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

[JustAChickenLittle&More]

Definitely Lock up! Learned the hard way. Raccoons can find their way into the tiniest darn opening you can image, so why make it even easier.

 

[herefordlovinglady]

I have two flocks -- they all free range. i lock up the ones that goes into the coop and the others hang out in the trees at night.

 

[txliss]

I have a hot weather coop (essentially 3 sided), so I do not lock the birdies in at night. However, I have a very strong run that is locked up tight and 2 very big doggies to protect it. I know someday something icky could happen, but for now this is working.

 

[DiamondOaksFarm]

I wish I had known to lock mine up at night. We inherited an old gimpy rooster and he was like one of our dogs - part of the pack. For 2 years he roosted on our doorstep each night. No matter where I tried to move him or to provide him a nicer spot, he'd come back and roost there. Last year a friend was moving and could not take her 2 pet hens, so she asked if I would take them. I was worried that they might be a draw for predators, but honestly did not realize how dormant they are when they roost and how determined a predator can be. The hens roosted in the old chicken coop that came with the farm, but were not locked up. One night something came and got all 3 of them. I agonize over how stupid I was to have not locked them all up at night - the 2 years we had old Joe the Rooster made me complacent about predators.

Now we have 2 pet roosters (a Black Cochin named Elvis, and a Wynadott named Wiley) and they are penned during the day and locked up tight at night. We still worry about predators - we seem to have many more hawks and eagles lately - but they are as safe as we can make them now....

 

[kuntrygirl]

Yup. I lock up every single night. 365 days a year.

 

[Kat'sChicks]

I can guarantee if you don't, eventually you'll wish you had. Even if you don't see evidence of potential predators they're out there waiting for an opportunity....sometimes even with what you think is your version of Fort Knox they manage to break through. I check IN the coops and do a head count every night when I lock them up and again every morning when I let them out....just because.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
Hi Prince, Whats a fox screen? Just curious

 

[perchie.girl]

perchie.girl :

Quote:
Hi Prince, Whats a fox screen? Just curious

Duh slapping my forehead..... I get it. after digging a little on the internet. LOL no pun intended.

 

[Aubrinator]

Locking them up in a chicken tractor is a life saver for me (or them) and keeps them safe from coons, cats, and dogs.

 

[Pequena Bandada]

Yes, we lock ours every night. The one night we didn't... an owl broke through the hardware cloth on the top of my run and ate three of my chickens.

Even if you decide not to lock yours, depending on your weather, you'll need a door over the opening the chickens use to enter/exit the coop. That way you won't have drafts on them while they're sleeping, which can make them sick.