With attached run, is it essential or not to shut and lock coop chicken door at night?

[Ebz5003]

I am going to be putting my flock 10 week old pullets and 1 cockerel out in their new coop and run soon for the first time. Is it absolutely essential to shut and lock chicken door to coop at night, even if the chicken door is completely enclosed by a well-made run covered completely in wire? Will an open chicken door make it more likely a predator will try to break into the run? We do have hawks around and a bear maybe too.

 

[sourland]

What kind of wire? Chicken wire is readily breached by many predators.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
If you have an actual predator proof run and coop, it's all fine (as long as there are no bears!). Pictures of your run and coop will help us here, and your approximate location.
Many of us have learned the hard way that our chickens weren't as safe as we thought they were...
Mary

 

[Ebz5003]

What kind of wire? Chicken wire is readily breached by many predators.

Is there a certain type of wire you recommend?

 

[wrathsfarm]

Is there a certain type of wire you recommend?

1/2" hardware cloth...

 

[Ebz5003]

Welcome!
If you have an actual predator proof run and coop, it's all fine (as long as there are no bears!). Pictures of your run and coop will help us here, and your approximate location.
Many of us have learned the hard way that our chickens weren't as safe as we thought they were...
Mary

The coop is almost done, but the run hasn't been built yet. We have hawks, crows, and a possible bear. In SW VA. The run will enclose the chicken ramp and go out towards the direction the ramp is going. The door/window hardware is going to be secure, I think. Any ideas?

 

[Folly's place]

Your coop is very handsome! However, unless the walls we can't see have big hardware cloth covered openings, it's not well ventilated.
And hardware cloth needs to be very well attached! Ours is stapled to wood framing with fencing staples, and then 1x4" boards are screwed in over the staples.
For bears, you will need electric fencing with a very hot charger...
We've enlarged our coop and modified it three times over decades, it's an ongoing process. It's built on an old concrete foundation, and is now starting to split in places, letting mice in. More concrete or at least more hardware cloth.
Mary

 

[NatJ]

Will an open chicken door make it more likely a predator will try to break into the run?

During the night when the chickens are sleeping inside the coop, having the chicken door open will probably not change whether a predator breaks into the run or not.

Some predators are active in the early morning. Chickens in the run might encourage a predator to try to break in. If the chickens are shut in the coop until you let them out later in the morning, that might be less attractive to predators.

But if a predator does break into the run, that open chicken door will give easy access to the coop, where a closed chicken door may keep the predator out of the coop.

If a predator never breaks into the run, then of course it is more convenient to leave the chicken door open rather than shutting and opening it each day.

 

[Ebz5003]

During the night when the chickens are sleeping inside the coop, having the chicken door open will probably not change whether a predator breaks into the run or not.

Some predators are active in the early morning. Chickens in the run might encourage a predator to try to break in. If the chickens are shut in the coop until you let them out later in the morning, that might be less attractive to predators.

But if a predator does break into the run, that open chicken door will give easy access to the coop, where a closed chicken door may keep the predator out of the coop.

If a predator never breaks into the run, then of course it is more convenient to leave the chicken door open rather than shutting and opening it each day.

Good ideas! Thank you.

 

[Ebz5003]

During the night when the chickens are sleeping inside the coop, having the chicken door open will probably not change whether a predator breaks into the run or not.

Some predators are active in the early morning. Chickens in the run might encourage a predator to try to break in. If the chickens are shut in the coop until you let them out later in the morning, that might be less attractive to predators.

But if a predator does break into the run, that open chicken door will give easy access to the coop, where a closed chicken door may keep the predator out of the coop.

If a predator never breaks into the run, then of course it is more convenient to leave the chicken door open rather than shutting and opening it each day.

Thank you!