Rise & Shine! What's your schedule?

[Eden83_haaretz]

Just curious what time everyone let's their chickens out in morning? Or if you have an automatic door does it open at sunrise or do you set it to open later? I have a cockerel and my town does allow roosters but I'm worried because he has definitely found his voice (about 9-10 week old bantam). I normally wake up early so at about 530 I open their door (my automatic door is currently being shipped!!! lol) Now that Tony is crowing i worry it will upset neighbors. I dont normally leave food or water in coop and when I open the door everyone is VERY ready to get out. Thanks!

I also don't leave food inside, they're also very eager to get out that some even fly out. Usually my cats in my bedroom wake me up to tend for everyone lol. That's about 6:30-6:45 when the sun's starting to light the horizon, I usually stay out with them for a while too because of eagles or Falcons, right now we have many chicks and we don't have a covered run ( but at least our being outside has definitely made an impact on our flying predator's flying route habits they barely ever come around here. Ok, better go out now, have a great day everybody!

 

[Aapomp831]

Both my auto doors have a small awning above them. The doors are touted as "waterproof" but at the least water will freeze up the tracks in the winter. At worst moisture will permeate to the motor casing. Most of the auto doors are pretty pricey. The awnings are $30. Seems worth the little extra to protect the investment. I have an "ador1" and a "run-chicken" brand door. I would recommend both, with the ador being a little beefier, with a longer lasting battery, at about double the price. The awnings are made by ador also. I'll never go back to the archaic practice of hand opening doors. lol but seriously. It is incredibly freeing. Now with the right waterer and feeder I can leave my birds for days at a time if I need to.

Thank you! That’s very informative. We want to go on vacation in a few weeks and anything that can help out chicken sitters lives is worth the expense. I’ll be looking into this.

 

[Tre3hugger]

Thank you! That’s very informative. We want to go on vacation in a few weeks and anything that can help out chicken sitters lives is worth the expense. I’ll be looking into this.

No prob! Lemme know if you end up with one

 

[Aapomp831]

No prob! Lemme know if you end up with one

Will do!

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I remove the unwelcome bear mats from around the coop and unplug the electric fence.

Right before I open the pop doors I help my old hen Burrito down from the roost. She often waits for me.

Sunrise is around 5:50AM so I usually let them out around 6, or maybe 6:30 on overcast or rainy days. In the winter sunrise is around 7:30 am. I don’t have a choice but to open them early around 7am.

After I open the pop doors I scoop the poop from the poop boards, double check the food and water, and go on with my day. When I get home in the evening I usually throw them a some mealworms and scratch before checking water, which is usually changed every 2-4 days, top off their feed, collect any eggs, and scoop up any giant poops in the pine shavings. I typically lock them up 30 minutes before dark. If any chickens have medical needs, that’s when I take care of those needs.

Around twice a month I take a broom dust the coop a bit, sweep the floor of my storage area, replenish the poop board litter, and the pine shavings as needed.

 

[3KillerBs]

I'm an early riser, up at 5:30 on work days and rarely sleeping past 6 on my days off. I generally go out as soon as it's light to open the pop door and give them access to their feed and water. Depending on my mood and the weather I might dress first or I might just put on my muck boots and go out in my bathrobe (I live in the country and no one can see me).

I've got chicks right now and have been giving them wet mash every morning since they had pasty butt. As the temperature rises I adjust their lamp (it's an outdoor brooder), -- raising it, changing the bulb, or unplugging it completely -- because the main threat in my climate at this time of year is overheating.

I check for eggs several times a day and carry out veggie scraps when preparing our meals. I also toss them the weeds when I've been working in the garden.

I keep a general eye on feed and water through the day, but usually fill feeders and waterers in the evenings -- sometimes taking the time to "Chill with my peeps" by sitting in a lawn chair in the run while I do my evening Bible study and generally enjoying being outside.

Being an early riser I get very impatient waiting for my hens to go to bed so I can close up the coop for the night at this time of year. I've yet to figure out how to get them to go into the coop on command.

The new coop will change my routine since it's an Open Air style that combines coop and run so I won't have to open and close doors.

 

[HiEverybirdy]

Coffee as the sun comes up. 30-45 minutes later, go to the chicken yard to open coops; feed breakfast; check waterers, grit and oyster shell, and scoop each coop.

I go a little later to let the first round of wildlife have the space, including owls. The chicken yard is surrounded by a 6' fence with bear-strength electric and has a bunch of hidey holes, but it still seems wise to keep chickens off the menu during that first breakfast hour.

Rooster will have been going off since about an hour before sunrise. We forgive him. We're rural and allowed to have roosters. Neighbors nearly a mile as the crow flies have geese, and you hear their less-than-dulcet tones up the mountain all day. But a lot of people like it. Me included. You don't get all these cool sounds stuck in the 'burbs.

I'd put any neighbors who don't appreciate roosters on your "free eggs" list and maybe try to communicate why you like yours. Ours lets us know about any guests (human or wildlife) faster than the game cameras can text, and he watches the sky all day and can get the flock under cover faster than you can say, "crows too much."

Plus he cute.

 

[3KillerBs]

P.S. I didn't respond in re: roosters.

I like the sound of crowing. I don't have a rooster right now (when you actually *want* a cockerel the straight runs are all pullets and the sexed pullets have no oopsies ), but I had one with my in-town flock.

There were no issues with neighbors then. Marion, a Light Brahma, had a deep-toned, mellow crow. One of my neighbors had grown up on a farm and liked the sound. The other figured that if we didn't mind their muscle car they didn't mind our rooster.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

sometimes taking the time to "Chill with my peeps" by sitting in a lawn chair in the run while I do my evening Bible study and generally enjoying being outside.

Being an early riser I get very impatient waiting for my hens to go to bed so I can close up the coop for the night at this time of year.

You sound like me! I have chicks now two. Ten with one broody and two with another. I have a stool I’ll put in the middle of the coop and sit with them for about twenty minutes in the evening. I love holding feed so I have a handful of fuzz butts eating out of my palm. It makes such a huge difference in the relationship you have with your flock!

I’ve also been dreading the long summer days. I’m often ready for bed around 9, and it’s possible to have stragglers outside on some of the longest days. Still, Id take the long days over the short!

 

[3KillerBs]

I’ve also been dreading the long summer days. I’m often ready for bed around 9, and it’s possible to have stragglers outside on some of the longest days. Still, Id take the long days over the short!

I do sometimes resort to having the 15yo close up for me on those long, bright evenings when the hens won't go to bed.