dumb question

[theemon]

ok, so alot of people are saying they close the chickens in the xoop for the night, they close the door from the coop to the run correct??



also, how long can u leave chickens in a coop, i dont see that info anywhere? what if its hot, can i leave chickens out/in a run all night? or if its rainging/snowing for a week are they ok in the coop that long? what if i lock um in the coop at night and dont wake up till noon(i work nights) ?


also they have 4+sq footing per bird, thats a footprint, not including height.........

 

[cary 1973]

i think it all really depends on the dangers to your chickens if you ahve coons and stuff like that you want to make them as safe as possible my girls i close off the run but let them have access to there run but i live in big city with no coons as stuff so little safe how ever big storms they get locked in.

 

[theemon]

how long can they be locked in?

 

[donrae]

It depends on your risk. I have no door to close between the run and the coop, so mine have access 24/7. Some birds chose to roost on branches, etc in the run. I'm okay with that, no rule says they have to sleep in a coop. It's a matter of risk to your birds from predators. That's the main reason for having a coop and run in the first place. Some folks will keep birds confined to a coop all the time, with the 4 ft/bird rule, but sooner or later they're on here with pecking/fighting/worms/egg eating/whatever else. If you need to lock your birds in a coop at night for their protection, figure what works for you, keeping in mind to let them out as much as possible from dawn to dusk.