Predator Proof Enough to Leave Door Open?

[perkolator]

If the overall structure is secure, you’re likely ok. I focused on overall security and didn’t even put a door there because it was unnecessary

 

[bhawk-23]

This is not a permanent fix but when we have hot days I hose off shady areas. They enjoy laying in the cool damp dirt.

Have you tried a small industrial fan? I have one that is dealing very well with the dust. I place it to blow between two parallel roosts. They have a constant breeze blowing past them though some girls will even move to the third roost that the fan blows directly on for a bit.

Watching our girls pant in the heat is always distressing. Hubs is waiting for the day they get a mini split

This is the fan I use
Lasko X-Blower Multi-Position Utility Blower Fan with USB Port, X12900, Red
https://www.walmart.com/ip/528612089

I have a box fan that circulates the air in the coop where they lay.

 

[RogerChicken]

Ok I am going to look into how to make a door, but I think I am going to leave it open tonight and take a Valium lol. My nerves are gonna be a wreck. @nuthatched do you mind taking a look at my other thread about my roosters earlobes? No one has answered it and I’m worried about that too. thanks!

So how did it go?? Too much suspense.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Honestly if it's that hot you need to weigh the risk between possibly losing chickens to heat and possibly losing chickens to predator attacks. I don't know how heavy your predator load is, or how aggressive they might be, but the risk of overheating may very well be the bigger danger.

My run isn't built to be predator proof but when we had a heat dome like 2 years ago, we had to leave the coop's human door propped open at night for that period, it was simply too hot with highs of 112F during days.

 

[dbounds10]

This is not a permanent fix but when we have hot days I hose off shady areas. They enjoy laying in the cool damp dirt.

Have you tried a small industrial fan? I have one that is dealing very well with the dust. I place it to blow between two parallel roosts. They have a constant breeze blowing past them though some girls will even move to the third roost that the fan blows directly on for a bit.

Watching our girls pant in the heat is always distressing. Hubs is waiting for the day they get a mini split

This is the fan I use
Lasko X-Blower Multi-Position Utility Blower Fan with USB Port, X12900, Red
https://www.walmart.com/ip/528612089

I have a box fan that circulates the air in the coop where they lay.

I do have a small fan in the coop but even with the fan and all the windows open it was still over 90 in the coop at night until the wee hrs of the morning when drops to around 80. I have a larger barn fan that blows on them in their favorite shady spot during the day out in the run. I also spray down the shady spots and where they like to dust bathe. It’s been heat index of 110 for a couple of days now and the news just said at least 5 more days of that before it drops a tiny bit.

 

[dbounds10]

So how did it go?? Too much suspense.

I left the door open last night and everyone was alive this morning lol. Going good so far!

 

[dbounds10]

Honestly if it's that hot you need to weigh the risk between possibly losing chickens to heat and possibly losing chickens to predator attacks. I don't know how heavy your predator load is, or how aggressive they might be, but the risk of overheating may very well be the bigger danger.

My run isn't built to be predator proof but when we had a heat dome like 2 years ago, we had to leave the coop's human door propped open at night for that period, it was simply too hot with highs of 112F during days.

Well, a couple of years ago we had a tornado come thru and ripped off the roof to my run. At the time we had no one to help fix it and within a year we slowly lost our last 6 birds to something. We think a fox. Before we got this new flock our sons came down and redid the entire thing and also installed a camera that alerts my phone to motion. Before it was destroyed we hadn’t lost anything. Even as I type this at 11pm the heat index is still 100. I have a small fan inside the coop and 7 windows but temp inside is still above 90. Think I am going to have to risk it for awhile as daytime heat index will be 110 for the next week at least.

 

[aart]

but temp inside is still above 90.

What's the temp outside the coop?

 

[NorthFLChickenChick]

I am in Texas and it’s HOT. Not below 80 at night and heat index of 110 during the day. My coop is attached to my run which is covered top to bottom 100% in 1/4 in hardware cloth. All the windows to the coop that are outside the run are also covered in hwc. We do have fox, coon, possum, feral cats and coyote but I have never seen a coyote in my yard, which has a 6 ft wooden privacy fence. In your opinion could I leave the door open at night for extra heat relief? I also have a camera set to set off lights and sirens if it pick up motion at night.

Hi there…I live in FL where it’s similar heat index/humidity. We just built our coop/run with a window/vent (plus we left a few inches between the roof line and plywood for extra ventilation which is covered in hardware cloth) but we also installed this temperature triggered fan to help move air around. The girls actually go INSIDE from the tarp covered run to the coop during peak sun in the afternoon bc it’s cooler. If you can rig electricity to your coop, something to think about link to fan below on Amazon.

https://a.co/d/7k41LGQ

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

I'd see abt cutting a window in the door.
We made a screen door with 1/2 hardwire cloth, with a sliding door over it.

The screen door locks...and I leave the sliding door open during the heat...