Coop Door Necessary?

[myfinefeatheredfriends]

I have lost about 30 chickens to predators in my life. One was my favorite 7 yr old hen I kept in what I thought was a predator proof barn and I kicked myself over and over again for not realizing all the possible ways they could get in. Raccoons were the biggest predators we dealt with because they can climb and squeeze into anything. Hawks are second. Almost lost a broody hen with a clutch of babies and a Mallard duck this past summer to hawks. We had to make fully enclosed pens for them all. We also had a couple birds taken by a fox.

 

[myfinefeatheredfriends]

So yes a coop door is not only necessary, it is VITAL.

 

[FridayYet]

Unless, like me, you build a chicken Fort Knox with hardware cloth covering every inch of the run and extending underground - and you live in a mild climate.

I haven't finished the interior clean-out door or a cover for the the pop door, and probably won't.

 

[averycatherwood]

I have a coop and a run. The door on my coop I just use to prevent drafts, and for extra protection just in case. I would say invest in one because they do come in handy!

Good luck!

 

[Trifele]

We have a similar set-up. Run is totally enclosed 360 degrees in 1/2 inch hardware cloth, with 18 inch buried apron. The coop itself is about 3 feet above the ground, and the door is in the bottom of the structure, to provide a completely still pocket of air for them to roost in on cold nights. The roof of the coop is made of hardware cloth with a removable roof panel above that, so they can sleep essentially "open air" on hot nights. (There is a clear roof above that, covering both the hen house and the run.) There is also a window in the hen house with a tightly closing shutter. We open that too on hot nights to give them even more ventilation.

I too like the idea of our chickens "self regulating" and it is working great so far. We have had our flock since last July and we have yet to close the pop door.

 

[Chickens R Us]

Hardware cloth is not as safe as you think a bear could tear that off as fast as a wrapper on a candy bar.

 

[OScarlet]

Thanks everyone! I plan to build a pen and coop that use hardware cloth all the way around with a rock/boulder perimeter. Will likely build on a door, but leave it open most times. I guess time will tell, and I really appreciate the responses.

That's what we plan to do when we finish the attached run. We also have a kick *** electrical wire... it actually kicks ***. My DH, son and one of my dogs tell me so. I don't plan to find out personally.

 

[yellowchicks]

I was wondering if a coop door is necessary, we didn't build one yet. Our coop opens to a fully enclosed run, every face of the run and the below the coop, plus the floor of the entire structure, is covered with 1/2" hardware cloth. Since day one, our chickens have been going in and out of the coop all day long as they please. At 7 PM every night, they all go inside the coop like clockworks to get ready for bed. The only time I wish for a door is when cleaning the coop. I usually put a Home Depot bucket at the coop entrance to deter them from joining the chore. So far so good. Perhaps for those really cold winter nights, a door would be good to block the wind.

 

[scooter147]

You need a door. You won't regret it.

The coop and run combo in which the chickens are not locked up tight at night in a building is a tricky combination. Predators are CONSTANTLY trying to have chicken dinner.

I recommend to all newbies to spend 30 minutes on the predator side of this board and look and read.

 

[Concrete101]

A manual sliding pop door is easy to build while your coop is under construction even if you lock it open. If you find out latter that you really need one it's not so easy. So far mine has stayed open but winter may change that.