Going on vacation for a few days? Eggs?

[PirateGirl]

I thought of something else. You could get a bit of fencing or some thing like a dog exercise pen and set it up in front of the gate, on the inside, so that the chickens can't rush the gate, the person can come inside, then move the "inner fence" aside, go get eggs, and when leaving, shoo the chickens away an set the inner gate back, to exit. Is this making sense? Like a double gated area.

I was thinking this too, but hard to explain without seeing the OPs setup. Even a baby gate, something that when the main door is open a human could step over to get into the run, but that would prevent chickens from easily running out.

 

[slordaz]

We do not have anyone here that can help, just e

Our chickens are only 5 months old. When do they usually start becoming broody?

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@ Having someone check on them.
Most of the folks around here are elderly and with the chickens bolting for the door the second it opens I would be afraid they'd never get them all back in.

mine will go half broody on second day the eggs haven't been gathered on the older ones, but I had one that just started laying at 4 months old and was acting all broody with the first egg she laid, each chicken it can vary what will trigger broody

 

[rosemarythyme]

As a few others noted, not sure how your run is set up but if you need a neighbor/friend to go in due to emergency (water all got knocked over or something) they'll still need a way of entering without chickens running out.

Something as simple as this 16" tall white wire closet shelf across the run entrance does the trick for me. We use bungee cords to keep it in place:

 

[Tillie43]

Could someone enter the gate and the coop in the evening after they are on their roost? I have entered our coop in the evening to collect eggs when we have been gone all day without any problems.