Do I really need a door that closes on the coop?

[New Chickadee]

I've read a lot of people saying that they close their hens inside the coop at night and let them out into the run during the day. I was planning on having the door to the coop open all the time between the coop and the run. If we predator-proof the run, is this safe? And don't the chickens choose to go into the coop each night and stay there on their own? Thanks!!

 

[annaraven]

My coop has an always open tunnel to the run. Both the coop and the run are predator-proof. So the chickens can go in and out of the run whenever they want. I let them out of the run to freerange during the day when I'm home. But yeah - they come in and are up on the roost in their coop when it's evening, regardless. I just check to make sure nothing snuck into the run or coop during the day (unlikely given the dog keeps an eye on things too), and then lock everything up.

 

[Domestic_goddess]

Depends on how many creatures roam your property at night. In my case I'de never chance it. You could leave it open and just except some loses.

 

[Lesa]

I prefer, better safe than sorry... It does my heart good to know the chickens are as safe as they can be- when I am sleeping. JMO

 

[terrilhb]

I agree with Lesa. Mine are locked up as tight as can be humanly possible at night. It helps me sleep a little better. Things can happen and better to take the precautions than after it happens say why did I not do this. I know cause I lost 12 in Oct. It was should have and didn't and broke my heart.

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
Ditto.

 

[speckledhen]

If we predator-proof the run, is this safe?

I don't think there is a truly predator proof run, sorry. No matter what, some crafty animal that works all night to get into the chicken buffet will probably succeed. I say yep, you definitely need a door that not only closes but locks.​

 

[patandchickens]

The thing is, it is WAY easier to be positive that your run is 100% predatorproof than it is to actually HAVE the run BE 100% predatorproof.

Browse the Predators and PEsts section of this forum, and see how many of the 'something ate my chickens last night' threads are from people who left their popdoors open cuz they were SURE nothing could possibly get in.

So, it depends on how you'd feel about turning out to be wrong; because most people ARE wrong about it, although it is kind of a crapshoot when/if a predator will actually test your defenses.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[chxmom]

You never know how predator proof you aren't until a predator figures out how to get in. We went 6 weeks with what we thought was predator proof( covered pen. One night raccoon got in killed one hen., spent 2 hours in 100 degree weather skirting pen with hardware cloth and concrete block because we thought something had dug under. Next night, two more hens killed. Needless to say we locked them in after that. This year invested in automatic chicken door-- best investment ever. Of course they get your favorite hens.

 

[Katydid2011]

Quote:
X2!!