Locking up at night? Do you or dont you? (Newbie needs to know)

[CopperCT]

Quote:
I have an auto door but still count heads and make sure it's closed every night. We have raccoons around so I definitely make sure the coop is sealed up every night. Their food and water are inside but in my experience once it's dark the chickens do not go exploring for midnight snacks. They will not jump off the roosts in the dark. When it will be in the single digits or below in the dead of winter, I turn on the light and give them some extra scratch in the coops for an hour or two to fill them up and keep them warmer but that's like at 5 or 6 pm not midnight. They are fast asleep on the roosts by late night for sure.

 

[gryeyes]

What everybody said: Lock 'em up!

 

[clairabean]

Absolutely locked up tight at night.

I have went out in the morning a saw coon paw prints all over the coop windows, as well as scratch marks at the door. I knwo the varmints are just waiting for me to be lazy one night.

 

[oberhaslikid]

I have 7 dogs and I still faithfully close up every night.Its habit.
My SDD has 2 chicken houses and one small dog and never shuts up at night.
Has only lost a few over about 6 years.I dont get it!

 

[terrilhb]

Mine are locked up every evening.

 

[gavinandallison]

As you can guess by the replies, and we'll add our comment too - lock them up, there would be nothing worse to come out in the morning to a dead flock of chickens.....

 

[MareeZoCool]

from Ohio! We have plenty of water in the coop, and also there is lots of scratch under their straw( we keep straw 6" deep covering the floor) We find our chickens use this as bedding, and also the straw helps provide extra warmth. They enjoy the fun of finding feed under the straw~ eliminates boredom too.

 

[Pagan Prince]

Hi Guys... Here's a view from across the pond


I only lock up my chooks in poor weather when the predators (Like rats) are real bad. (Or if another obvious threat). I sometimes even leave the gate open to an area that is not well gaurded in good weather.

I use a fox screan behind the door at need. (A board put up at 90 degrees to the door and only 12" in) We don't have possum (?), snake or anything like that. I set rat traps and expect the girls to roost up out of the way of nightime rat probs. I collect eggs regular also.

However..... I make sure that my chooks are safer than most on our allotements for the reason that foxes would go for the easier stuff first......

 

[elmo]

Locked up. But I'm so paranoid I sometimes go out before I go to bed to double check to make sure I didn't forget to lock the coop door.

 

[seminolewind]

Last year I found the neighbor's hen's head in my yard. The body was still in his pen. Lock 'em up so they don't end up as something's dinner.