Do I have to lock my hens in at night?

[Sassafras]

Can you possibly cover the small holes on the egg door and put on a simple screw in knob?
I wouldn't trust just chicken wire for daytime, sorry.

 

[nxd10]

Thanks to all.

All the vent holes had already been covered with welded hardware cloth and the doors already secured. So I spent the afternoon trying to make the henhouse more comfortable so the girls will want to sleep there.

I added a new lower roost that I think they'll like and reinforced and secured the roof (which swings up) to get rid of the sag (in 5/8" plywood!) that was the result of a determined raccoon trying to force its way through a 1/8" crack. A week ago I replaced the thin wooden doors with plexiglass ones. I can see through them, they let in light, they slide much better, and they are tough, tough, tough.

The chicken wire had only been in the large covered pen where they spend their days. Sounds like I'll need to replace that. Gail Damerow in Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens recommends chain link (which has large holes) or welded mesh with 1" holes. Is that inadequate if they're in the henhouse at night?

 

[JoePa]

Hey ndx - here's what I would do - as far as the coon is concerned - I'd had problems with predators at one time but don't anymore - I put leghold traps around the perimater of my coop and run - when I catch a pedator I dispatch them - I got rid of a couple and am not bother anymore - to be on the safe side I leave a couple traps out on guard duty all the time - you have to build a very strong coop and run but in addition you got to get rid of the pedators around your place or they will always be a threat -

 

[ChicKat]

Quote:
Just be aware that 1" by 3" mesh is large enough for a raccoon to grab through and pull pieces of your birds out through the wire; this happens frequently. And an 8" wide skirt is probably not wide enough for much security against digging predators.

Thanks Elmo,

My chickens are in the coop at night and the raccoon couldn't reach in--- but now that you have alerted me, I think I am going to make a 'screen door' out of Hardware cloth so that they will be both in and cool -- and yet have a little more security from predators.

 

[Fritatta]

wow - You had better trap that raccoon. he wont give up.