Do you leave the pop door open during daytime?

[dbounds10]

So the girls moved out to the coop last night. The run still needs a top so they will be staying inside for a few days until we get it done this weekend. My question is, can I leave the pop door open all day? I have an auto door and I dont really want to have another food/water setup in the run so if I leave the door open, they can go in/out.

Thoughts??

 

[calicokat]

Yep. I leave it open and they come and go when they want. In the summer I do set an extra waterer out in the run just so it's always close by.

 

[ninabeast]

I had the exact same question. Thanks!

 

[mdbokc]

Always open when they are out.

Ditto on fresh water in a bucket outside as well. Especially important in the hot summer as the peabrains don't think about it unless they can see it. They just get thirsty, extra thirsty.

 

[urbanfarmer101]

My coop door opens at 8:00am on the weekdays and 9:00am on the weekends (close neighbors). I usually go and close it around 9pm, depending on the weather and time of year. I also put an extra water in the run, just in case. Sometimes that pop door gets closed by the kiddos.

 

[7L Farm]

Mine opens at first light & closes at dark. I did close it off a few times last winter. It was real cold & the wind was howling .

 

[babyrnlc]

The nest boxes are inside so mine is open all day (my girls are afternoon layers). I also keep the food and water outside under the coop in the run. (In the winter it is inside)

Here is where I keep the food. It stays dry in the rain, it got a tiny bit wet when we had horrible storms with sideways rain.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Oh yes, virtually everyone leaves the popdoor open during the day. They need to be able to go back inside if they want (food, water, nestboxes, shade, shelter vs threatening hawks, etc)

Good luck, have fun,

Pat