Pop door in coop

[HappyHatch'en]

There are automatic doors for chickens...around $200.00.....pricey for me...but does eliminate some hassle, providing it worked right.
HappyHatch'en

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome to the site. I'm fairly new also but I know you'll get a lot of information and opinions here.

I don't know your situation, which predators you might have, or how well you predator-proofed the run. It will have to be your judgment call. Closing the door to the coop after they go in for the night is added insurance and I'd do it when I am home.

I'm not electrifying my run and it is open on top. A raccoon could climb in, so I know I need to lock them up every night. I have not done it yet but I'm starting to think of an automatic door to the coop on a timer for the nights I don't get home until late. I get my chicks in April so I have a little time to work the details.

I'm not sure how you meant the "be stuck and never get to leave town" comment. You certaily can leave town but I'm sure you realize you have to have someone check in on pets or livestock daily when you are not able to do it yourself. Automatic feeders and waterers don't always work and may need cleaning and adjusting. The animals may become ill or injured.

We have a young college student from church who takes care of our pets when we are gone. We have not talked to her about chickens yet but we know we have to have something set up when the time comes. Part of your responsibility as an animal owner is to find a way that they are taken care of when you are away. Think about it, talk to your neighbors and friends, and I'm sure you'll come up with a good solution.

 

[heyeddah]

My 2 cents

Ma[Part of my nightly chores, and, morning fun in seeing how happy the girls are to see me and get out!

/quote]

Me too I love letting them out and closing them up when the sun has set. It signifies the close of another perfect day and the beginning of more possibilities.

 

[Ridgerunner]

4Biddies posted how to make a door opener/closer last night. Subject line is "Automatic Pop Door Opener" I don't know how to link to it or I would.

 

[Opa]

I have the automatic door opener on my coop and it works great. Once I was sure that it was operating as advertised and that my chickens were going in okay I quit checking my birds at night. One morning I found a dead frozen pullet sitting on the ramp next to the door. So now I check every night to insure that all are in. Once more I found 2 that hadn't gotten in, a bossy hen wouldn't let them. Fortunately I had checked since the night time temperature was -10.

 

[agirly4chicks]

How early is too early to let them out in the morning? I leave at 6am and will have to let them out then.

Will that be to early? Should I change my work hours to a little later?

As to not being able to go out of town. I would ask a church friend, family member, neighbor , co-worker or friend to check on them twice daily and tell them the eggs they find are theres to keep.

 

[HorseFeathers]

We have a rather predator-proof run, and we still close the pop hole door at night. Because you never know; there are too many predator horror stories.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
I would not let them out until it is definitely light. Raccoons are often *most* busy just before sunrise. The earlier you let them out (relative to sunrise, not clock time) the riskier it is, and you just have to decide what you're ok with. Around midsummer, I do have DH open the tractor 'house' popdoor when he leaves for work when it is maybe just starting to lighten (because otherwise I either have to get up real early or fret about the hens being stuck indoors), but I know that is not without risk.

Good luck, have fun, you can do it

,

Pat

 

[agirly4chicks]

Okay, before sunrise is to early. How long after sunrise would be to late?

We have crazy work schedules and I am trying to figure it all out since we are very prone to outside animals.

 

[patandchickens]

How long you feel ok about leaving them in the coop depends TOTALLY on your coop arrangements. The larger (meaning, more oversized to what people around here usually build) and more pleasant and better-ventilated your coop is, the less of an issue it is to not let them out til later. (Assuming you have feed and water in the coop - if one or both is outside, the hens prolly ought to go out as soon as daylight permits)

To give two examples - my tractor (for just 2-3 hens) has a 'house' part that is only 2.5' x 4', and has water but not food inside. I feel terrible about keeping 'em shut up in there if it's daylight out. They SURVIVE of course but they sure don't LIKE it. In contrast, my main pens have 15 sq ft per chicken indoors plus the run, and *there*, I can perfectly well leave the chickens inside all day if the weather is nasty or we're away for a week, and nobody seems to mind very much.

So it just depends on your situation. Also on your personal feelings and philosophy.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat