Automatic Door needed?

[E Buschjost]

Ok this may seem elementary to some but here goes. If the little pop door opens into the run and the run is built well with buried hardware cloth apron, etc to predator proof - does the door need to be closed every night? If so, then I am going to get an automatic door.
Only in winter possibly?
Thanks in advance!

 

[CluckerFamily]

Most people shut the door. It depends how well you trust your set up.
I have a covered run, hardware cloth on all sides of the run (even under it) and an apron. I only close the door on the -30F weeks.

 

[DobieLover]

I don't close the pop door in this set up. It's open all the time unless I want to keep them out for some reason. Like cleaning.

 

[3KillerBs]

My in-town setup had a hardened run and I never closed the pop door except in emergencies.

When we get the new coop built it will be a open-air design with the coop and run as one. We're planning to put hot wires around it for extra security beyond just what hardware cloth provides.

 

[Sally PB]

Part of the benefit of an automatic door is that you don't have to be there to open/close it. If you want to sleep in or stay out, it's taken care of.

Part of the benefit of not having an automatic door is you don't have to wonder if it did its job, or worry that everyone is on the right side of it at night.

 

[E Buschjost]

Part of the benefit of an automatic door is that you don't have to be there to open/close it. If you want to sleep in or stay out, it's taken care of.

Part of the benefit of not having an automatic door is you don't have to wonder if it did its job, or worry that everyone is on the right side of it at night.

Yes, I can see that. What I wonder about is if I would even need to close the door every night (except in winter) if the run was secure?

 

[Sally PB]

What I wonder about is if I would even need to close the door every night (except in winter) if the run was secure?

Oops. I see I didn't answer your question, sorry.

Maybe it comes down to personal comfort level. I feel my run is very secure, but I know my coop is even more secure.

I would have a hard time sleeping, at first, if I didn't close them in. Then nothing would happen and I'd get used to them being safe enough. Then, eventually, something would happen, and I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. So for me, yeah, I *need* to close the door, every night.

 

[3KillerBs]

Yes, I can see that. What I wonder about is if I would even need to close the door every night (except in winter) if the run was secure?

If your setup is right you don't need to close it in winter because of the cold unless you're in a truly extreme climate.

You can put your general location into your profile so we can give more targeted advice.

 

[woodworm]

I have a pop door on mine. I feel as though I did everything securely with my enclosed run but until it gets tested by a fox or badger I don't think I'll be confident!

I put an automatic door on just for convenience

1. We leave early for work most days (when it's still dark).
2. We usually take several holidays (not recently!) and have someone stay at the house to look after the animals so the more automatic and convenient everything is the better.

Maybe as I get more confident about my build I might leave the door open.

 

[vantain]

I close my pop door to the run every night. Right now, in winter, it actually helps regulate temperature and humidity in my coop. When the pop door is open during the daytime, the temperature and humidity in the coop is about equal to outside. At night, when I close the door, the coop temperature rises about 14 degrees more than the outside, but humidity actually falls to lower than outside. Again, this is in winter. During the warmer months, it doesn't matter as much if the door is open or closed. I must have inadvertently done something right with my ventilation for this to be occurring.