coop door or not?

[wpchicks]

We are about to finish our first coop. We have a run and a coop built together. The run is built so nothing can get into it. What is the purpose of the coop door? Just to keep out predators or to help keep the chickens in at night? I just don't understand the full purpose. Any insights? Thanks for the help.

 

[teach1rusl]

To keep predators out. And it's nice in winter time so that cold air isn't let in at night.

 

[Judy]

Some people never close the coop door, though. Up to you, especially if your run is predator proof.

 

[patandchickens]

It is a whole lot easier, and more common, to be convinced your run is 100% predatorproof than for it to actually BE 100% (or even 98%) predatorproof.

Go browse the "Predators and Pests" section of the BYC forum if you don't believe me. Buncha threads with titles like "something ate all my chickens last night", from people who left their popdoors open because they were sure nothing could go wrong.

So it just depends how much it will bother you if that happens.

Personally I would suggest it is better to BUILD a door and then (if you insist) not USE it, than to not even build one in the first place. Enables you to make quick last-minute changes of decision

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[saltdean norm]

this thread might help.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=397664
i shut the door if i'm home...if i'm away for the night i don't.
cheers norm

 

[greenmulberry]

I do not shut my coop door routinely, because I have a secure run. However, I do have a door on the coop that I can close and do occasionally.


It's a good idea to be able to lock the coop even if you do not normally plan to do so. You never know when a tree will crash through your run, and you need to lock the girls up until it is repaired, or maybe you want to separate a chicken in the coop for the day for some reason.