Coop door

[Bontrager1]

Do you have to close and lock your coop door at night, even if your run is extremely secure? Run is built with 1/2" hardware cloth on all sides, top, and 2' under saud.

 

[CluckerFamily]

I used 1/4” hardware cloth on all side of my coop and run. Even under the run with an apron also. I keep my coop door open unless the winter cold is too much, then I will close it for the night.
Most people close their doors. Some use an automatic door.

 

[DobieLover]

I never close the pop door to my coop either.

The only concern I have about your run are the gaps under the polycarbonate roofing. They sell closure strips that match the profile of the roofing. I would install them over both ends and ensure that there are no gaps on the sides either. A weasel could easily scale the walls of the coop and enter through those gaps.

Carefully assess the entire run looking for any opening wider than 1/2". If you find it, close it. Then I wouldn't hesitate to leave the door open between the coop and run.

 

[3KillerBs]

My in-town setup had a hardened run and I only closed the pop door when I had a particular reason to.

I was more likely to close it to keep them out when I was cleaning the coop with the back access door open than to close it at night.

IMO, if you can make your run secure it's an advantage to leave the pop door open so that the chickens are free to start and end their day as they see fit rather than on our schedules -- especially in the summer when the sun is up long before we're ready to be on our days off (I'm a morning person, but not necessarily June sunrise early).

 

[Bontrager1]

I never close the pop door to my coop either.

The only concern I have about your run are the gaps under the polycarbonate roofing. They sell closure strips that match the profile of the roofing. I would install them over both ends and ensure that there are no gaps on the sides either. A weasel could easily scale the walls of the coop and enter through those gaps.

Carefully assess the entire run looking for any opening wider than 1/2". If you find it, close it. Then I wouldn't hesitate to leave the door open between the coop and run.

I have the roof also covered with chicken wire and then the polycarbonate roof on top of that

 

[Handiguy]

I have an automatic door opener. Best $200+ I've overspent. Our first batch of hens (4) had a small, but secure coop that opened to their "chicken yard". I noticed that while they were protected from predators, they were covered with moquitos at night (Houston area). I can't imagine that's a good thing. I upgraded/ built the coop/run setup (large enough for 12 hens) which is both predator and (mostly) mosquito proof. Door closes at dusk, leaving hens in and bugs out.

 

[drinkoj]

It's really up to how secure you feel with your coop/run setup and the predator population/activity at your home.

We never left our coop run door open until 5 months of the structure being built, because we didn't know how predators behaved in our area. Now that we've got an idea with trail cameras and Wyze cams in the run, we are secure enough in our setup to keep the run door open 24 hours a day. Makes cold wet mornings so much better by not having to open things up and being able to tend to them when it's a little warmer.