Locked myself in the coop/run for over an hour. - Page 2

It happened to me once, but it was in January, and the temps were in the teens, and at 11 o'clock p.m. I was getting the eggs, and the door handle broke, and could not go out. I spent about half hour trying to get out, I did have a cell phone with me, but did not want to wake my parents. lol So, I climbed on top of the nesting shelf, knocked out the chicken wire and wiggled through 16 in, by 12 in ventilation under the roof. I lowered the bucket of eggs with the cord, and made a 7 foot drop in the breeding lean-to in the back of the coop. Thanked God, then went to the warm house as fast as I could. I replaced the door handle the very next day.

When we got our coop built. I picked out a cute little latch to go on the back door of the coop. This is the door I use to clean it out. I even get up in the coop during clean out.  The latch is the type you see around pools. We started to put it on and I soon realized. If the door were to shut while I was cleaning I would be locked in. There would be no way out. I wouldn't fit threw the door to the run nor the openings to the hen boxes. I stopped my husband explained that my latch would not work and he just busted out laughing. He said I can just see it now. You calling me and saying help me Im locked in my chicken coop. We bought a different lock the next day. We did use the latch on the run door. Because I can reach threw the chicken wire with my fingers and unlock it.

I am glad that someone did come along and find you. But I can't help but laugh

Edited by TNChick721 - 8/26/11 at 11:37am

Least you spent quiet time with your buddy's. They were probably saying when is this crazy lady gonna leave this is our house we pay the bills here.

I installed  screen door springs to hold my coop doors shut behind me....works for forgetting to latch door when I leave too!

Too funny.  When I was little, I pulled our coop door shot, and the piece of wood with a nail that functioned as our latch moved a bit, and locked me in.  Nothing to push through to undue, so I remember passing the time trying to "roost" like the hens did.  Its harder than it looks!

Lol, I've been there. My husband built me a 7 foot tall cougar-proof paddock fence, with electrified top two feet. This was great until the day I heard the barn door lock behind me and realized all the gates were padlocked. Took me 1/2 hour of pacing the fenceline before I realized I could just barely reach the off switch for the power, reaching carefully through the wire.