Do any of you not lock your chickens up?

[Easter eggers]

Do any of you not lock your chickens up for the night? My hens always sit on their coop roof and I can't get them down.

 

[BusyBlonde]

We don't. Our previous flock of GC's decided that they preferred being outside in their run at night, and as the run was covered, we let them do as they wished. Fast forward to our current flock, BR's, and they're the same way. We locked them in a coop when they were young, but they would rather roost on the perches outdoors. We do have a tarp (soon to be a tin roof and walls) around the perches, and they are perfectly content there. They do not use the coop for anything except laying eggs.

 

[tennesseeckn]

I have a coop with a run that is entirely predator proof. I don't close up that coop. My big one? Every single night. I lost three cockerels at dawn to foxes, so I KNOW there are predators out there just waiting for me to let my guard down.

Have you tried using a light in the coop for a couple of nights until they get the hang of it?

 

[BrattishTaz]

Most of mine are locked up. The only ones that are not are my surplus of roosters. I know I am taking a chance but decided a chance at life was better than being culled. So far I (and they) have been very fortunate.

 

[riane'smimi]

I lock my silkies up everynight no matter what. I don't want to take a chance of anything using them as a meal.
My layers also go inside at night . I guess we all do things different though. I do have one rooster that wanders around and hasn't been locked up all week. I hurt my back and decided it wasn't worth the pain trying to catch him if he was too dumb not to go in his house.He is an EE and roosts on the roof of coop.

 

[bustermommy]

When I had a secure run attached to the coop, I didn't close them up, but now that I've moved them into a bigger coop and just let them roam around the yard all day, I do.

 

[Beekissed]

I don't...they committed no crime and shall not be locked in like a common thief or murderer!

Mine don't require being locked down...they have guardian angels prowling outside their pop door 24/7.

 

[Kadjain]

I locked mine up when I first got chickens because all my neighbors told me about losing so many birds to predators. I got two ducks for free and decided to test the predators by leaving them out all night. After two weeks they were untouched so I decided to leave the coop door open. I still have not lost one bird. Some of them have decided to roost in the tree which drives me nuts but I guess if they prefer it.
They live with goats in the same yard and I wonder if the goats protect the yard from smaller predators. I've even seen a bobcat right across the street (single lane country road). Sometimes the goats will challenge the dogs so I'm thinking if a smaller predator came in the goats would run'm right out.

 

[Illia]

I don't.


My girls are all in a huge coop that has a closed door on the front, but the backdoor to their 2 acre fenced area is always open, except during rare cold nights or seriously windy nights. Otherwise they're free to wake up and go to bed when they pleased. Never had issues.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Good luck on that! We have so many predators here, even with the chickens locked up at night, predators get them during the day! We have... coyotes , foxes, bobcats, mountain lions, owls, hawks, buzzards, possums , coons, feral dogs, cats, who knows what else lurks. All of these have been seen and or killed in our immediate vicinity. Yes, I lock up my chickens, I like them alive.