We left the chicken run door open last night.......

[Kakaruk]

So, we accidentally left the chicken run door wide open last night! I know, it seems unusual, but we have children and between trying to feed them, get them in bed, washing up, etc. we simply forgot the girls were out until sundown. I always leave the coop door open, inside the run, which is run door is closed tightly every night.

So I woke up in the middle of the night and remembered....... and went out with a flashlight and all the girls were there safe inside the coop! Thankfully! And I closed the door to the run.

I guess since it's been so impervious for over a year (I have the roof covered in 2 inch wire) predators kind of just stopped coming around.........

 

[sourland]

My guess is that they are still coming around. My guess is that you just got lucky. Thankfully!

 

[Dovethesilkie]

One time I left my coop door open and closed it late at night but was too tired to walk out and check on the chickens( our coop door can close from the porch) and the next morning a possum was locked in with the chickens all the chickens were fine though just needed to refill the feeder

 

[3KillerBs]

It happens sometimes; we're only human. Fortunately, you got lucky.

 

[Kakaruk]

Yes, definitely got lucky!

In my experience possums really only want food. I bet they would eat the eggs if there were any in the coop or run.

In the early days of my coop, it was easier to breach, before I had all edges and fence parts secure. One morning I went out and it was a massacre! I think it was a coon. There were two dead hens, necks broken, just lying on the ground inside the run. There were feathers and some chicken parts around and drug out through the corner of the coop and down on the other side of the yard. I don't think a fox would do that, a fox would just grab one and take it away. I lost four hens in one night, terrible!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Might want to consider an auto door as an extra safety step, so even if you or your family members forget to close (or open) the door, the auto door will do it for you.

Of course even with the auto door we still check to make sure its working properly when we're at home - again, just an extra safety step to take to keep the flock safe.