Coop door open at night on secure run?

[mclanea]

We have a secure run and leave our coop door open all summer. We close them up when it gets "cold" here in San Diego.... meaning below about 55.

 

[User395221]

when it gets "cold" here in San Diego.... meaning below about 55.

California's climate is about the same as ours. I decided I wasn't going to worry about my chooks being cold when they showed me that they were perfectly happy to come out and maraud about when (to me) it was chilly and it was also raining. Objectively, it isn't "cold" here, even people could survive outdoors all year round without freezing. If they don't feel the need to head for shelter which is available, I'm not going to make them. I worry more about the heat, but they even seem to cope pretty well with that (better than I do)

 

[dfalco]

My run is as secure as my coop. My coop has always been open to my run, which has enough square feet they could, in theory, live in it and never free range. A bear could get to them. Not much else. But then I also have a protector dog, as a second layer of security, and for when they are free ranging. The only predator losses (2) have been when they were outside the pen. I think it does depend on your pen, and the types of predators you are worried about.

 

[User395221]

I think it does depend on your pen, and the types of predators you are worried about.

You also need to weigh up how you feel about the risks. We don't have any bears or foxes or wild animals around here. It is possible for some marauding cat to climb over the fence and maybe catch somebody, or one of my dogs to hurt one of the girls. I prefer to let the girls have their freedom and maraud around. They love scratching in the garden and finding bugs. I'd rather they have that freedom to be chooks than worry about the (IMO unlikely) possibilities. If I lived in a bear neighbourhood, that assessment could/would be different. If anybody did get eaten, at least they've had a really good time before they did. We all have to decide what to do in our particular circumstances.