Closing door to roost box?

[RockNRollCHIX]

Hi there. Coop construction underway. We’re building an enclosed roost area with poop shelf, lower nest box entry, ventilation fan and windows.
The back will have doors for cleaning access . The chickens will enter from the inside with a ramp. The entire area is secure from predators. What I’m wondering is, does everyone put a closing door for the roost area? I guess it would be an added layer of protection and it would keep it warmer in the roost at night.
Second question… do chickens really go roost at dusk? So if I had a solar powered door on a timer for say an hour after sunset, what are the chances of someone getting locked out of the roost. Obviously I would go check on them most nights but there may be a night or two that I didn’t…
Thoughts??

 

[Ridgerunner]

The entire area is secure from predators. What I’m wondering is, does everyone put a closing door for the roost area? I guess it would be an added layer of protection

It is a personal choice. If the area is truly predator proof you don't have to close the door. Many people don't. But it is an obvious extra layer of protection.

and it would keep it warmer in the roost at night.

I don't try to keep them warm at night. I try to allow their down and feathers to keep them warm at night, similar to all the songbirds sleeping outside in that weather.

I saw that you are in Southern California. I don't know if you ever see freezing temperatures or not. The danger from freezing temperatures is frostbite, not them freezing to death. You need enough ventilation to remove excess moisture form their breathing, poop, and water. If you have enough ventilation frostbite is a much smaller concern. Keeping them warm is not in the equation until you get well below o degrees Fahrenheit. You do not want a cold wind hittimng them either.

Second question… do chickens really go roost at dusk? So if I had a solar powered door on a timer for say an hour after sunset, what are the chances of someone getting locked out of the roost. Obviously I would go check on them most nights but there may be a night or two that I didn’t…
Thoughts??

Yes, chickens go to roost at dusk. That does not mean they go to roost in your coop, they roost wherever they want to. If you train them to sleep in your coop they should go in there at dusk unless something frightens them and they don't want to go in there.

What could frighten them is a predator, they may lose a pecking order or dominance fight with another chicken, or something you would never consider to be frightening may upset them. You do not get guarantees with living animals. The vast majority of the time the auto doors work as intended and the chickens are inside. But life does not come with certainty when dealing with chickens or much else.

 

[ChookaPete]

Yes, chickens go to roost at dusk. That does not mean they go to roost in your coop, they roost wherever they want to. If you train them to sleep in your coop they should go in there at dusk unless something frightens them and they don't want to go in there.

What could frighten them is a predator, they may lose a pecking order or dominance fight with another chicken, or something you would never consider to be frightening may upset them. You do not get guarantees with living animals. The vast majority of the time the auto doors work as intended and the chickens are inside. But life does not come with certainty when dealing with chickens or much else.

This is why I am reluctant to use automatic doors. When I changed coops to inside my tool shed, on the second day two of my chooks felt lost. I found them roosting on one of my patio chairs!
I just picked them both up and put them through the hatch, then shined a torch ahead of them so they could see the way up to the perch.