Do I need to lock chickens up at night

[Sefirothe]

I would....

 

[NanaK]

I always lock up at dark. I also pick up feeders and sit them in a metal can.

 

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

I lock up my chickens because I have no fenced in yard to let my German Shepard out to protect them

 

[Sally PB]

At night, the predators are in their element. Chickens are not. Lock them up. It's worth the time and hassle to do it every single night.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Hunger and opportunity are great motivators. Never under estimate the craftiness and ability to figure a way at prey.

 

[texsuze]

From your photo it looks as if you're using chicken wire to cover your run. Unfortunately, that won't keep out predators--too flimsy for most wild critters, and most will eventually rust. So, unless you re-cover the entire run with 1/2" hardware cloth (will be money well spent), along with attaching a HW cloth "apron" extending out from the bottom of the run, you'll need to secure your flock within the coop each night.

Also, not sure where you're located WRT weather during all seasons, but your coop looks as if it could use some added windows and vents for adequate ventilation, especially if that's where the chickens need to spend each night. Windows can be openings cut in various locations BUT please cover them over with the HW cloth. You can find some good ideas in this forum.

 

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

From your photo it looks as if you're using chicken wire to cover your run. Unfortunately, that won't keep out predators--too flimsy for most wild critters, and most will eventually rust. So, unless you re-cover the entire run with 1/2" hardware cloth (will be money well spent), along with attaching a HW cloth "apron" extending out from the bottom of the run, you'll need to secure your flock within the coop each night.

Also, not sure where you're located WRT weather during all seasons, but your coop looks as if it could use some added windows and vents for adequate ventilation, especially if that's where the chickens need to spend each night. Windows can be openings cut in various locations BUT please cover them over with the HW cloth. You can find some good ideas in this forum.

I’m in Oklahoma and it has windows that are made from some steel mesh each hole is like 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch the windows are on the front and back

this was when I had ducks and it has one on the opposite end

 

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

We got rid of the ducks because too many males

 

[Chicken poppy]

I have been locking my chickens up at night and I know there have been coyotes like 3 blocks away and possums and raccoons in town plus an armadillo in my yard but should I lock my chickens upView attachment 3576965

Let me tell you something. I had my chickens never come in contact with a predator for over a year, everyone else, even my neighbor had so many attacks. I figured that i must be doing something right, they just don’t come. So i was relaxed. I didn’t watch them outside, and would go in, even just for two minutes. Then, i got an attack. Then another. Even though i looked away for a minute. It happens. No matter how lucky you think you are, or if you just think it won’t happen to you, it unfortunately will, no matter how safe your set up is. So short answer, yes, lock them up if you don’t want missing chickens.

 

[gtaus]

I lock up my chickens every night and let them out in the morning. That gives me at least two times per day that I observed my flock for any signs of something out of the normal. I also check the food and water at the same time. I have both my feeder and waterer inside the coop, so it's really easy for me to check them when I lock up or let out the chickens. It's a system that works for me and I have not had any predator attacks or loss of birds in 4+ years.

My chicken coop is pretty much predator proof with the pop door shut. My chicken run is predator resistant. A nighttime predator could get into the run and then into the coop if I did not lock the coop up every night.