Lock up the chickens?

[chick a dee]

So last night me and my DH were having a debate. We are building a Coop for our chickens. It will be wooden floors, siding etc. For our temporary housing they are in a 20 x 30 ft dog run, that's covered in heavy roof wire, shaded with bamboo and they are thrilled. It's pretator proof as far as we know it. It has additional outside sturdy wiring 1/2 way up around the whole pen. No hawk can get in, and they aren't free ranging yet. It's also inside a fenced in yard. I called/herded in the chickens the first 3 nights and last night all but 2 went in and after I went out and put them to bed I closed the door. Oh, sorry forgot to say where they sleep. It's an additional pen within the pen that is 8 x 6 with covered wooden top. ( pretators in our area~ coyote's, hawks and owls?) Coyotes won't come into yard, but a stray dog might ? Possums?
My hubby say's that I don't need to go out at dark and close the door to it, they are protected in the pen and since were in CA, the cold weather in the valley is not an issue. The chicks are 6-9 weeks old.
I. of course, am worried that they have to be penned up at night. The coop won't finished for another 2 weeks, then they will be locked up at night in thier new home. I would love any response to my concerns. Oh the chicken math, I stopped buying at 25+ ( figuring I had to eliminate the roo's, of course) So far, 6 weeks, all healthy and happy and no losses.
Thanks for your comments!

 

[mnferalkitty]

I would close the door, there are other predators like weasels and such that could get in. I lock mine up at night but I don't go out after dark I put mine to bed around 7PM

 

[Strysa]

This is my first year with chickens as well. I was actually in the same quandary as you. Not sure whether it was necessary to close the coop and there was no way any big predators could get in. Last week I actually found a garden snake in my yard which reminded me that we have big snakes like rattlers around here. That made my mind up for me. Cats, dogs and hawks might not be able to get through that fence but a snake probably could. No reason to take a chance on that.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I live in town. I don't know of any predators besides dogs and cats. But I still check to see that my flock is safely in the coop each night and then I close up the coop. I let them out of the coop each morning, and after an hour or so, I let them out into the yard to range & forage.

You know that you have predators in the area, and those predators know that you have feathered food. Take no chances, it only takes once and the flock is gone.

 

[chick a dee]

Thanks for the replies. I never thought of snakes! Yikes. Hopefully my guineas will grow fast. No rattlers around here though. I'm on the edge of town. We have coyotes, but I've never seen one close to us.
I'm thrilled that by the third night they were all going in the temporary coop on their own, makes it much easier! Coop is in progress , floor & 2 walls are up. ( I'll post pics when it's done).
I just love watching them in morning & evening. Having chickens really turned me into a morning person
Thanks again....