Door from coop to run open all the time or not?

[bucky52]

I have three coops.all are surround by runs.the pop doors are never closed.As long as your runs are secure and have wire or roofed tops.I see no reason to install doors.

 

[Sonya9]

If you have chicks in the coop or even small (OEG) bantams snakes can be deadly. I have had a ratsnake kill an adult OEG Bantam hen. The snakes often follow rodents into the run for the food, and then find their way into the coop.

I close the chicken door every night, in winter to keep the cold air out and in summer to keep snakes out. Large predators are easy to keep out, but snakes can manage to find their way into small gaps, and rodents are great at digging tiny holes under the fence that let them and the serpents enter. If you see rodents expect to see snakes soon after.

 

[Kmath]

If you have chicks in the coop or even small (OEG) bantams snakes can be deadly. I have had a ratsnake kill an adult OEG Bantam hen.  The snakes often follow rodents into the run for the food, and then find their way into the coop.

I close the chicken door every night, in winter to keep the cold air out and in summer to keep snakes out.  Large predators are easy to keep out, but snakes can manage to find their way into small gaps, and rodents are great at digging tiny holes under the fence that let them and the serpents enter. If you see rodents expect to see snakes soon after.

I've never seen a snake up here before. Never thought to give them thought

 

[Gary Willson]

I lock them up every night. Two neighbors have lost their entire flocks to coyotes. I plan to "predator proof" my run, but I'll probably still lock them up at night.

 

[Sonya9]

I've never seen a snake up here before. Never thought to give them thought

Google your area to see if you have Rat Snakes, those are the most common egg eaters and chick killers. I don't know if they are prevalent in your area of Canada. Most snakes are nocturnal so you won't see them, the culprit here was a 5' long black rat snake and I had NEVER seen one before (until I caught her in the coop at 1 am, I moved her a few miles away).

Quote: http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/field_guide/reptiles/rat_snake.cfm

 

[Kmath]

Google your area to see if you have Rat Snakes, those are the most common egg eaters and chick killers. I don't know if they are prevalent in your area of Canada. Most snakes are nocturnal so you won't see them, the culprit here was a 5' long black rat snake and I had NEVER seen one before (until I caught her in the coop at 1 am, I moved her a few miles away).

We have lots of rattlesnakes here but not in the forests. They live on the sunny rocky areas