Settle an argument for me

[DaisyG2317]

I have four 5 week old chicks who have been outside full time for about a week and I have been having a "lively discussion", lol, with my husband regarding opening the coop door. We leave for work well before sunrise. Usually about 0330. I have been opening the door before we leave and usually they are all sleeping in front of the door and seem to wake up when the door is opened but I don't think they leave the coop until it gets lighter. I then go round them up close to dusk and get them put up for the night. My husband, however, seems to think I am ruining their natural clock and forcing them to get up early and thinks it would be better to just let them put themselves to bed whenever the sun goes down and leave the door between the coop and run open 24/7. I think this is an awful idea. We have so many predators around here. I would just feel safer having them up for the night! I know there is a risk before the sun rises but I don't want them vulnerable all night. I told him they are teenagers and just get crabby when put up for the night and they will eventually learn to go to bed but he seems to think otherwise.

I ordered a Pullet Shut door, but alas, it is too big for the grow out coop they are in at the moment. When their big coop is finished it will go on there.

So I guess my question here is am I "messing up their schedule" by opening the door before sunrise?

 

[Flockincrazy]

I have four 5 week old chicks who have been outside full time for about a week and I have been having a "lively discussion", lol, with my husband regarding opening the coop door. We leave for work well before sunrise. Usually about 0330. I have been opening the door before we leave and usually they are all sleeping in front of the door and seem to wake up when the door is opened but I don't think they leave the coop until it gets lighter. I then go round them up close to dusk and get them put up for the night. My husband, however, seems to think I am ruining their natural clock and forcing them to get up early and thinks it would be better to just let them put themselves to bed whenever the sun goes down and leave the door between the coop and run open 24/7. I think this is an awful idea. We have so many predators around here. I would just feel safer having them up for the night! I know there is a risk before the sun rises but I don't want them vulnerable all night. I told him they are teenagers and just get crabby when put up for the night and they will eventually learn to go to bed but he seems to think otherwise.

I ordered a Pullet Shut door, but alas, it is too big for the grow out coop they are in at the moment. When their big coop is finished it will go on there.

So I guess my question here is am I "messing up their schedule" by opening the door before sunrise?

No they go back to sleep till they are ready to get up and they take naps during the day you are just fine

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I never shut my coop door, just the run door. Been that way for 10 years and only predators besides mice and snakes that got in went in the night's we forgot the run open to free range

 

[DaisyG2317]

No they go back to sleep till they are ready to get up and they take naps during the day you are just fine

BOOM. THANK YOU! That is 1000 percent what I thought (knew, lol!) To begin with. But those dang husbands...

 

[DaisyG2317]

I never shut my coop door, just the run door

I am not confident in the TSC growout coop

 

[Weeg]

No, I think they re probably very happy to be let out early. especially if they a sitting a t the door waiting. Plus it is decently much safer to sit them in when you go t to bed. I hav lost so many flocks to predators and don't want anyone else to go through that! Good luck, Avery

 

[JacinLarkwell]

The premise coop I've had for 3 years now still seems to deter predators. I live in the middle of no where with birds of brey, coyptes, bobcats, probably foxes, ect

 

[Weeg]

TSC?

 

[DaisyG2317]

The premise coop I've had for 3 years now still seems to deter predators. I live in the middle of no where with birds of brey, coyptes, bobcats, probably foxes, ect

Same. Bobcat once chased my cat out of the woods in the middle of the afternoon! And the dumb cat wanted to go back in the woods looking for it.

 

[DaisyG2317]

TSC?

Tractor Supply Company and other assorted prefab