should i lock the coop at night

[sydney13]

im getting chickens soon and i was wondering if the run has a roof and is buried deep in the soil, can i leave the coop door open so the chickens can go in the run in the morning and not have to wait for me to let them in, or is it safest to just lock them in the coop?

 

[gritsar]

The safest place for chickens at night is in a locked coop. There's not been a pen or fence made that a raccoon can't figure out.

 

[MagsC]

I would most definitely lock it. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Redhead Hen]

Lock them up! I agree .... better to be over protective than sorry. Mine get locked up every night!

 

[Lady Henevere]

I know it goes against the conventional wisdom, but I never close my coop. No losses yet (it's been almost a year since they've been out there).

 

[savingdogs]

We lock ours. Racoons live around here.

 

[flockof4]

Lock 'em up. You'll sleep better knowing that they're safe. And if they have some water and food in the coop, they'll be happy in the morning while they wait to get out.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

If your run has a roof, you've buried ground wire, and you are confident a coon can't tear it's way in then you should be OK not locking the coop itself. The whole thing IS a coop.

......Alan.

 

[LyonFuzz]

I thought mine was Fort Knox. I learned the hard way Always lock them up at nite.

 

[Soccer Mom]

Lock it. It only takes one racoon or fox to kill every bird in the coop.