Would you leave them locked in the coop all day?

[ChickenHawk12]

We have 8 1/2 week old BO's (5 of them). We are going out for the day and there is a good chance we won't be home until after dark.

We don't have the run built yet, so they have been let out in our fenced-in backyard all day long and locked into the coop at night. The coop is roomy for 5 chickens (4 feet by 8 feet), up 2 1/2 feet off the ground, and locked with a padlock at night for safety, but although there is ventilation, there isn't much natural light coming in (we are adding a window but haven't done that yet either). I have an artificial led light I can keep on, but I am thinking about leaving them in the coop while we are gone (their food, water, and grit is all still in there). I feel bad keeping them in there all day, but I get worried having them out in the yard when nobody is home. What would you do?

 

[kate2008]

As someone who just lost a chicken from accidentally leaving the run door open past dark ... I would leave them in the coop for the day. If there is sufficient room and ventilation, I don't think the lack of natural light will harm then for one day

 

[TalkALittle]

How hot is it going get where you are? Do you know how hot it will get in the coop? How much ventilation does your coop actually have? The fact that you don't have a lot of natural light makes me wonder if your coop is perhaps under ventilated. Many people underestimate the amount of ventilation needed to keep a coop from turning into an oven during warm weather.

 

[ChickenHawk12]

How hot is it going get where you are? Do you know how hot it will get in the coop? How much ventilation does your coop actually have? The fact that you don't have a lot of natural light makes me wonder if your coop is perhaps under ventilated. Many people underestimate the amount of ventilation needed to keep a coop from turning into an oven during warm weather.

There is ventilation under both tiers of the roof. It definitely could use more, and we will be adding more, but every time I have checked it during the day, it has been cooler in there than outside. It is on the shady side of the house (only gets morning sun), and today is cooler than it has been. There is a high of 76 forecasted today with mostly cloudy skies, and tomorrow the high is 69, so we are in a bit of a cool front. Do you think they will be ok?

 

[aart]

Should be good......I'd leave some light on but put it up high so the heat from it can escape the coop.

And protect it from being flown onto or falling...triple redundant attachment.