Do I have to close the coop door at night?

[karen71]

I would close it to be safe

they will wait for you
it should not get too hot in the morning
mine wait sometime till 9 for me
maybe put hardware cloth over the windows so you can leave them open and let the air move around in the morning

 

[isaacearlg]

Closing it at night is the safest thing to do.This prevnts possums,dogs,cats,wolves,and etc from eating them

 

[CityFolk]

Okay I want to take the advice here. My next question is that they are not sleeping on the roosting poles I put in at 1 foot, 2 feet and 3 feet, but instead sleeping in the doorway and on the ramp. I went out to close it last night at 9 PM and they had already settled down and I felt like I have disturbed them. There is no window on my little coop so they could not see when I closed the door and I think they were sad or something judging by the sounds they made. I ended up opening the door back up for them. I can't see how they could get comfy for bed in the dark. Any advice?

 

[rigagirl]

don't be sad for them its for protection that you want them out of the door way, they want the air maybe you should think about putting a window in and close the door.

 

[gaduke]

Always good to be safe!

 

[CallyB57]

Yes..please close the door. A rat can easily kill your birds. I get up before my rooster, Hannibal, even crows. As a matter of fact, I have to wake him up to get a peep out of him...that's around 5:30-6:00, as soon as the sky shows a hint of light I open the hen door, check food/water, tickle each chicken's feet and talk to them, then go back inside and finish getting ready for work. If you can afford it, try to use hardware cloth for your run/pen - it is so much safer.

 

[CallyB57]

Well...my birds did not like the 2x4's to roost on - they kept losing their balance, squawking, etc., then I read that I should lay the 2x4 flat, instead of long-ways, so I did, and now they roost comfortably. I had to put them on the roost several times, until they got the idea and now they fly up to 5' to get on it, except for 2 Light Brahmas (I think they are too fat) - I had to install a 3' roosting board for them and they like it. Also, I keep their pine shavings about 2" thick and I white-washed the inside of the hen house so it would stay dry. I don't know if mosquitos would bother them - I don't think so, but just in case, I lined the hardware cloth with some aluminum screening. I put a fan on them at night when there is no rain in the forecast - not directly, but just so there is some air moving around in the hen house.
Could your birds be hot? Are they panting? Mine get hot and they pant, but they automatically go into the hen house every day right before dark and fly to their roosting boards. A couple of times when it has been in the mid-80's and very humid, they lingered outside longer. Hope this helps..I am rather new to all this myself, and probably other posters might have a better idea of what could be going on. I would try just about anything to keep them comfy & happy, short of installing an air conditioner.

 

[DiVon80]

I would shut them in at night. Here in the south in subdivisions we have possoms/coons ect. Soo living in the city doesn't make you predator free. My sister(fancy subd.) feeds the wild birds and has small hawks actually steal birds off the feeders. I have seen foxes run across a magor freeway in the middle of town. Then there are the street kitties that roam ... I would shut them in at night.. I was at a red light and watched a Swallow tailed Kite steal a baby bird out of a tree in front of a home. Being we are so close to water, we have red tailed hawks,golden eagles and bald eagles here also. Sooo I would lock them up. Oh I forgot to mention the owls.

 

[CityChook]

Just because you're in the city doesn't mean that you don't have predators. I have a raccoon living in my backyard tree that is as big as my laborador. Scary. My run is roofed and very secure. Not only do I close them up every night, but I also lock the doors. I just don't want to come out in the morning to carnage. They are relying on me to keep them safe.

If your chickens aren't sleeping on their roost, try to figure out why. Is it uncomfortable? Too high? Too dark (they don't see well in the dark)? Do they just not know how? Put them on their roost at bedtime and they'll learn. If you feel that it's too dark and it makes them sad, then give them a window. I think that all coops should have a window anyways.

 

[*GEL*]

Putting in a window was one of the things I insisted on, and by hot weather I hope to have one of them on the other side as well. DH built their roost in a tic tac toe inspired formation and I had him put a little bar across right in front of the window. That is the spot - they fight over who gets to sleep on that bar......lol. The thing is huge and has multi levels and they fight over a 2x4 that is about 2' long.

Go figure!

As to the original subject and poster, normally I shut them in unless it's unusually dusty in the coop to help with the circulation until I can get another vent installed. But I have that option as it is VERY secure. If it wasn't - NO WAY would I leave it open.