Is coop door necessary?

[Afrodigh]

I just brought home four 12-wk old Barred rock hens. They are in a fully enclosed coop and run. I have both buried hardware cloth and a hardware cloth apron around the structure. Their coop access is inside the run.

They have been naturally getting in the coop at sunset each night. We have not yet put a door on the coop and I’m wondering if this is even necessary since they are safely contained? We had been using scrap wood to shut them in (so they’d get used to the routine) but last night I didn’t use it and they were up in their coop by dark and back out in the run by sunrise.

Do I even need to bother with a coop door?

(The attached photo was taken inside the run facing the coop entry.)

 

[Dawnclucks22]

It might be a good idea to add one in the future in case you need to confine them for some reason, but for now it looks fine.

 

[imnukensc]

I have one on my coop, but it stays open 24/7. The only time I've ever used it was when I was training the chicks to roost in the coop at night instead of the run, but it sounds like you've got that taken care of using the scrap wood.

 

[jthornton]

I thought my run was predator proof until one morning I saw an opossum eating out of the feeder. Made me feel good to know my girls were safely locked in the coop.

JT

 

[Afrodigh]

I thought my run was predator proof until one morning I saw an opossum eating out of the feeder. Made me feel good to know my girls were safely locked in the coop.

JT

Oh no!!! Do you have any idea how it got in???

 

[Kate E]

I have the same setup with my coop and run... no door. The doorway is wide open all winter long as well (Wisconsin winter, can get far below freezing) and have never had an issue with predators or the temps. You're probably fine.

 

[bruceha2000]

As JT experienced, the run MUST be Fort Knox if the coop isn't. But if you do have a FN run, I see no specific need for a door as long as air going through it doesn't blow on the birds on the roosts.

 

[blackdog043]

I have a door but don't use it much anymore. I feel pretty confident that I have fort Knox. If something gets in there, they deserve a meal. I have a trail camera that I check, to see if anything starts lurking around also.

 

[Ducksandchickens]

I would add a door. Keeps out predators and keeps them safer from the weather

 

[jthornton]

Oh no!!! Do you have any idea how it got in???

Yea there was a very small opening under one of the skids the coop is mounted on due to the sloping ground. I completely missed it. It's covered up now and I'm working on a shocking reception for critters when they try and come over, under or through the chain link fence that surrounds the chicken yard.

JT