House in enclosed run - who doesn't shut coop door at night

[danielle82]

I only close the pop door in bad winter storms. Other than that they are free to go from coop to run as they see fit.

 

[kichohana]

I keep my pop door open 24/7 since they moved in last May. They have a very secure enclosed run with latches on the people door. I will probably be closing it at night in the winter just to help keep them warm. Their coop has plenty of alternate ventilation.

 

[briteday]

Our run is not Fort Knox. There is 6' chain link, but it is not completely covered. I gauge the door closing by the predators at the time. I've never seen a raccoon anywhere near where we live. If I hear the coyotes howling or have seen one in my daily travels I will lock up the girls at night. Sometimes we get skunks so we'll lock the door. There isn't much we can do about hawks but our roo is one great howler if there is anything overhead.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Quote:
Yup! Mine is open 24/7. Those chickens get up waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay before I do

 

[TinyLittleFarm]

I haven't shut the door to the coop in months. The last thing I want to do while running off to work at 6am is let the chickens out! The people door to the run gets locked at night, of course, and they are snug and safe.

 

[justuschickens59]

My coops are enclosed and the door stays open all the time. I do close it during the winter months and open as weather allows during the cold.

 

[TomG]

I have an automatic pop door on a timer. I lock the door to the run at night after they have gone in. If I'm out late or gone the run door may stay open but the coop door will be closed. I keep the timer set for 1/2 hour after sunup and 1/2 hour after sundown. It has never failed me yet. I do have a backup manual door in case of power outage or failure.

 

[annaraven]

I have a Faraday cage for the chicken run, inside of which is the coop. I was wondering the same thing and am glad to see this thread. Living in California, I see no reason to close the coop for "winter" but was wondering if there was some need to do so. Glad to see I can be lazy!

 

[tammyd57]

My coop can't be closed at night, it has one whole side open. It's an open air 3-sided coop because it gets so hot here they would roast on the roost if they lived in a conventional coop.
The coop is inside a completely enclosed chain link run though and our predator load is mainly loose dogs.

 

[Beekissed]

I free range and have no run~ my pop door is open all year round, 24/7. Nothing would dare try to get past the guards at my minimal security prison...er..coop....