Predator Proof Enough to Leave Door Open?

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I am in Texas and it’s HOT. Not below 80 at night and heat index of 110 during the day. My coop is attached to my run which is covered top to bottom 100% in 1/4 in hardware cloth. All the windows to the coop that are outside the run are also covered in hwc. We do have fox, coon, possum, feral cats and coyote but I have never seen a coyote in my yard, which has a 6 ft wooden privacy fence. In your opinion could I leave the door open at night for extra heat relief? I also have a camera set to set off lights and sirens if it pick up motion at night.

I’m in Oklahoma and my coop is also within my run. I have windows (two on each side) and the south end is all hardware cloth. The coop is quite safe if closed up, but I did not provide anywhere near enough ventilation for our similarly hot hot summers. I spent the first few years making the ducks go into the coop and then closing the door while the birds pant. For the past two years, I decided to leave the door open in the summer, which greatly increases ventilation and allows the night owl ducks to get a drink from the run several times a night. Now I’ve added ducklings and they sleep in the run. The run does have some gaps and I’m afraid that a weasel or snake could get into there, but I feel like the heat is a bigger problem at present.

 

[GrAnnie624]

I'm in Wimberley-Hays County Central TX, see my profile to see pics of my coop and run during our build for ideas. If your run is not 110% secure, definitely don't leave the door open at night. I have several box fans running (day towards the nest boxes and in the run) and night (directed at the roosts), I also have ceiling fans and low sided rubber water tubs for them to stand in (Tractor Supply) and wet dirt areas in my run for during daylight hours. Even my 7 year old hens are still laying in the heat. Panting, but laying!

 

[WindRunner]

I am in Texas and it’s HOT. Not below 80 at night and heat index of 110 during the day. My coop is attached to my run which is covered top to bottom 100% in 1/4 in hardware cloth. All the windows to the coop that are outside the run are also covered in hwc. We do have fox, coon, possum, feral cats and coyote but I have never seen a coyote in my yard, which has a 6 ft wooden privacy fence. In your opinion could I leave the door open at night for extra heat relief? I also have a camera set to set off lights and sirens if it pick up motion at night.

I have one of those cheap fans from Walmart that I run 24/7 starting about mid-Spring and stop it sometime around November. It keeps the air circulating. I have it mounted in one of the walls that is in the shade all day. If it is mounted on a wall exposed to the weather, I would build a cover over it. I'm in east Texas and have several animals that might try to get in, so I have an automated door that shuts down 40 minutes after sunset. I also have a camera where I can watch them entering as the sun drops down. I haven't had any animals try to get to them, but I would think a coon might go through the door if there was free food inside. As for the temperature inside the coop, I replace their water twice a day to keep it cool. They drink tons of water if it is cool and fresh. The possums and armadillos I have around seem to never bother the chickens at all. Not sure why. I would think they would love a fresh chicken.

 

[WindRunner]

I'm in Wimberley-Hays County Central TX, see my profile to see pics of my coop and run during our build for ideas. If your run is not 110% secure, definitely don't leave the door open at night. I have several box fans running (day towards the nest boxes and in the run) and night (directed at the roosts), I also have ceiling fans and low sided rubber water tubs for them to stand in (Tractor Supply) and wet dirt areas in my run for during daylight hours. Even my 7 year old hens are still laying in the heat. Panting, but laying!

I let mine spend the day under the house. The dirt is nice for taking dust-baths and I think is probably cool. They free-range during the day all over my acre of land, but they don't spend much time out in the sun. I thought about a plastic pool like you have, but I wondered if they would poop so much in it that it would have to be cleaned every day or two. Not a deal-breaker, but working in the heat to change the water would get old. I'm 73 and can't take the heat like I used to do.

 

[McChooky]

I see what aart mentions. A weasel, mink, stoat, rat, snake can get through those gaps.

I've seen people frame the door with 2 x 4's on the inside to seal the gaps when the doors closed (if the door opens out)

 

[McChooky]

Heres a link to another member on BYC who used this method to close the gaps in a chain link gate(door) https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chain-link-dog-kennels-for-run.1572288/post-26902747

 

[terry4backyardchickens]

You could leave the door open, I think.
Can you cut a window in the door? One you can shutter in the winter?
A screen door wouldn't have to fit the door, may go over the opening?

How about putting the screen door on the inside? Use a normal screen door and let it sit over the arched entry door and open to the inside.

 

[Texgal57]

I feel your pain with the heat, I'm in South Central Texas and have the same temps. Can you or do you have electricity in your coop? My fan is inside the coop but is pointed out the window. It pulls the hot air out of the coop. In the beginning, I wasn't comfortable leaving the door open, but it was an oven in there, and I have 6 windows! My run is secured with hardware cloth, so I finally opened my door to the run. It really made a difference. Good luck. I'd find a way to screen that door, there's got to be something you can do.

 

[Muzical2u]

I am in Texas and it’s HOT. Not below 80 at night and heat index of 110 during the day. My coop is attached to my run which is covered top to bottom 100% in 1/4 in hardware cloth. All the windows to the coop that are outside the run are also covered in hwc. We do have fox, coon, possum, feral cats and coyote but I have never seen a coyote in my yard, which has a 6 ft wooden privacy fence. In your opinion could I leave the door open at night for extra heat relief? I also have a camera set to set off lights and sirens if it pick up motion at night.

I am in eastern NC. It is hot and humid. I have 2 coops inside a 13x10 run, but my chickens free range during the day. Should I recover my run with 1/4” hardware cloth? It came with regular green chicken wire and it looks so flimsy. I inspect the run everyday. So far nothing has got in yet, but I have a camera with siren also. We have foxes, raccoons, bobcat, bears and snakes. I know it’s just a matter of time and diligence of the predator.

 

[nuthatched]

I am in eastern NC. It is hot and humid. I have 2 coops inside a 13x10 run, but my chickens free range during the day. Should I recover my run with 1/4” hardware cloth? It came with regular green chicken wire and it looks so flimsy. I inspect the run everyday. So far nothing has got in yet, but I have a camera with siren also. We have foxes, raccoons, bobcat, bears and snakes. I know it’s just a matter of time and diligence of the predator.

Predators can get through chicken wire, if it's completely enclosed I would, it's expensive though. :/