Hen door to run - Leave open or closed at night?

Do you leave the hen door from the coop to the pen open during the night?

  • Yes. I leave the door open 24/7.

    Votes: 4 36.4%
  • Yes. I leave the door open 24/7, but only during good weather.

    Votes: 2 18.2%
  • No. I open the door at dawn and close the door at dusk. No exceptions.

    Votes: 4 36.4%
  • ?? I have not idea what you are talking about, but I just love chickens!

    Votes: 1 9.1%

  • Total voters
    11

AshleyTX

In the Brooder
5 Years
Feb 28, 2014
13
0
24
Dallas, Texas
Hello everyone! I was hoping to get feedback from me fellow chicken owners. I am an urban farmer and was wondering about the hen door that goes from the coop to my pen. Does this have to be opened at dawn and closed at dusk everyday? Since warmer weather is coming, I thought it would be nice to leave open sometimes during the night when it gets really hot. Also, I wouldn't have to rush out in the morning and let them prance out! My primary concern is predators if I leave it open, but I'm not sure how much I should be worried about them since I live in the city.

This is what I'm working with...
I currently have 1/4" hardware cloth completely surrounding my pen run, which is 24'x32'. On the sides of the pen, it has 2x4s about every 2-3 feet to provide extra support and strength. On the top of the coop, I have poultry wire doubled up. Do you feel this is secure enough to keep predators out? What are your thoughts on leaving the door open all night? All advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks everyone!
 
I use an automatic coop door with a automatic lock for the reason of not having to get up or go out in the
cold, my run is very secure with a solid roof and I would never leave the door open at night, if you feel it's secure enough than go for it, pick up a game camera I just did and you will be surprised what's coming around at night.
 
As long as you think they are safe, why not? I leave my pop door open 24/7. Less time for them to get bored in the coop and kill each other, as well as not having to get up early to let them out.
 
I've been leaving mine open 24/7 now that winter is over, they love it, I have a secure run and roof over it. I will probably close it up at night during winter, it does get below 0 several time during winter, I would like to leave it open though but the roosting bar is over the pop door and don't think they would like it when it gets windy.
 
I leave mine open 24/7 & have lost chickens but never from the coop. At least no feather piles telling me otherwise. I DID lose a setting hen (setting on an empty nest as I have no roo's & collect the eggs) that was next to the coop in a milk crate one night. Plenty of feathers left as evidence & the crate overturned.
 
Thanks for all of the great advice! If I do leave the coop door open, I know security will be the top priority. Oh…and a game camera is a totally great idea to see what is roaming about at night first! Great idea!!

Thanks everyone!
 

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