should i leave the coop open or not??

[Joecola123]

hi i have a great coop with predator proof screens at the bottom of the run when my chickens are full size should i leave the door from the main coop to the run with the ladder open.
I have cochins and barred rocks and i would think that when fully grown the would be to big for a racoon to eat through the run because there is no way anything is getting past those predator screens unless it has no bones. there are only minor cracks in the run. We also have a rooster in the mix and I would think he would protect the flock if anything came along.

Any addvice thanks.

to see the coop that I have go to

www.greenchickencoop.com

I have the (Alexandria) coop

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

IF the run is truly "predator proof" then theres no need to shut them inside the coop

 

[Joecola123]

it looks pretty good to me I deffinatly wouldnt do it now because they are only about 13 weeks old

 

[CityChook]

Only leave your coop open if the prospect of coming out in the morning to dead chickens won't freak you out. Not say'n that this will happen, but those who leave the door are taking a risk.

 

[patandchickens]

I can't tell from the photos, what is there in the way of arrangements to prevent a predator from going *under* the pen wall? If there is a solid hardwarecloth floor (or solid 1x1" mesh floor if you have few or no weasels or rats - but few people *know* whether they have weasels around, til losing chickens) then while that may not be a great arrangement for the chickens, it will pretty well prevent digging under. A *wide* apron or *deeply buried* run fence would be almost as good. Anything else, I'd for SURE lock the chickens in at night, lots of things will dig under the pen wall.

Even if the pen is digproof, I'd run 1/4" hardwarecloth around the bottom 2-3' of the pen because otherwise chickens can decide to sleep al fresco in the run, too close to the wire, and be ripped apart by raccoons reaching through the 1x1 wire (yes, they really do that).

Good luck, have fun,

Pat