Which door to leave open? PICTURE INCLUDED

[7L Farm]

I free range everyday here on the farm. In the picture you see what door I've been leaving open everyday. I am thinking of leaving the run door open instead. Will they be smart enough to adapt to this change. I don't want to start looking for eggs they have never laid an egg any other place always in their nest boxes. My reason for the change is better security . Good idea or bad. Thanks 7L

 

[alicefelldown]

What difference in security does switching the open door provide?

 

[7L Farm]

I have been having problems with wild birds going in my coop & noticed a hole pecked in one of my eggs. I also thought that having the main door open leaves a bigger view for predators to see in. Just seems like it would be safer. The chickens would enter into the coop through the pop door which is only 12" x 22" instead of leaving a door open that's 3' x 6' maybe I'm crazy.

 

[lauriej57]

I have a pop door on the side of my coop, that opens into the free range yonder. I almost have them trained to go in and out of it. If they free range, I let them out by this door, but I keep the pop door open from the coop to the run.

My hope is that if a predator shows up during the day, while they are freeranging, they will run to the coop, go in the pop door, and then have access to the run if need be. Not a perfect solution, but if my neighbors dog gets off his chain, which he manages once or twice a year, I know he can't get in that pop door. I think of it as an escape route, won't protect them from everything, but makes it safer for them.

It's not hard to put in a little door, but chickens being chickens, it takes them awhile to figure it out. I still laugh when I let them out, and there are a couple in the run, scrambling around trying to figure out how everyone else got out.

My pop door to the wild yonder isn't on the ground, it's about halfway up, with a ramp leading to it.

Just a thought for you.

 

[wingsofglory]

Just cut a pop door by or in your big door so it is not such a big change.

 

[poseygrace]

I'd leave both door open for a few days (a week maybe) and see if they start using it. Good luck!