do you HAVE to close them in at night?

[xanaxnation]

we're building the coop this week. it will be made of a wood dog house with an attached covered run. the dog house has a door opening. my Q is: at night.. when they go in the dog house for bed, do i HAVE to close them in? or can i leave the door unblocked and let them go in/out as they please? the whole thing is enclosed, so im not too worried about predators... thanks!

 

[Dilly]

Well many think they are preditor safe and in fact are not.

Can you post a pic of your coop and run area? Myself I would close them in.

Unless you have them in quarter inch hardware cloth top bottom sides. Completely you are not preditor proof.

And then if you have a human preditor you still loose.

 

[MissPrissy]

Chickens do not wander around at night. They go to roost up high and hopefully away from predators. They don't see well in the dark. They go into a trance after dark and zone out until the sun starts to rise. If you think your run is good enough to keep out furry creatures in search of a chicken dinner then that is a risk you take. You and the chickens are far better off with them locked in a safe hen house at night.

 

[Anne]

I absolutely always lock mine in the chicken house at night. I learned the hard way a long time ago, thinking that my run was pretty predator proof. Yeah, right.

If you leave the door open enough times, predators learn where the chickens are and they WILL find a way in.

 

[speckledhen]

You think its predator-proof. Many have thought theirs was, too. Predators can be smart and persistent.

 

[Julie08]

I sleep better knowing mine are closed in for the night.

 

[d.k]

* Told DH as a half-joke that we ought to consider a coop made of Habitat for Humanity steel hurricane shutter panels. Not 1OO % sure even THAT would do the trick!!!!!!

 

[seismic wonder2]

I thought mine were safe during the day so I let them free range around the house after around 0700. One got attacked by a racoon around 1030 one day. Go figure.

Daytime racoon attack?!?!? They are Never completely safe I guess.

 

[BantyHugger]

I live out in the country and i used close mine in. I stopped a few months back. The coop is close to the house so i think the predators are scared of humans. The only trouble we've had is a dog got a few ducks, but they don't go to bed on their own. Just to be safe, I'd close them up until their big. Chicks attract predators.

 

[Julie08]

on Saturday night we had a raccoon RIP the screen and enter our HOUSE!!!! So I'm not sure they are all scared of humans.