Any harm in letting the birds sleep outside?

[legojenn]

I have four pullets, the second pair never wanted to sleep in the coop. I put them in myself in the evening. Ever since the temperatures started to climb into the low to mid-30s which I think is the low 90s in the other way of measuring heat, I let them sleep outside at night. Then, a third bird joined the other two outside and now finally all four are sleeping in the run.

The temperatures have let off a bit today, but I think that it's a temporary reprieve until the weekend. I was thinking of letting them sleep in the run for the next three weeks and then start marching them into the coop after the heat relents and I'm back from holidays.

Am I doing them any harm by allowing them to sleep outdoors? The run is protected by wire on all six sides. I know that they'd be safer in the coop, but as far as I can tell, they are safe in the run. The worst predator I've seen so far was a Labrador retriever and he bounced off the cage. We're in suburbia here, but that doesn't mean that we don't have foxes, racoons and coyotes nearby. I just haven't seen them.

I read the thread below and the topic was discussed a little, but I didn't want to hijack that thread. One poster noted the issue of security.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/the-girls-will-not-come-into-the-coop-at-night.1302171/

 

[jaxonann]

I’m in the suburbs and had a bobcat take out half my flock 3 weeks ago. I put mine up every night, but we were late getting home that night. It's your call but I would play it safe and secure the flock.

 

[Harmony Fowl]

I allow some of my birds to sleep in the run. Tonight, two young turkey hens, three 4-month-old pullets, a 2-month old cockerel and a 1-month old cockerel are all sleeping outside. Sometimes my turkey tom or my half blind hen join them. I go out and shut the door at about 8:45; anyone outside the coop stays outside. I could and have in the past chased them all down in the dark to put them away, but that gets old quickly. They are behind a physical fence and also an electric fence, with netting to cover the run. It's not predator proof, but I take the risk because forcing them in when they don't want to go is too great a pain and most of the flock does go inside on their own.

Most of the time it's related to maturity, in my experience. Young birds just have an itch to rebel, funny as that sounds. They like to stay out late and not follow directions and do their own thing. They'll even insist on staying out of the run here in the evenings when everyone else comes in for dinner, especially if they have male company to egg them on. But it changes. The three pullets have a sister their age who has already decided her bedtime spot is in the coop. Similarly, I have a third cockerel who was raised by a broody hen, unlike the others. He also sleeps in the coop, with his mother, for now, though as he grows more independent of her, that may change. Around the time they get serious about laying, they give up staying out late and begin sleeping in the coop. My one concern, aside from possible predation, which is a risk only you can judge, is that, without an older flock, you are training them now to sleep in the run and there is no one to show them otherwise. That only means you will have a slightly harder struggle on your hands in a few weeks when you decide they really ought to be in the coop, but it's a struggle I've been through many times and they all give in eventually with persistence on your part.

ETA: We do have bear, coyote, fox, opossum and raccoon. We are not in the suburbs.

 

[R3M1X]

First, I live in the middle of the country in North Carolina, and our predators consist of coyotes, Bobcats, fox, bears, snakes, hawks, owls... you get the jist. Anyway, I have a hen house in the middle of a fenced-in, open-top, medium-sized run area my first generation of chickens and ducks refuse to sleep inside the house. The ducks either sleep under the house (it is raised on top of blocks) or next to their pool and the chickens sleep on top of the roof of the hen house. It has been over a year now and they only ever go in the hen house to lay eggs. Be it rain or snow (though if the weather is too extreme I lock them in the hen house during the night) they always choose to sleep on top of the little house... it isnt the safest place for them since they are so exposed, but they like it.

 

[igorsMistress]

If you've already allowed it what difference does it make now? Yes there's risk, life comes with them.

 

[Folly's place]

If the run isn't really predator proof, sooner or later you will have a disaster out there. The coop needs to be well ventilated and comfortable, and if the run is really safe, it's fine.
Over time, and disasters, we upgraded everything, so now we have a coop/ run combination that's very safe. I regret every death that occurred because we thought things were 'good enough'...
Mary

 

[aart]

I read the thread below and the topic was discussed a little, but I didn't want to hijack that thread. One poster noted the issue of security.

