Worst Feeling Ever - Waking up & Finding out you left the coop open

[MissPrissy]

Glad all is well. I did that once. Only once (so far). Looked out and saw the chickens out and realized when I closed up the barn but I forgot the pophole door. My chest fell to my stomach as I thought about the possibility of a raccoon or possum having gotten inside during the night. Lesson learned!

 

[The Chicken Lady]

I'm so glad that everyone ended up being safe! It's the worst to find one of your beloved birds dead, injured...or missing without explanation.

 

[silentrunning]

Quote:
How do you get them in their pen before sundown?

A combination of treats and a piece of plywood. I call it the worms and wood treatment. I kind of squeege them in the direction of the coop and my wife closes the door once they are in. If they are out free ranging, then forget it. If they are in their fence it's not too hard.

 

[al6517]

I have several coop and run doors 4 total, early on I left it open one time ( not good ). I solved my memory problem with some old screen door piston's I installed on both sides, so it closes automaticly and the chickens or critters cannot open it by themselfs. I have not had any problems since.

AL

 

[Pupsnpullets]

This is what I found recently when I forgot to lock the girls in:

Yep, that was my view from my coffee maker!

 

[EweSheep]

I've been there a time or two and sometimes I would forget because I thought I closed the pop door. Twice on the farm I had, coons literally tore the pop door open and wiped out 45 of my new three mo old pullets of rare variety. Boy, it really sucked losing all that many!

Glad everyone is fine and hope your little Whitey will be ok!

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

One of our problems is we have 2 doors and my older daughter can open the one that is toward the back and sometimes forgets to close it. The front door is on the timer and we rarely use / check on the back door.

Fortunately she learned her lesson well when one night I left the coop open and her favorite pet duck was killed by coons... she made the connection between door open - dead animals. That said, we worry that when she has friends over she still may forget with all the excitement.

 

[christmaschicken]

Oh man I did it only once and that is all it takes. I was so worried I could not get out there fast enough. And thank goodness they were all o.k. but they let me know they were not happy with me..