Do you have to have a door?

[Kiki]

Hi!
My coop and run are exactly like what you are wanting to do.
I do not have to "lock" them up at night.
I made sure I built it "right" from the beginning and it is predator proof.
So to answer your question....no you do not have to have a door.

 

[K813ZRA]

I guess if your run was enclosed and it had a door then your coop would not need one. But for me that would mean that there were no openings on the run larger than 1/2 inch, as already noted. Also, were it me I would be more comfortable if there was a footer and or buried wire around the coop/run as well. However maybe that is because where I live there are a lot of predators.

My run is not what I would call predator proof in that it has 2x4 wire on it and is meant to keep the chickens in rather than predators out on the rare occasion someone is not home to let them free range. As such I have a door on my coop. If anything is going to eat my chickens I would rather it be me!

 

[Kiki]

I must add...my run is completely covered..it doesn't get wet.
(It is not open on the top)

 

[jobishop]

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.

I have a predator proof run, but I don't think you can be too safe. I have an automatic door that opens at 7am and closes, right now, at 5:30 pm. They put themselves to bed about 5 though. I don't want to chance critters digging under my enclosure, even though I have an electric fence around the bottom. Over protection is better than under protection.

 

[imnukensc]

I have a closable pop door on the coop, but it stays open 24/7. The only time I ever closed it was when I was teaching the chicks they were supposed to roost in the coop at night instead of in the attached run.

 

[TomZilla43]

I have a door on mine and never close it, but I also live in a suburban neighborhood. So your security needs are going to vary from individual to individual. And my girls go up to roost just like clockwork, which is normal for chickens once they learn their routine.

 

[RonP]

This question comes up fairly often.
They will be your birds, your responsibility.

There is little need for a door if the run is as secure as the coop, as you could alway block the exit if necessary. The birds know when to go inside for whatever reason.

That said, I do not have a fixed door to the run, it is open 24/7.

My run is probably more secure than my coop. Both will and have stood firm against several attacks. Both will easily defend against all know predators in my area.

I am that confident, so should you be if you leave the door open at night when your birds are most vulnerable. If not, close the door for added security...

Hope this helps.

 

[lazy gardener]

How many birds are you planning to have? If your budget allows you to build a fort knox type of coop AND run that includes at least 4 s.f. in coop, with adequate height, and 10 s.f. in run PER BIRD, and if the entire structure is enclosed with 1/2" welded hardware cloth covering ALL openings, AND there is a buried skirt around the entire structure, then you could for-go the door between coop and run.

But, what are you going to do when, in spite of all these efforts, you find that your run HAS been breeched? IMO, better to install the door and not use it, than find that you should have installed it but didn't. There is a gal on the Maine thread who has been battling rats for over a year now. She has installed 1/2" hdw cloth under her run and the beasties are still finding their way in.

 

[21hens-incharge]

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

I do know which neighbor. I did give a proper butt chewing.
I don't think it sinks in with these people though.
We all know that kind of great neighbors.
Code enforcement is there regularly, dogs get loose regularly, trash in yard, fence in disrepair Christmas lights that have been up since I moved in 17 years ago.

 

[SimplyLivinthatFarmLife]

I have what I think is a secure run, but for peace of mind, I have an automatic door that now closes at 6:45 pm since it's getting darker later...yay!!!! I also check my girls daily to be sure they have water and adequate feed as well as making sure nothing has slipped through the run.