Leaving coop door open at night?

[DMJ1123]

My coop/hen house is located within a secured, enclosed run. I close the door to the coop once all the chickens have retired for the night and obviously open it for them to access the enclosed run in the morning. Rinse and repeat.

I have generous neighbors who volunteer to take over this duty if I am away on vacation or gone for the weekend. However, I've had to ask this a lot lately so I am thinking about just leaving it open this upcoming weekend. Does anyone ever do this?

Let me reiterate that the coop is located in a secured enclosure. Complete with buried hardware cloth, etc. We haven't had any issues with predators thus far.

I know this can depend on a number of factors but just curious as to how many people have done this or do it on a regular basis.

 

[Folly's place]

How about photos?
If your run is really secure, it will be fine. Think about no openings anywhere larger than 1/2" diameter to keep out rats and weasels, up to sturdy enough to keep out eager 100 pound dogs! In bear country, electric fencing too.
I have a coop/ run combination that's pretty solid, and leave the 'coop' doors open. But it's a solid building.
Mary

 

[imnukensc]

My coop door stays open 24/7/365.

 

[PirateGirl]

I have a coop with a secure attached run (actually two, one for chickens and one for ducks). I don't ask my petsitters to open/close doors to lock the flock in their coops for the night. I allow them to leave the door between coop and run open. I only ask that they make sure everyone is inside if the weather is particularly bad. Now I don't even open/close the doors myself half the time. I am fairly comfortable with the security of my runs.

 

[Folly's place]

I'd likely leave the flock in their coop and run, and only ask that the neighbors keep food and water filled. And have all the eggs they want!
Mary

 

[Shadrach]

My coop/hen house is located within a secured, enclosed run. I close the door to the coop once all the chickens have retired for the night and obviously open it for them to access the enclosed run in the morning. Rinse and repeat.

I have generous neighbors who volunteer to take over this duty if I am away on vacation or gone for the weekend. However, I've had to ask this a lot lately so I am thinking about just leaving it open this upcoming weekend. Does anyone ever do this?

Let me reiterate that the coop is located in a secured enclosure. Complete with buried hardware cloth, etc. We haven't had any issues with predators thus far.

I know this can depend on a number of factors but just curious as to how many people have done this or do it on a regular basis.

Shut them in the coop at night. It seems reasonable to leave the coop door open if you believe your run is secure; but if it goes wrong it's devastating. You would be better off letting them roost in the trees. The problem is, if something does get into the run the chickens can't get out.

 

[springvalley123]

My setup before I moved, was a secure enclosed run, and roosts within that, no "coop". I had no predator losses. The fully enclosed secure run serves the purpose of security, assuming it truly is secure from night time predators. And in a hot climate, such a setup can help to prevent losing birds to heat by not trapping them in a hot coop. With helpers coming in, letting the helpers just make sure all birds are in the run and closing the run for the night might be the best fool proof option. True, you would best ask yourself how you'd feel if you did lose a bird/flock to night time predators, if your run isn't as secure as the coop within it, but if you're bringing in help, maybe the practical difference is, that the helpers will actually be able to enclose the birds in the run, vs simply leaving the run and coop wide open because it's too hard to get the birds in the coop at night.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I'd likely leave the flock in their coop and run, and only ask that the neighbors keep food and water filled. And have all the eggs they want!
Mary

X2
Especially in a "sitting" situation as you can't be sure they will be over at the time of day you want the birds shifted in/out

 

[wyoDreamer]

If you truly think the run is secure, I would give the sitters the option - there choise to close up the coop or not. If I was watching someones animals, I would want to make sure that they were as secure as possible - so I would close up the coop every night and open it up in the morning. No losses on my watch - I would just feel too guilty if something were to happen.

That said, I hardly ever close the pop door to the coop. My run is secure from dogs, coyotes and fox - but not secure from raccoons and other smaller predators. It is a risk I am willing to take with my birds. They enjoy being out at first light and I enjoy staying in bed as long as possible, lol.

 

[IamRainey]

I have a similarly predator-proof enclosure.

I only close the pop door if I want to keep the flock in the coop to clean and resupply the run or in the run so I can work in the coop.

It's worked just fine for 3 years and gives the hens the freedom to respond to their own natural impulses while I can sleep until I'm ready to get up. Win/win!