The one night I forgot to lock them up *sigh -_-

[missydcpc]

My chickens must be of the stupid variety. Had 4 who decided to sleep ON the chicken door...instead of going in...I tossed them in around 10 pm the other night. Then my Sebright roo decided to get out the other day and sleep in the bushes around the coop. I went out around 9:30 and tossed him back in the coop. Yesterday one of my Brown Leghorn cockerels got out of the yard...guess he slept in the bushes cause when I went out for him around 9:30 he was sleeping on a log outside the coop...but when I went to get him, he ran off...this morning I went out to check on them and he was in the bushes.

 

[helomech]

Had that idea too, it's just that they don't sell automatic chickens that are programmed to go in the coop at a certain time every night.

Thanks for the suggestion though,

I have a solar powered automatic chicken door and it works great. I have mine set to close just after dark and by then all my chickens are inside. I love not having to worry if the door is closed. Everything in my pen is automatic, water, food and door.

 

[Zany Chick]

My friends chickens roost in her Rhodadenron bush. They only go in the coop to lay their eggs!

 

[GrandmaChickie]

My chickens go into their house every night at dusk, too. The only problem with those automatic doors? Dusk is a different time every night...where I live, we're talking a difference of 4 hours between dead of winter and height of summer. I guess I could make continuous adjustments to the timing of the automatic door...but if I remember to do that, I remember to close the hen-house door anyway!

 

[Zany Chick]

My chickens go into their house every night at dusk, too. The only problem with those automatic doors? Dusk is a different time every night...where I live, we're talking a difference of 4 hours between dead of winter and height of summer. I guess I could make continuous adjustments to the timing of the automatic door...but if I remember to do that, I remember to close the hen-house door anyway!

When I was looking at them I think there was one with a daylight sensor, maybe that would work. They are just way out of my price range right now as I am just getting started.

 

[The Chickeneer]

The weird thing was, since I didn't lock anyone up that night, the coop to the chick and duckling coop was open. I wonder why they din't go for the ducklings? they are Pekins ducks, only a couple weeks old, but are WAAAY bigger and WAAY louder than my full grown chickens...maybe that intimidated the foxes?

If they did intimidate them, then good. I moved the ducklings and chicks with the older chickens in the big coop. If I ever forget to shut the door, maybe they will leave us alone next time.

 

[KCCP]

I got one of those "Pullet Shut" automatic doors for my coop. It works great! Runs on a battery charged from a solar cell. Uses a photocell to close in the evening and open in the morning. There are lots of recommendations for this unit on here BYC. http://www.chickendoors.com/products.htm. This would solve your nighttime predator problem.