Leave the coop door open at night???

[Mamatomany123]

We just finished enclosing the whole run with hardware cloth.used staples plus washers and screws. I will be shocked if anything gets in. We do have fox coons though.

Did you make sure to add an apron or bury some HC? A fox will dig under

 

[Jonidoodle]

My birds sleep on top of their coop instead of inside, but it is inside a large run covered with hardware cloth for the small critters and hog fence panels for the larger critters. Covered all sides and roof, 2/3 of roof covered with metal roofing, the other third with hardware cloth and hog fence. There is an apron of welded wire all around the outside to stop diggers, and im still nervous. The coop is built like fort knox with an automatic door that they wont sleep in. If and only if, you are 100% sure your run is predator proof, and your coop is inside, protected by it, you can be realativey safe leaving the coop open in case they decide to actually use the coop. And you will still worry.

Our run is part of the chicken coop. The coop itself is 30 in off the ground. The whole thing has a plywood and metal roof and hardware cloth on the entire run and under the coop. Used one in staples plus washers and screws. We have coons and fox, snakes. The coop and run are on a cement slab. What do you think? Pretty safe?

 

[Jonidoodle]

Did you make sure to add an apron or bury some HC? A fox will dig under

It’s on a cement slab.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Your setup sounds safe and secure. Like you, the sides & tops of my entire coops and runs are covered in 1/2" hardware cloth, with a 3 ft apron, plus a metal roof over the hardware cloth. Nothing (so far) has ever got in. The door is the weak point in such a set-up, so make sure your door is locked with a lock a raccoon cant open.

 

[KatieKatie]

I have eight 7 week old chicks that are outside in a coop and have been weaned from the heat lamp. I have a nightlight that's on at night and their coop is open to a chainlink and chicken wire run that is completely covered. I'm struggling with leaving the door open at night or keeping it closed. So far I go out every night before it gets dark and close it and then open once I get up and around in the morning. They come running out first thing and I'm sure they've been up and around for a good hour or two already. Do you think it would be okay to leave the door from the coop to the run open all night? We are out in the country and I'm nervous that the small amount of light might attract critters.....

Thanks!!!

Our setup is basically a little Fort Knox, hardware cloth under the house, under the run, up and around all the sides of their run, over the top of their run and their house is a commercial grade shed I got for a great price. During the day, they run all over my two acres, at night, they are in, door shut to their house and their pen gate is closed. STILL had a skunk dig into their run under a place I missed with the hardware cloth....glad I'd shut their house door. Added more 2' predator apron around the pen that day.....no further problems. The biggest problem: chicken is very good to eat and it seems everyone likes them.

 

[Jonidoodle]

Our setup is basically a little Fort Knox, hardware cloth under the house, under the run, up and around all the sides of their run, over the top of their run and their house is a commercial grade shed I got for a great price. During the day, they run all over my two acres, at night, they are in, door shut to their house and their pen gate is closed. STILL had a skunk dig into their run under a place I missed with the hardware cloth....glad I'd shut their house door. Added more 2' predator apron around the pen that day.....no further problems. The biggest problem: chicken is very good to eat and it seems everyone likes them.

Ours is Fort Knox to and I leave the coop door open

 

[Jonidoodle]

Ours is Fort Knox to and I leave the coop door open

It’s on concrete so they can’t dig

 

[Jonidoodle]

So far we have left the coop door open so that the chicks ( 12 weeks old can come out to eat and drink in the morning. So far nothing has gotten in however we were extra careful to totally enclose the run and coop in 1/2 in hardware cloth. And one inch washers and screws. the coop is on a concrete slab and we ran the hardware cloth over the bottom 2x4s as well. Also windows are covered to.

 

[DYEJOB]

I have eight 7 week old chicks that are outside in a coop and have been weaned from the heat lamp. I have a nightlight that's on at night and their coop is open to a chainlink and chicken wire run that is completely covered. I'm struggling with leaving the door open at night or keeping it closed. So far I go out every night before it gets dark and close it and then open once I get up and around in the morning. They come running out first thing and I'm sure they've been up and around for a good hour or two already. Do you think it would be okay to leave the door from the coop to the run open all night? We are out in the country and I'm nervous that the small amount of light might attract critters.....

Thanks!!!

I know I'm late to this post, but it's always a relevant part of raising backyard chickens, so CLOSE THE DOOR! They will be fine, all night, in the closed coop, and then some. But they cannot defend themselves from predators intent on making them a meal. So if you aren't 100% sure nothing can get in then It's simple, shut them in. I'd rather be safe, than sorry.
The light isn't what attracts these predators, it's your girls natural scent. They are prey animals, and thus on all menus, and their odor is going to attract all sorts of wildlife in your area.
I hope this helps anyone new to the Backyard Chicken family ❤

 

[MetroMutt]

Would for sure say keep it closed at night, I live in a area where the only predators are birds of prey and like one fox that passes by in the am but its always better safe then sorry!