Do I have to close the coop door at night?

[CityFolk]

My chickens are almost 6 weeks old. Do I need to close the door to the hen house at night? They wake up before I do and I don't want them to be stuck in there. The coop is in a pen with a 5ft chicken wire fence. I live in the middle of the city so I think there is less predators around.

 

[antlers]

Have to? No. But are you willing to risk loosing some? It is less about closing them in than it is closing other stuff OUT.

 

[chicktwit]

I close the door & get up 6am to let them out. Necessary yes! between skunks, possums, raccoons, coyotes, neighbor dogs, neighbor cats & more for us definitely. You don't have to but I would. Absolutely!!!

 

[Chickenmaven]

Quote:
They are FINE, locked up 'til you can let them out.

 

[CityFolk]

Okay I will do that. The only thing I worry about now is later this summer when we get super hot days I don't want it to get too hot in there. What are some ways to ventilate it?

 

[sundance]

I have windows covered with fine wire but yes I do shut mine up at night, esp since we live wayyyyyyyyyyyyy back in the woods, Name a predator and its probably in the woods somewhere. marrie

 

[lisahaschickens]

I leave mine open now (I just started) but it's OK for me because my run is 100% secure - surrounded by a concrete trench with 1/2 inch wire mesh (hardware cloth) sunken into it and covering all walls of the run and the top so nothing can dig, pry, fly, or climb in. If your run is secure, and it's warm enough, you can leave it open. Otherwise, I agree with everyone else. Of course, if your run is not secure, you run the same risks during the day, too.

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

I have to make sure everyone is off the ground at night. We have a moma fox that lives less than 100 yrds away from us with her mate and babies. They come snooping around at night and if any chicken gets left outside or is on the ground...they get it, every time. I lost my favorite hen this way not knowing my son had let her out and I didn't know.

I shut my coop door at night and put something against it. I think they will be OK until you make it out to let them out. It is sometimes 8 am before I make it out to my coop.

I have a shop fan that we hook up to a tree outside during hot weather. It blows into the coops and keeps it cooler.

 

[NYREDS]

Only close it if you still want to have chickens in the morning.

 

[jesd]

If you leave it open, you may want to consider using hardware cloth instead of chicken wire. We're thinking along the same lines, and are also in the city, so I've given this a lot of thought. My husband and I thought it too likely that rats, or even other birds, could actually get through the chicken wire. We also put up a 6' fence for the occasion to keep bigger pests (like people, for example) out.