Is your coop door closed every night?

[valentinebaby]

I keep the pop door open at night so they can get out on their own in the a.m. However, my run is extremely secure - 1/2" hardware cloth on sides, in ground and on top. So far, no problems with that. It's when I let them free-range that I've had problems. My BYC page shows my run design a tiny bit.

 

[gumpsgirl]

My chickens are locked in tight every night. I leave the windows open (they are reinforced with galvanized mesh wire) if it's hot outside. I absolutely won't chance it. As a matter of fact, I've never lost a bird to a predator (knock on wood!) and I was beginning to wonder if we had any around. Right before Christmas we had a big snow here and when I went out to check on my birds, two of my coops had raccoon foot prints all around them and one on the roof of the coop. Now I know for sure that at least one predator knows where dinner is, but has never been able to get in to eat. Thank heavens I've been diligent in locking the chickens up every night.

 

[bywaterdog]

The only time that I have ever closed the door was when I built the coop- to see if it fit.

 

[PatS]

I have a secured and covered run, so I leave the pop-door open unless it is going to be way below freezing temps. If I didn't have a secure wire roof over the run, I would close the pop-door. I have heard something (a cat? a raccoon?) on the coop's tin roof, so I know danger lurks at night around here.

 

[savingdogs]

We live with too many predators around, we have a large pen of chain link, reinforced around the bottom. However at night we faithfully close and lock the coop door as I believe predators could still be tempted to breach the fence if the birds could be seen. We have lights for them inside but only open the door during natural daylight. This has been working great so far.

 

[briteday]

Winter not too many predators. I don't worry if the door remains open on a rare occasion. We do get mice in the shed in the winter so I set lots of traps for them.

Spring, Fall, Summer...I know there are racoons in the neighborhood, we have also had skunks in the past, hawks are everywhere, and coyotes would eat the chickens in a heartbeat if they were the easiest prey of the night. Given that info, I am more diligent in the warm months about closing the pop door at night. And let's face it, I'm more likely to walk to the coop in the dark when the weather is nice rather than in the winter when it gets dark so early and it is way below freezing at pop door time.

So far, 3 years, this is working out ok.

 

[jaboo81]

coop door closed, pop door open to a secure run.

 

[JimWWhite]

Locked up tight every night for warmth right now and from the critters that are around.

 

[annie3001]

yes

 

[teach1rusl]

I feel that my coop (run) is pretty secure, but I still close the pop door nightly. I just feel like my girls are safer that way... Of course in the winter, it's also warmer, but I close it in warmer weather too...