Big Kudos on your forum etiquette!!
Plus it's always best to assess situations individually.

The risk of leaving them in the run at night is ultimately up to you,
but it would be better to get them roosting inside for safety.
Would be good to figure out why they are not roosting in the coop.

How long has the 'second pair' been in the flock?
How big is your coop and run, in meters by meters?
Dimensions and pics would help immensely here.
What kind of ventilation do you have in the coop?

I was thinking of letting them sleep in the run for the next three weeks and then start marching them into the coop after the heat relents and I'm back from holidays.

You're going to be gone for 3 weeks? Who will be caring for the birds?

 

[legojenn]

The risk of leaving them in the run at night is ultimately up to you,
but it would be better to get them roosting inside for safety.
Would be good to figure out why they are not roosting in the coop.

How long has the 'second pair' been in the flock?
How big is your coop and run, in meters by meters?
Dimensions and pics would help immensely here.
What kind of ventilation do you have in the coop?

You're going to be gone for 3 weeks? Who will be caring for the birds?

It's funny. When I write, I think that I'm being totally clear. I'm completely wrong. If needed, I can add more photos when I get home from work. These were taken in early June.

The four birds were purchased two days apart. The first pair are Lohmanns. They are the ones in the photo and were bought on June 8 and the ones not in the picture are Red Stars. Both breeders claimed that their birds were 19 weeks old at purchase and the only difference that I can see between the two hybrids are that the Red Stars have slightly slightly darker legs.

I think that I know they are roosting outside. I added a few new roosts in the run for the girls. The new outdoor roosts are higher than the indoor roost.

The coop is 4 feet by 4 feet and 3 feet high. It is raised three feet in the air. Laying boxes are attached to the outside of the coop. The coop has a 36 x 6 inch vent above the entry door. I will need to add ventilation on another side of the coop. I just want to be able to ensure that the wind is not directly on the birds when the weather cools. The wind generally comes from the west, which is the side that the door and vent are on. I designed the coop to expand to 4 x 8 should the need arise. I am limited by by-law to five birds, but the current four produce more eggs than we consume. My ideal number is three, but I don't want to be scurrying to replace one if we are down to two. I would like to be a little more choosy when I play the chicken math game. Production is already more than what's needed, so I would rather future birds to not be designed to burn out rather than fade away. That being said, I am attached to the four that I have. They have their own personalities and they are funny to watch. I hope that they have long lives in my backyard.

The run is 8 feet by 8 feet and six feet high. It now has has a sand floor. On all sides, the ceiling and under the sand floor, I have welded fence (https://www.lowes.ca/garden-utility...ed-wire_g2463983.html?searchTerm=welded-fence). Additionally, they have access to the 4 x 4 x 3 area under the coop. The gravity feeder is also hung from under the coop and I use rubber water bowls that are under the stairs. The stairs also have more 1 x 2s as steps. The gap between them was 10 inches, now it's 5. The grass in the run lasted two weeks. I am surprised that it lasted that long. They get their grass fix now my free-ranging in my back yard for a couple of hours on weekdays and more on weekends. The run is 64 + 16 square feet for a total of 80. I am limited to 108 square feet, the equivalent to a 9 x 12 run, so there is a small amount of room that the run can be extended.

Again with the not writing what I was thinking. I am not going away for three weeks. I expect hot weather for the next two weeks, then I will be away for a week. By only putting them in the coop after I come back, I reduce the work for my neighbour who will only have to water them, take their eggs and if she wishes, bring them to her property to free range. They are a frequent visitor to her place already and we are planning a fence "tunnel" to her her yard. I had the build the coop and run 6.5 feet from the property line due to by-laws, but she would have preferred the coop on the property line. Her house is in the background of the coop photo.

If I haven't provided enough information, I can always add more. I can have a semi-serious tone when I write, but I take advice provided seriously and appreciate the efforts that others make to help me make my birds happier and keep them healthy.