What time do I open the coop door?

[ForFlocksSake]

This feels like a silly question but I'll ask anyway. "After sunrise" "sunrise" "when the sun comes up" are all the answers I find when I search. It's confusing me because it can mean a lot of things. Google says official sunrise today is 6:35am (actually right now). Does this mean NOW would be a good time to let chickens out? As in after official sunrise? Or does it mean as the sun rises when it begins to be light outside? I was able to see light outside at about 6:10am. I know it's not an exact science. Just wondering how others time their chicken release.

Mine are all still in the brooder so I don't have a system I use yet.

 

[janiedoe]

A lot depends on your set up. Mine have 24/7 access to a secure run, so they aren't crowded if I'm not ready to let them out at sunrise.
I usually, let mine out about 30 to 45 minutes after sunrise and lock them in an hour or an hour and a half, before sunset.
I've read that most daytime predator attacks happen before 10 a.m. and in the hour before sunset. I have no direct proof of this. I've lost some to hawks in the past and it was mid-day.

 

[aart]

May depend on if you have a run and how secure it is, how many and what kind of predators you have around, where you feed and water, what your life schedule is like(work/kids/etc)....lots of variables. It will take time to figure what works best for you and your flock, chickeneering takes time and patience, observe and adjust.

I let mine out into the fairly secure run after the sun is well and up, between my 2nd and 3rd cup of coffee....
.....but I have feed/water/lots of space in the coop and am retired and a hermit so no other commitments.

 

[Shadrach]

It's almost impossible to do this by measured time because as the months go by the time may be the same but the levels of light are different. This hasn't been a problem for many leading a rural lifestyle, perhaps farming or used to getting up around dawn, whatever time that may be.
Possibly the easiest solution if one is not an up with the sun type of person is an automated pop door opener which one can set for different times as dawn moves relative to static time.
I installed an auto pop door opener a while ago because I am unable to be at the chickens home in the mornings but wanted to make sure they were secure at night and did get let out in the mornings. This is what I bought. There are other makes on the market.
https://www.chickenguard.co.uk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-d6L5si9_wIVmLrtCh0EPAaCEAAYASAAEgLesfD_BwE

Failing the above, an hour after sunrise might be a good starting point. Let them out too early and one takes the risk that the night predators are still hunting. Also, one wants as near to full light for the chickens as they don't see well in reduced light levels.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Failing the above, an hour after sunrise might be a good starting point. Let them out too early and one takes the risk that the night predators are still hunting.

x2. For this reason I use an auto door with a timer, rather than a light sensor. Because I live by a creek I get a lot of wildlife passing by, so I don't let the chickens out "at sunrise" when wildlife activity is higher (verified by my in-laws who'd sit and watch animals go by). My auto door is set to open at 7:45 AM year round.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

I open the door anytime from 4:00 AM to 6:00 AM, what ever time the dog has to go out.

 

[Brooks_]

I open the door anytime from 4:00 AM to 6:00 AM, what ever time the dog has to go out.

Same. My target this time of year is 6 am, but life could dictate 4 am. There's just too many variables to say when one should be opened.

 

[SueT]

I open the coop when it starts to get light enuf that I assume any predators have gone to bed. This is before sunrise here. I walk the perimeter of the run checking for danger. The chickens won’t actually leave the coop until they deem it light enough, but it’s always before sunrise.
But I’m already up an hour before that. If you don’t get up till later, let them out later. (within reason)

 

[Happy Novogens]

I'm in a warm climate (as is Florida) so that means cold isn't an issue. For this reason, I don't have a fully enclosed coop... just a fully enclosed run. The chickens roost in a somewhat open area (pallet on one side, partial planks on 2 sides) that is within their secure run.

Whenever they awake, they can hop down and be in their run. I have no need to open any coop in the morning. (Works great for me since I am not a morning person.)

 

[McChooky]

I have a predator proof coop and run so my chickens never have to wait on me to open the door. I let mine out to free range later than most because a hungry predator will continue the hunt after daylight. I lock mine up an hr before dark because most chickens are killed the hour before and after daylight and dark.