Coop at night

[Dragonlady1956]

I have always heard that you should lock your chickens up in their coop at night. I have a coop that I think is too small for my 6 chickens (4 months old) but it has an attached small run. this all sits inside of a 20x20 dog kennel run that has hard work cloth all the way around and dog kennel panels on the top so nothing can get in. I was wondering if anyone out there thought this was safe enough so I could leave my coop door open at night to help ventilate it better. I lock up the little run door. what are your ideas? Thanks for your advice!

 

[Jessandthechiks]

Following..I’m new and interested in the advice to be given!

 

[McChooky]

If your coop and run are predator proof and has an apron around the bottom you don't have to close the door (coop). The run can count as part of the coop provided its sheltered from wind and rain or snow and has enough roosts for them.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

It's fine for now but you should have the goal of locking in coop at night. It's still as you said and it's good that you do realize ~ the coop is to small. There seems to be several new threads regarding over-crowding. They are still young so roosting right up next to each other looks to you like it's working but you're going to run into behavior problems in the future if you don't expand. Giving them 1ft. of roost space/bird is best, 9-10inches next best. They need to be able to turn around a full size body. So even though space and predator proofing are mutually exclusive, you could solve for both by expanding your coop size.

 

[ricklearned]

At ten weeks old we are not closing the coop door because the run is predator proof. We have five pullets and a small two foot by three foot coop. Just finished the new 4 by 4 coop and letting them roam and discover the new space.

 

[StinkyAcres]

I think they're talking about the coop and run inside the dog kennel.

Ah, thanks. I didn't realize that.

 

[McChooky]

Dog kennel is 20 x 20 and predator proof.

Predators can get inside a chain link dog kennel unless they're covered in hardware cloth top to bottom.

 

[Dragonlady1956]

What did you decide?

I decided not to close the coop door but just the little coop run door. The one that's attached to the coop in the picture. They seem to be getting plenty of ventilation. they all go into the little coop at night but if I don't get up in time they still can go into the little coop run. So far it seems to be working pretty good and have had no problems. If you have a problem getting them into the coop at night close the door for a couple of weeks and that way they know where they belong. I use Grub Tera Black soldier grubs as a special treat in the coop and it encouraged them to go in there.

 

[Dragonlady1956]

If your coop and run are predator proof and has an apron around the bottom you don't have to close the door (coop). The run can count as part of the coop provided its sheltered from wind and rain or snow and has enough roosts for them.

Yes both are predator proof

 

[StinkyAcres]

Are there weasels or mink where you are? That run would not be predator proof where I live.