Automatic door and predators

[cynic_custodian]

Little background: I've automated my coop door and lights, to close and go off at sunset and open and go on at sunrise. I use half an hour offset, but I am in the city so little worries for predators.
Fast forward: I am a regular at a farm close to the city, between the city and the woods. The farmer has chicken on the field and would like an automatic door. Right now we lure the chicken in the night run with food and close it after them. They go into the coop whenever they want. The last flock is gone and he wants another flock this year, so we don't know the chicken yet.
For the automatic door there's two possibilities.
1. Automatically dispense food, hope they fall for it and close the run door.
2. Automatically close the coop door 15 minutes or so after sunset.

The second option is much easier, but the farmer is worried about predators. My question: Will foxes and raccoons be out so soon after sunset? It is a rather busy path the field is on, lots of people walking dogs etc.

I hope someone can shed some light on this, thanks in advance.

 

[EmmaRainboe]

@aart

 

[rosemarythyme]

I guess it depends on how bad the predator issue is in the area.

My auto door is set to close well after sunset, but opens 7:45 AM regardless of when sunrise is, and we haven't had issues with that. We do have a lot of predators in the area but they're mostly passing by later at night/early in the morning.

 

[aart]

but I am in the city so little worries for predators.

Umm....I'd not be so sure about that.

Right now we lure the chicken in the night run with food

That kind of defeats the 'automatic' part doesn't it?

I know nothing about auto doors, don't have one, don't need one, probably wouldn't trust them. I do a head count every night just after dark, even tho my birds are confined to a run.

 

[Rose Quartz]

I don't have an auto door, I also don't lure my chickens in. I provide feed inside only, I'm not sure if that's why they go in at dusk. I figure they appreciate the security.

For my area predator times have been between 9 - 11 pm rarely but it did happen, and between 2 - 4 am which seems to be the more normal time.

That being said I did hear some raccoons fighting one night just after dusk near my coop.

My birds generally go in 30 mins before sundown on their own. They want to get settled before dark. The only times I have them still be outside at sundown is when there is more than one rooster, or I have younger birds mixed in who are much lower in the pecking order.

If I were setting it up for myself, I'd set it to close 15 min past sundown. But I do have a pretty decent idea of when predators are in The area.

 

[JessieKell]

Predators may have a more “normal” time frame, but don’t bet on it. I’ve had my chickens attacked in broad daylight multiple times. I looked outside to see my flock running towards our house frantically only to find a coyote chasing them right up to our bedroom door.

 

[Mouthpear]

Little background: I've automated my coop door and lights, to close and go off at sunset and open and go on at sunrise. I use half an hour offset, but I am in the city so little worries for predators.
Fast forward: I am a regular at a farm close to the city, between the city and the woods. The farmer has chicken on the field and would like an automatic door. Right now we lure the chicken in the night run with food and close it after them. They go into the coop whenever they want. The last flock is gone and he wants another flock this year, so we don't know the chicken yet.
For the automatic door there's two possibilities.
1. Automatically dispense food, hope they fall for it and close the run door.
2. Automatically close the coop door 15 minutes or so after sunset.

The second option is much easier, but the farmer is worried about predators. My question: Will foxes and raccoons be out so soon after sunset? It is a rather busy path the field is on, lots of people walking dogs etc.

I hope someone can shed some light on this, thanks in advance.

My advice is to turn on lights outside and inside the coop before and just after sunset, then turn off. The light outside turns off at sunset the one inside turns off 30min after. Why? because chickens have poor eyesight at night. They will flock to where they can see better. So first they get drawn close by the outside light then get drawn into the coop by the inside light. They will eventually get used to the times and go in on their own.