Do you close the door to the run everynight?

[TinyLittleFarm]

It's certainly safer to shut the door, but I don't do it.

Our run is ridiculously predator proof and it is always closed up tight at night, but the pop door frequently stays open.

 

[jenesis536]

Once they go into their coop at dusk, we shut and lock the coop door and the doors to the pen/runs. We live in the "city", too... but there are still raccoons and possums everywhere. We know people that get lucky and don't even have a coop or they just leave everything open... one guy I work with has 25 chickens... his neighbor 2 doors down has 30. He leaves everything open all the time - raccoons killed all 30 of his neighbors chickens in one night and have never bothered his. I would be really sad if my laziness caused my girls to get hurt or killed. I know sometimes it's tempting to just let them be free to do whatever they want whenever without having to wait on us, but we still go out every morning and every night to let them out and lock them up.

 

[obaan1]

Better safe than sorry. Secure everything if possible.

 

[jackson41]

My coop is a small enclosed 4x8 run with a 3x4 raised coop. I only have 4 chickens, I used 1/2 x 1" welded cage wire with a 2foot apron . I never close my pop door. I think it all depends on how secure your run is.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
You have raccoons at least (unless your particular area is unusual). So I would say absolutely yes lock them in at night, if you are attached to the idea of having the same number of chickens in the morning as you did the evening before. It is WAY easier and more common to BELIEVE that your run is absolutely predatorproof than it is to have your run actually BE absolutely predatorproof, unfortunately.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[MamaChic21]

Quote:
I agree with jackson41. I never close their coop door because the door is inside their run. I also have ducks and they like to come out into the run at all times. It does depend how secure your run is. If you ask me, make it so secure that during the day or night, no predator will be able to come in. Because whatever can go during the night, can also go during the day. Or you can get one of those automatic doors, your choice.

 

[carolinasculpture]

Our chickens are in an enclosed run with an electric fence around the whole thing. I have never closed the hen door...but so far nothing has gotten into the run. With out such protection, I would definitely close the door every night!

 

[Lbrad7]

Absolutely! I have learned my lesson the hard way.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
The problem is that it is not too difficult to convince yourself the run is 100% predatorproof when it is not.

Seriously. Go browse the Predators and Pests section of this forum, see how many of the 'something ate my chickens last night" posts are from people who left their popdoors open cuz they were absolutely positive that nothing could ever get in.

Fine to do that oneself as long as one accepts the risk, but I'm not sure about advocating it to others iwthout that disclaimer.

BTW it is not entirely true that "what can go in during the night can also go during the day", because most predators seldom or *never* hunt during daytime. Raccoons seldom do; weasels mink possums never do as far as I know. So there is quite a lot more RISK of predators trying to break in at night, as compared to daytime.

Pat

 

[Chicken.Lytle]

I only close my coop on nights that I want the chickens to survive.