Does anyone keep their chickens outdoors in a predator proofed run at night with an open air coop that's not locked?

[Florida Bullfrog]

Traditional coops in subtropical Florida were just lean-to style sheds that had an open face towards the south, a northern wall that went down to the ground, and east/west walls with about a foot of clearance between the wall and the ground. No floors, several roosting bars. Is this what is being contemplated?

 

[Vadard]

Traditional coops in subtropical Florida were just lean-to style sheds that had an open face towards the south, a northern wall that went down to the ground, and east/west walls with about a foot of clearance between the wall and the ground. No floors, several roosting bars. Is this what is being contemplated?

Yes, more/less. This built inside of a 16x24 run with 6' fence and either bird netting or fencing on top. Too many hawks and owls here to leave it open to the sky.

I'm thinking solid walls (1x pine boards on top of the fence) north and west and open (just fence) south and east. Roosting bars with a galvalume roof over the roosting area.

 

[alwaystj9]

The netting problem I had was from attaching it to a barn -- possums went through the barn and under the netting. I had accidently created a possum tunnel...
The netting I used is this:
from Pinonhatch farms.

 

[Vadard]

The netting problem I had was from attaching it to a barn -- possums went through the barn and under the netting. I had accidently created a possum tunnel...
The netting I used is this:
from Pinonhatch farms.
View attachment 3425794

Thanks for the net info & photo and LOL at the possum tunnel.

 

[Denisea3465]

Our coop is fully enclosed but we built a chicken run attached to the coop with three sides that are just 10cm wire mesh.

We live in Sweden (it was -23 this morning) and our girls ALWAYS choose to stay on the roosting bars in the run and not in the coop. They have done that for years now. I have no idea why, since the coop is wind proof and dry. They go inside the coop to the nesting boxes but go right back out again.

The run also has a pop door to our main property which I used to leave open 24/7 so they could come and go as they please to free range the yard, but stopped last summer when I lost all but three when a fox went in the run.

 

[Leslieaustrolorp88]

Is this something that's even possible? If so, what kind of success or failures have you had with this time of setup?

I have a coop that i have attached a run to. put deer netting over the top of the run area. I leave coop open 24/7 chickens go in at night. I have a very large Australorp rooster with 6 large hens. The only thing I have sometimes is hawks and owls but the netting keeps them out. Rooster takes good care of the rest. Have never had anything get into them.

 

[saysfaa]

...We live in Sweden (it was -23 this morning) and our girls ALWAYS choose to stay on the roosting bars in the run and not in the coop. They have done that for years now. I have no idea why, since the coop is wind proof and dry. They go inside the coop to the nesting boxes but go right back out again....

Thank you for sharing. I've been looking for what people share about their chickens choices when it is cold and they have choices.

Likely they are comfortable out there even at those temperatures. There is research that found individual birds (and mammals) adapt to cold by things like changing the way heat is generated in muscles, and more fat that is brown-type in mammals or tan-type in birds. Besides generational changes like a body size and shape.

about the fox.

 

[Vadard]

Our coop is fully enclosed but we built a chicken run attached to the coop with three sides that are just 10cm wire mesh.

We live in Sweden (it was -23 this morning) and our girls ALWAYS choose to stay on the roosting bars in the run and not in the coop. They have done that for years now. I have no idea why, since the coop is wind proof and dry. They go inside the coop to the nesting boxes but go right back out again.

The run also has a pop door to our main property which I used to leave open 24/7 so they could come and go as they please to free range the yard, but stopped last summer when I lost all but three when a fox went in the run.

Now that is interesting. Cold weather was my main concern, but it gets nowhere near that cold here in the southern US. Our coldest temp is usually around 20F/-7C, and that only happens a few times a year.

I have the distinct impression that chickens are much more cold hardy than most of us realize, as long as you manage wind and moisture.

Sorry to hear about the fox.

Thanks for sharing your experience.