Closing coop up and opening in the morning question?

[Patricia Jane]

Quote:
Correct call.

I do the same. I'm not up at 5:30am but I'm up at 6-6:30am. Chickens are out no later than 7am with warm oatmeal and yogurt to start the day. Summer time they are out earlier.

 

[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

Before I take my girls to school at 7:30, either me, my hubby or my oldest daughter lets the chickens out, but I have food & water hanging in the coop.
Now my silkies, if it is raining, will stay in their small coop, but they also have food & water inside. I so loving the hanging, they do not waste food anymore. Am even thinking of getting hangers for under our deck, when they free range, I have two containers of water outside for them, and they get treats throughout the day. They have pancakes I made tonight, waiting for them in the morning.

 

[7L Farm]

Quote:
Wow!! Good chicken momma. Their worth it what nice eggs they lay.

 

[ScottyHOMEy]

Quote:
To be clear, thank you for reinforcing what I had hoped was my point.

I work an odd schedule. The point I hoped to make for the OP (now with your support) is that an hour or two will not make much difference as it relates to yard time for the kids , but that if it's a matter of access to feed or water, then it is an issue that needs to be addressed.

Different ways of putting it out, but I suspect we're on the same page.

 

[Auscal]

Quote:
Op, I see you've taken some flack here for being a "bad" chicken momma. Well, if you are then so am I. My coop and run is totally secure - my 5 chickens are only locked in the coop on nights when its going to get close to freezing. (maybe 10-15 days a winter) My coop is small, without food and water. On the nights they are locked in they are not let out until 7.30 or so. And, they are just fine. I've watched them be let out at 7.30, they come out, have a snack, scratch around, meander over and have a drink - I see no desperate rush for the water when the door is opened.

Also, no warm cooked breakfast for my chickens either (well, only occasionally) - just layer pellets - oh, the shame I feel. (it's their job to "make" breakfast for me LOL)

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Around here, it's dark and the chickens have gone into the coop at 4:30 this time of year. That makes it a really long time to go without food and water when it's cold, if you sleep in until 9:00.

Is your coop one of the small ones or did you only allow a couple of square feet per chicken? I'm wondering if they knock things over because it's crowded. Chickens knock things over more when they're crowded. If they only had water and not food, they could have also been more agitated to get out.

I would either find a way to make food and water work in the coop, get an automatic door, make their run predator proof so you could leave the door open or just get up and let them out. Any of those works for the chickens.

You could try hanging the food and water or attaching them to the wall. Maybe a nipple system for water in the coop would work better for you.

 

[7L Farm]

Auto-Pop door they are worth the money.

 

[simplynewt]

No Feeder or Waterer in my small but effective coop. They go in by the time night falls and I am up before the sun rises during the week. On the weekend when I am not working, they have to wait another hour or so before I manage to drag myself out of bed but like Ol Rooster, I cannt continue to sleep knowing there are hens out there that need to eat and drink.

I find that I have gotten into a habit with them and doing it every morning becomes standard practice. I can now almost accomplish the task while still sleeping...lol.

To the OP... I believe they would be fine but would maybe consider an automatic door if you seemed to be bothered by the time when you have to let your flock out. JMO.

 

[Ducks and Banny hens]

I used to open my birds up just before first light (the interesting term for this time is cockcrow darkness) and by 1/2 and hour prrior to sunset they are in bed. However, they are in the barn for winter now and aren't let out. (until march..)

 

[Aria]

Food and Water is in our small Barn. We have automatic door opener...opens early am closes at dusk. It works fine.

In the Winter we have a covered run and our Silkies stay in with food and water. Aria