Do you have to have a door?

[gold merry]

I don't have a coop yet and am researching coops to build for five or six chickens that I also don't have yet. I was wondering, that if you built a really predator-proof run that is attached to the coop, does the coop have to have a door (for the chickens) on it? Do they have to be put in at night and let out in the morning so they won't roam the run all night, or is the door just to ensure you can keep predators out at night? I thought maybe you could do like a doggy door with strips of heavy plastic sheeting (kind of like the outside shopping cart door at Walmart) so the hens could go in and out but the weather mostly stays out. Thanks for your input.

 

[Molpet]

you could
but if you need to lock the coop off you couldn't.. such as to catch a chicken or for repairs.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The door is extra security against predators. If you really feel that your run is 100% predator proof, it's up to you if you want to use a door, but honestly I think the extra bit of peace of mind is worth it.

 

[21hens-incharge]

My recommendation is to get in a rhythm with locking them in and letting them out.

It gives a twice a day check on the birds, their food and their water.

Knowing that IF a predator got past my fencing the birds were still secure in the coop helps me sleep better.

Speaking of unwanted things in the run........
A neighbor had released feeder rats in my hood. I looked out my window as it was just getting light and saw a shape moving in my run. I thought I had locked one of my pullets in the run. NOPE it was a big fat rat trying to get in my baby coop!

 

[jthornton]

Chickens can't see at night... so no chance of them roaming about. I would have a door of some kind on the coop with the coop having no more than 1/2" openings for night security. Lot's things lurk in the dark... and they all like to eat chickens.

JT

 

[Boonie Stomper]

some predators can figure out how to use doggie doors if they are not locked shut at night.

 

[Boonie Stomper]

.......A neighbor had released feeder rats in my hood. I looked out my window as it was just getting light and saw a shape moving in my run. I thought I had locked one of my pullets in the run. NOPE it was a big fat rat trying to get in my baby coop!

Do you know which neighbor?
Perhaps they need a little lesson

 

[Beer can]

I don't have any on my coops but I worry little about predators. I like it open for two reasons, extra vent during winter, and I work odd/different hrs and sometimes ain't around to let them out.

 

[Howard E]

My daughter's coop does not have such a door. Run was breached and birds died. We did "The tighten up" the run and all has been OK since.

Neighbor's coop does not have such a door, or if they do, it is left open year round. They have not had a breach, but not for lack of varmints trying. They have had no losses lately I'm aware of.

Your mileage may vary.

 

[gold merry]

you could
but if you need to lock the coop off you couldn't.. such as to catch a chicken or for repairs.

So chickens know when to go in to go to bed? If so, you could install a door, kind of like a shutter, that you could close when you needed to, other wise, they could just go in and out as they want to?