Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Happy Anniversary

One year ago today I started this thread. I need to thank all of you who have taken the time to read and post here. This has more than exceeded my expectations. What started as a way to record the stories of my flock has become a community. A community where we welcomed a few more members even in the last few days.

I treasure all of you and look forward to another year of stories and fun.

I'll drink to that!

Cheers Bob!

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

I am thinking of making their door slide sideways rather than up and down and close it manually - probably only in really extreme cold. Welcome any suggestions!

Yes, Bob's automatic door is very clever but it is too uncomfortably reminiscent of a guillotine for my liking...

 

[RoyalChick]

I both love and hate the manual doors. I hate the getting up so early in the summer to open, and the fretting about that they are closed at dark. But I also love the security of knowing everyone is locked in and safe from harm. Every night. I suppose it depends on your lifestyle and run, but I do like the solid, safe door to be closed at night.

The whole point of the Chicken Palace was to have a predator-secure run so theoretically I don't need to close their door at all (unless I am really worried about cold or want to isolate them from the run while I do work). But, I know myself, and I like tucking them in at night! I tend to keep chicken-hours myself anyway (not much of a social life!) so the early mornings aren't an issue even in summer and that means come dark I am pretty ready to go to sleep myself. So really a manual door is more fitting for my set up. But I do have to think about holidays and travel. Still leaning manual!

 

[RoyalChick]

Yes, Bob's automatic door is very clever but it is too uncomfortably reminiscent of a guillotine for my liking...

Oh I think you have put your finger on one of my sub-conscious biases against the up and down sliding door!

 

[RoyalChick]

Yours could be "Fluffy Butt Palace" @ValerieJ , filled with all the Princess' Of Fluffy Butt Kingdom.

Just don't tell my Princesses that there are other chicken-Princesses out there. They don't share well as it is!

 

[BY Bob]

There is something to be said for the peaceful feeling that everything is good and the girls are all safely tucked in. I really like the coop-cam idea for that. I know when I’m away and DH or my mother is putting the girls up I’m always a little anxious about it. And yes I call my poor husband to check in every night. Was everyone on the roosts? Are they all ok? Did you lock the door? A camera would certainly help with a lot of that!

Since I added a simple alert on my phone, thank you @MaryJanet , I never miss checking the roosts. They are lined up right now waiting for the door to open. I am still in bed. Sleepy.

 

[BY Bob]

Oh dear Shad. At first glance I read that as "you can drop a large brick on him"

I thought to myself
' Jeez, I know Shad is brutally pragmatic but I didn't think he was quite as hardened as that!"

O My!

 

[BY Bob]

The whole point of the Chicken Palace was to have a predator-secure run so theoretically I don't need to close their door at all (unless I am really worried about cold or want to isolate them from the run while I do work). But, I know myself, and I like tucking them in at night! I tend to keep chicken-hours myself anyway (not much of a social life!) so the early mornings aren't an issue even in summer and that means come dark I am pretty ready to go to sleep myself. So really a manual door is more fitting for my set up. But I do have to think about holidays and travel. Still leaning manual!

I started with manual. You can always add an automated door if you need to. There are automated doors that close just like a door and those that slide sideways as well.

If you are going manual and it sounds like you are, you might want it to latch. I would consider ease of closing and latching and build accordingly. I have a sliding manual door on my pullet subcoop.

 

[RoyalChick]

I started with manual. You can always add an automated door if you need to. There are automated doors that close just like a door and those that slide sideways as well.

If you are going manual and it sounds like you are, you might want it to latch. I would consider ease of closing and latching and build accordingly. I have a sliding manual door on my pullet subcoop.

Yes - the temporary coop has a manual sliding door and a latch that is very secure requiring two hands and three separate steps to unlatch it. Just as well - I looked this morning in the snow/mud and there are lots of paw prints including one that looks like a wolf though I know that cannot possibly be the case. I am getting cameras!

 

[BlueBaby]

@Aussie-Chookmum and @Ribh As long as the rain doesn't come to heavy for too long all at once, because that would cause bad flood's then.