SAFETY question? New coop and first night with chickens

[jdavidphero]

If you look at this picture you can see I have an inside and outside to my coop and I was thinking I needed to secure my girls inside. But the lady who gave me the chickens said she just "puts them to bed" by locking the pen after they free range. She leaves the door to the coop open and they can come and go as they please.

Please let me know what is best for my new birds, I would hate to lose a bird.

Thanks
david

 

[kari_dawn]

I keep my chickens in a similar fashion. I have an "open air" coop because of the heat where I live. I simply close the door at night, and they roost on the poles provided in various parts of the run. Honestly, it's really dependant on where you live and what kind of predators you have around.

From what I see, the bottom rail on your run is not all that thick, and it appears to be easy to dig under. Unless you want to fortify that (which I might do anyway), I would continue to shut them "inside" the coop.

 

[claudicles]

My whole run is secure so I don't shut the coop at night and it works fine. You may want to look at your run security as kari_dawn suggested. I would be putting a wire apron on the ground around it and anchoring it down so no one can dig under. It is easy (no digging) and works.

 

[jdavidphero]

I have harware wire that will prevent any digging issues, but I guess snakes could get my chickens. The bad thing is this is my first night and I am not sure how easily it would be to catch all my girls and put them indoors? I bet I worry about this all night???? lol

 

[wren]

If you have raccoons in the area they will kill a hen that falls asleep within reach thru that wire.

 

[jdavidphero]

well here in the city I do not have a ton of predation but just to be safe I went out there and showed them inside their coop and locked them in. that last racoon comment kept going through my head so I redressed myself and went out and chased chickens around. lol

Maybe they will learn to climb the little ramp and goto bed themselves??? I hope they learn to like it.

Thanks for your help!!!

 

[conny63malies]

Dont say that. There are tons of predators in the city. Racoons, foxes, coyotes, possums, skunks.... i used to live in a big city and there were always racoons nearby scrounging for goodies in the trash. I remember one time seeing a coon coming out the sewers right in front of a McDs, that thing was huge!!!! One time my neighbor even found a great horned owl. In freaking Youngstown OH.

well here in the city I do not have a ton of predation but just to be safe I went out there and showed them inside their coop and locked them in. that last racoon comment kept going through my head so I redressed myself and went out and chased chickens around. lol

Maybe they will learn to climb the little ramp and goto bed themselves??? I hope they learn to like it.

Thanks for your help!!!

 

[claudicles]

They should learn to take themselves to bed pretty quickly. Mine only took about 3 days of me ushering them inside as it went dark.

 

[kari_dawn]

yep, they put themselves to bed like clockwork for me. Right now, it is around 6:45pm. As the days get longer, they will start going in later and later. That's why lotsa people get automatic doors for their flocks. I still do it the old fashioned manual way, but after a day of free ranging, they stroll back inside, and I close the door for the night

 

[jdavidphero]

thanks so much for the advise. My ladies are still learning I guess? i will just keep putting them where I think they belong and I pray they willm catch on.