Windy hill chickens - first flock(s) of my own

[kattabelly]

Couldn't easily get a photo, she spent all day making the most of being able to see again by running around the plot in that funny way they do where they're kind of stretched out horizontally and mostly made of neck. The attack goose run.

Chicks are 15 days old and they've been in and out of the greenhouse when they wanted today while I was vaguely nearby. Still want them locked up overnight for a couple more weeks but they're big enough now for Access All Areas privileges all through the day, starting tomorrow.

Only two of them here but the three Rock pullets are starting to spend more time together as one group, which is nice to see.

 

[thistlewick]

I have to admit that I dread when we finally stop doing DST, because that means that in the spring, I will have to drag my patootie out to the coop at an insanely early clock time, because the birds don’t care at all about clock time. Just when the sun comes up.

Oh Lord - Vevor sells an automatic coop door you can set a timer on, or use daylight (that uses more battery). Just get that!
This is the cheap basic one.

The batteries (4 AA) lasts months and months.

Save yourself some early morning sleep! haha

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Oh Lord - Vevor sells an automatic coop door you can set a timer on, or use daylight (that uses more battery). Just get that!
This is the cheap basic one.

The batteries (4 AA) lasts months and months.

Save yourself some early morning sleep! haha

They have no problem getting out of the coop. They want out of the RUN! After all we went through getting on that HWC, the thought of cutting a hole in it for a pop door makes me

 

[cavemanrich]

The batteries (4 AA) lasts months and months.

I have an Ador1. It is $260.00 Had mine since 2017. Uses a 6 volt lantern style battery.
The door you posted from amazon, is a fragile plastic version of what mine is. Mine is metal. Also, those 4 AA batteries will peter out sooner than what the seller claims. But they are small and compact. so fit into the control device. Just don't expect long life from small power source.

 

[BDutch]

I have an Ador1. It is $260.00 Had mine since 2017. Uses a 6 volt lantern style battery.
The door you posted from amazon, is a fragile plastic version of what mine is. Mine is metal. Also, those 4 AA batteries will peter out sooner than what the seller claims. But they are small and compact. so fit into the control device. Just don't expect long life from small power source.

I have a cheap plastic one too. Other brand, same price and the same mechanism. Yours is probably much more solid and safer for possible intruders. But so far its works for me/my chickens.

I installed it last spring between the coop and the main run. It only works with a light sensor. Didn’t have to change the batteries yet. Never let me down so far. If it doesn’t open in the morning they are locked in, in their coop + very small secure run, until some time after my morning sleep.
They won’t be happy but will survive this for a couple of hours .

I mounted it to a wooden wall with six screws. If the pop-up door needs to go where you currently have HWC, you'll first need to add some planks, waterproof plywood, or other screw-on panels.

 

[kattabelly]

Bit blowy tonight. Chicks stayed in the greenhouse but the rest were still going out on the field until it started picking up somewhen after 2pm.

For some reason half of them have chosen tonight to play musical roosts, so I've left my head torch on low in the greenhouse and propped the door ajar in case anyone finds themselves outside and a bit lost in the dark. Looked like a couple of older birds were planning on sleeping there along with Rognvald and co when I left.

 

[thistlewick]

I have an Ador1. It is $260.00 Had mine since 2017. Uses a 6 volt lantern style battery.
The door you posted from amazon, is a fragile plastic version of what mine is. Mine is metal. Also, those 4 AA batteries will peter out sooner than what the seller claims. But they are small and compact. so fit into the control device. Just don't expect long life from small power source.

I've had it for a year, the batteries last 6 months \o/

 

[kattabelly]

Wind back down to low 20s gusting low-mid 30s for most of today and even less by late afternoon. Everyone was glad to spend most of the day wandering the back field and a couple of hours out on a neighbouring empty plot.

Chicks haven't worked out the back gate yet but they've been out of the greenhouse pretty much all day. "Baby Bertha" has a knack for going off exploring and getting trapped in ridiculous places, so I'll need to do a load of tidying up tomorrow. Once I'm sure she's a pullet I'm thinking to call her Beryl (the Peril).

Last stragglers only went to roost ss+50.

 

[kattabelly]

I never managed to get a photo of the half-cut asymmetric mohawk but the finished version isn't much better Took a bit too much off because she was soaked with rain at the time. At least she can see now!

While I remember, Donald sounded like he might've been attempting to crow earlier but it could've just been an especially long and weird braaaaahhp. I'll be surprised if he starts before Rognvald.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I never managed to get a photo of the half-cut asymmetric mohawk but the finished version isn't much better Took a bit too much off because she was soaked with rain at the time. At least she can see now!
View attachment 4264888

While I remember, Donald sounded like he might've been attempting to crow earlier but it could've just been an especially long and weird braaaaahhp. I'll be surprised if he starts before Rognvald.

Why is Donald not spelled Dognvald?