Do anyone's chickens have access to their predator-proof run at night?

[guesswhatchickenbutt]

When I finish building the attached chicken run for our coop, my hope is that I don't need to put the chickens away in their coop at night - that I can move them from their moveable hoop-run in the yard to their coop/run in the late afternoon. Then when it gets dark they can just mosey into their coop by themselves and go to sleep. In the morning, they can wake up and wander out to their run. This way I won't need to close a door to their coop at night or open it in the morning.

Does anyone do this?

I keep reading about people locking up their chickens in their coops at night.... but people also talk about building predator-proof attached runs.

If I dig in the wire at the bottom of the run and use hardwire cloth on all sides and ceiling, what is the reason for still closing up a coop door at night? I really want to know if I'm mising something here....

Once I get my run finished, should I still close the coop door?

 

[chickenbottom]

my chickens do they have a covered run blocked on all sides on the ground about a foot and a half up. they chose to sleep in the coop but they could sleep in the run on the roosts out there. and the answer to the predator proof run is its safe from all type of animals wanting a nice chicken leg or ten from flying to the ground the run has to be protected in order to leave the door open

 

[Dar]

I do!..
I have a predator proof run and i dont bother closing the chicken door but i free range my chickens from 3pm till when ever they decide to put them selves to bed so i still have to go out and close the "people" door that the chickens use when free ranging

 

[Katy]

It just gets too hot here in the summer for them to be shut up at night. They go in their coops at night, but the coop doors aren't shut.

 

[keeperofthehearth]

I have a predator proof small run that I leave the chicken doors open to in the summer to add extra air circulation. A few of my younger chooks sleep on a roost out there on & off. I still have to lock up the people door to that run. During the day the chooks have access to a much larger fenced in area, lightly pred-proof.
So, yes, I'd say leave the coop door open as long as the run is secure.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Mine had 24 hour access to their run and it was not predator proof but
I never had any problems.

 

[harewizard]

It just gets too hot here in the summer for them to be shut up at night

I agree! I built a predator proof run- made with "rat wire". It's thick wire netting with 1/2" holes, stapled to 2x4's for a frame, attached to the coop. It's been really warm here at night(maryland) and to shut them up in the coop would be abuse! I let the girls put themselves to bed; coop door remains open for air. In the a.m. they come out of the coop on their own. AND, I get to sleep in a little with out feeling guilty about not leting them out!

Lisa​

 

[citrusdreams]

Mine are free ranged from dawn (or whenever I get up) to dusk. But yes, when they go to their coop, I do not close the door in the summer or the winter. They have free access to the coop (open door) and the run (I have to rate it 95% predator proof).

The only problem I have ever had with the run, is a raccoon pulling up the netting. That happened once, and when I fixed it (and the raccoon was dispatched), it didn't happen again. Just make sure you're netting or whatever you're using to secure the top can't be pulled up, that it's secure with something.

 

[happyhensny]

We have 2 coop/runs. The coops have fencing over the windows (they are sheds) and the run is constructed of chain-link dog kennels that have fencing run over the entire top and the base of the fence is surrounded by appx. 1 ft of large rocks piled up. Pop door stays open. Fox, dogs and Fishers have been in our area and no casualties so far. Just remember, NOTHING is predator PROOF. If an animal is hungry enough or has a litter to feed, it will get in. Dig, chew through the floor, it is amazing what theses animals can do.

 

[sunshineinsc]

I don't lock mine in the coop at night either. They all sleep in the coop but have access to the run whenever they want to.

I'd feel bad about making them stay in the coop til I got out there. They are up before 6am and I don't manage to make it out there til after 10 some mornings.