it was pretty much dark so I went to go shut the door on the little chicken coop. They're free ranging as their own flock right now and probably a month or 2 from laying. I don't count them or disturb them in the coop, I just close their enclosed run door. Never has there been a problem.

This morning I wake up to chicken noises of bawking not crowing. The auto door usually opens 10m after I get up so I knew something was off. I follow the sound and I have one of my hens sitting on my front door stoop just bawking away lost. So I lead her to the back and hear a crow. Just then the auto door opens and Rooster and hen come out looking for their flock. You can tell the rooster is furious. He sees his lady following me and lets her know his displeasure. Just then around the little chicken coop there was !!!!CHICKEN PANDEMONIUM!!!!!

Turns out 2 of the hens decided to go slumming back to their old coop and the little chicks. Spent the night there. The Pandemonium was when rooster was released and they saw him. They started going nuts and wanting out! That caused the little chickens to lose their minds thinking they were getting attacked. Feathers and flying everywhere for a split second until I got the door opened.

I think rooster is going to spend all day chastising them because he was upset. He pecked each one and did a dance to let them know who's hens they were.

Days are getting longer and light is taking it's time to go to bed. Be sure to adjust your doors accordingly or you too may wake up to CHICKEN PANDEMONIUM!

ps... I'm well aware I use the word cockerel and rooster back and forth. We call our cockerel a rooster.

Any chance that there is a solar mode for your door? I'm new to chicken-keeping, but I bought a door with a solar or timer activated switch to prevent pandemonium and so I don't have to be "up with the chickens" unless I want to be. Of course, mine are still in the brooder, so we shall see how the plans convert to reality.

 

[Mrs. K]

I did adjust mine 3 weeks ago, and I think I will have to adjust it once more. It is always something!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Despite the name, auto doors really work best if you keep an eye on them, to ensure all the birds get in and it closes without issue.