Heating my coop..

[Critter Crazed]

It doesn't work like that with other livestock, unfortunately... I do not know specifically what chickens do in a coop fire though.

If you are going to leave the popdoor open at all times, a) you are going to have a reeaaaaaalllly cold coop on winter nights, and not *still* air either despite your burlap on the door, I wouldn't do it; and b) you will be putting a dangerous amount of faith in chickenwire and in predators being too lazy to dig.

Leaving the popdoor open at night is a pretty common way to come out one morning to a pile of feathers...

I have the run predator safe. I have wire dug down under the dirt and then curled up. I have more than chicken wire on, I have that white wire around the bottom part, see it? It's stronger than it looks. I have that under the dirt curled up. It's been like that since the beginning of August I think?

I really would like to let them have free access to the run... I mean they'd have to wait for me to wake up in the morning to be able to go outside. I keep their water out in the run too.

But if you are strongly against it.... what kind of door should I use? Is there any kind of swinging door I could have?​

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Look, all I'm saying is, a large number of the people who post on Predators and Pests with titles like "Something Killed All My Chickens Last Night!" were POSITIVE that they had predatorproof runs. Many of them had been positive of it for months or years, until the dice finally rolled the wrong way for them.

In reality, "predatorproof" is very very difficult to achieve in a run -- though fairly easy to convince oneself of

But hey, it's up to you. If you don't mind the risk, and the extra cold and draftiness in winter (from wind, and from air rising out the top and coming in the bottom, which is good in summer but not in winter), sure, go ahead, see how it works for you.

But there is a *reason* that the majority of people, especially in a cold climate, lock the henhouse securely at night. It is not paranoia, it is based on experience. I'm just trying to help you avoid having those experiences yourself

Good luck, have fun,

Pat