Importance of routine

[Folly's place]

Every day, as the ambient light changes, also depending on clouds and rain, our birds go in a bit earlier, unless they don't. I can see the coop from the kitchen window, and when our white Chanties aren't visible, likely everyone (except that EE hen!) is in the coop.
Mary

 

[Hairydadrock]

The feather-heads gave me my first remedial lesson in the importance of routines. I glanced out to the yard and no one was hanging out in front of the coop.

Cool. They all cooped up for the night and it’s only /just/ sunset. So, instead of my normal wait15 or so minutes after sunset, when it starts to actually get dark, I popped out, told everybody goodnight-see-you-in-the-morning-no-you-can’t-come-out-it’s-bedtime.

Fast forward about 20 minutes, I’m getting comfortable with my evening read. “Good grief, why don’t those guys settle down and go to sleep? And why am I hearing them so clearly and why is it only one voice?”

Yup. One in every crowd. Apparently, someone was lollygagging about the yard and under the coop before lights-out. S/he followed me around to the big door and hopped right in, fussing the whole time about being abused and abandoned and neglected and unloved.

I’m just glad I found the little poophead when I did. Tonight’s low 50’s would not be much fun if you’re all by your onesie.

Note to self: wait 15 minutes.

I know what you mean,I always wait abit till dark or before I go to work(nightshift),last week spent ten mins hunting down a stray,she'd got herself trapped under the coopliterally had to get a spade and dig her out!!,luckily I only have nine so bedtime roll all is easy!!

 

[Sally PB]

I do vary the time that the birds go out, sometimes early, sometimes noon or so. Trying to make it a bit harder for lurking predators.

I hadn't thought of varying the time to confuse predators. It makes sense.

I wouldn't be able to do that though... I need the routine as much as the chickens. Almost light? Gotta open it up. Almost dark? Gotta close it down. An automatic door would be a waste of money for me; for my own piece of mind, I *have* to go out and make sure everything is done. So if I'm going out there, I won't spend the $$ on an automatic door.

I'll spend it on something else for the chickens, probably.

 

[MTKitty]

Tonight, I’m patiently waiting my 15 mins after sunset before going out to lock up. (I /am/ trainable.) Ten more minutes should just about ... holy crap! What is that redtail doing hunting so close to nightfall and why does it sound like it’s right outside the window!?!

I go blasting out the door to be sure I have no hawks in the pen. What, exactly, I plan to do if it is, nobody knows as I didn’t even grab my walking stick. It screams again and I realize it’s on top of the bluff at the other end of my property, where it nests. Whew!

Bonus: it was cloudy at sunset and got dark faster than usual. Everyone was safely bedded down for the night.

Not bonus: The owls from the other side of the valley have decided to check out the hills closer to my house.

I’m beginning to think all these birds are trying to kill me.

 

[Ridgerunner]

An automatic door would be a waste of money for me

For me too. I want to be down there to lock them up so I can check things out. A last check for eggs and is everything OK. I found a possum in the coop one night, with an automatic door it would have been locked in with them all night. Did the broody hen get all the chicks inside OK. Where are the immature ones sleeping, in the nest or outside? Is food and water the way I want it.

To me closing the pop door myself after dark is just part of my daily routine. It's just part of keeping chickens.

 

[Sally PB]

To me closing the pop door myself after dark is just part of my daily routine. It's just part of keeping chickens.

Yup, exactly.

 

[sloanbychoice]

@Ridgerunner same here on the auto door!!
One night, my girls were acting a little off.
i trusted them and checked every cranny of the coop and found a raccoon hiding in there. I have no idea how he got in there, but if I hadn’t been there to do my nightly routine, he’d have had a buffet.
I have never understood how anyone could rely on them. I headcount every night. And it’s when I make sure everyone looks ok, crops look full, no booboo’s, and check for bad guys.
Way too many horror stories for me to trust them!