Close up coop at night?

[ModernScientist]

I have two runs on my chicken coop. The first is really sturdy, made out of 4x4s and 2x4s and nicely painted. We dug a 2 ft wide shallow trench around the outside of this run and ran the wire mesh across the bottom of this trench and then up the walls of the run. Then we covered the mesh in the trench with soil to hide it. If predators walk up to the edge of the run and try to dig, they will find mesh under their feet. It is completely enclosed, including the roof. I feel like a bear would have a hard time getting in there. In this run I rarely close their door.

The second run consists of 100 ft of premier 1's electrified poultry netting. The nice part about this one is that we can shift the netting monthly to give the chicks fresh ground to scratch through. Here I always close the coop door at night and always keep the fence on. (The fence charger is solar btw, so it doesn't cost a penny to run) I think by having the fence on all the time, the night predators may not even realize there is a way into the coop through there.

Since I have these two runs, I can go away for a few days and just let them loose in the secure run.

 

[chickens3]

That looks sage enough for them to be in i dont think nothing will mess with them at night.

 

[crazy cat lady]

My girls are in an enclosed run and they still get locked up at night. My run has no netting over the top either, that's why I lock my girls up at night. I've lost too many girls and ducks by leavingthe coop door open at night.

 

[chickensioux]

I always lock up my girls each night. It only takes one tragedy and you will wish you had. Better safe than sorry....

 

[CityChook]

Personally, I'm just not willing to risk it. I have raccoons that are as big as my laborador in my urban back yard. I lock my pop door and the human door every night with a keyed lock. But hey, to each his own.

 

[Bizzybirdy]

I have a 5' high chain link fenced run with hardware cloth turned out at the bottom... I ALWAYS lock ALL my chickens up at night. Used to have a few free rangers that roosted in a high tree and racoons got them real quick.

Only takes one time to be wiped out and not a pretty picture to see. Racoons are incredibly smart and can figure out how to open lots of unlocked doors and gates...or grab a chicken through a small opening and pull it's head or leg or wing off. Not worth the risk!

 

[blueheaven]

Quote:
do you have photos. i am thinking about doing an 'extra' run. i would love to see yours.
thanks.

 

[highcountrychickens]

Our coop is a dog kennel conversion, so the posts are bolted to cement... we still sleep better at night closing the pop door on the henhouse - coyotes foxes and racoons probably can't get in, but weasels can...

 

[Judy]

You can make the run about as predator-proof as the coop if you wish. Hardware cloth, serious dig-under prevention with more hardware cloth or concrete or something similar, maybe electric.... lots of ideas in coop design sections and predator sections. Need to keep low holes small enough that coons cannot pull a chicken part, like a head, through, and eat it. If you have cougars or bears, it gets a lot more complicated. And many locks do not stop coons, other than a padlock. If you have weasels, and I imagine you have, a 1" diam hole is an opening for them.

Read up and decide what your acceptable risk level is. I have two flocks who are at very different levels of protection.

 

[maine chicks]

I count and lock every night.