Do you close the Coop door every night?

[jaimepowell]

Quote:
After reading and seeing this I might change my mind....but we leave ours open every night. We have a coop and a fully enclosed dog pen/run. So far so good. My babies were born in March. Good luck!

 

[Pele]

Chickens + After Dark = Zombie Chickens

Chickens are helpless after dark and cannot defend themselves in any way, shape, or form. Leaving the door open is a good way to ensure the health and well-being of your local predators.

If you doubt this, go pick up your chickens after full dark, when they've settled down for the night. They will just limply hang in your hands and maybe cluck once or twice softly.

 

[Rooneytune]

we started leaving ours open, we are in the city with few predators (not none, but few) the run is VERY secure.

They seem happier when they can get up with the sun (wich is a tad early for me over summer vacation.)

 

[miabyrer]

we leave the coop open at night but we have them in a secure run. so far no trouble.

 

[justtoni44]

Hi,
We close it up period.
I have read so many posts about " THE ONE NIGHT IT WAS LEFT OPEN"
I just do not take the chance.
Good Luck all

 

[chickerdoodle]

Most people should close their pop door as very few folks have a super secure Fort Knox all in one henhouse and run. However, we do!

Our coop has 1/2" hardware cloth EVERYWHERE there is an opening larger than 1/2"--including under the entire run (its covered over with 6" of sand). The hardware cloth is screwed in (with washers too) every 6 inches for extra stabilty--it is very tight. We have several childproof locks on each door (I had a friend bring their 3 year old over to put them to the test).

The coop itself is all 4x4 and 2x4 construction and entirely covered with a gabled roof. Therefore I feel comfortable leaving the pop door open. The security is the same if you had a very secure hen house with large hardware cloth windows.

If you do not have this type of security then you risk losing your beloved chickens to predators. I highly recommend closing and locking (with childproof locks) the pop door just before or at dusk.

You are welcome to see my coop--just go to my BYC Page!

I should add that we do let our girls out of the coop in a tractor to forage and before dusk we do lock them back in their fortress at night and they roost in the henhouse.

 

[sadies chicks]

Based on my complete paranoia that something awful is going to happen to my babies --- we lock that sucker up!! I won't risk their lives for it. We are in Portland, OR so the temps are very accommodating to them being in their coop. They love it too, in each night at 9pm ready to be put to bed

 

[hlf1996]

I always let my flock free range during the day and then have them in their coop with the door closed all night

 

[stargirl]

I invested in a 'pullit' automatic door opener. It means the coop door is always closed at night, whether I get home or not, and I can sleep late in the mornings. Worth £120!
I heard too many 'if only I'd closed the door' stories to risk it.

 

[zekii]

We have fisher cats here, we lock our chickens away in the coop at night, and behind electric fencing !!!
Fisher cats are not afraid of anything or anyone !!!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-FisherCat.html