Chooks76 Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I was wondering what the consensus was on closing the coop door at night or leaving it open. Obviously I always close the run door. I'm new to chicken keeping so am learning on the job. For the first five nights I kept the coop door closed to make sure they stayed in there and to keep them relaxed. Then for the next three nights I left it open until my Bluebell died suddenly (not that there is any evidence to connect the two). I've now gone back to closing it and I also remove the feeder and drinker. I guess the only benefit of the coop door being left open is that they can get up when they are ready and eat/drink - rather than waiting for me to wake up! On the downside I guess the coop is open to the elements (i.e. wind and cold - the tarpaulin protects the coop from rain) and if a fox did get into the run that would be that. I guess they are more susceptible to frights too? Would be keen to hear what you do and your views. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnandkymberley Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 Hi, i leave the door open on my and (if its being used) if i close it, i get a complete racket from the girls, they dont sleep or rest until i open it again, however your point about the fox is a good one, never really thought of that! i might try it again tonight to see what happens, the other reason i leave it open is generally i let the girls free range from 9am to bedtime, so when they get up in the morning they get all the food before free ranging otherwise they would be in till dinner time, which isnt bad but we are just in that routine, if i dont have the door closed there is always a hen on "duty" they take it iin turns to sit at the door - suppose keeping an eye out for any baddies!! xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrambledhead Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I always leave the door open in the summer so the girls can get up when they fancy. My run is however completely fox proof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouldercroft Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 open! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chestnutmare Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 Closed. I'm not risking it but each to their own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Tea Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I don't have an Eglu but I always close both my coops at night (my husband thinks I'm crazy ). I don't consider my garden a particular risk for foxes but you just never know and one of my pens definitely isn't fox-proof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I leave mine open all year round ... having carefully weighed up the risks in my own particular situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I don't have an Eglu but I always close both my coops at night (my husband thinks I'm crazy ). I don't consider my garden a particular risk for foxes but you just never know and one of my pens definitely isn't fox-proof. I've never seen a fox in my life, and my neighbours have never seen one in their garden in 6 years of keeping chickens, and a fox got in theirs and killed them all the other night I'd keep closing yours even thought your garden isn't at risk to foxes, you never know I just shut my run door and leave the coop door open. Means I get an extra half an hour in bed to let them into their WIR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy ben grace Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 Closed. I'm not risking it but each to their own. Me too! Never seen a fox in our garden, but you know the saying "cunning as a fox". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Tea Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 It's not just the foxes you have to beware of ... our local chicken breeder was broken in to recently - all the hens were taken from the barn along with all the drinkers and feeders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 In a minority here but always close the door even in a secure run. Couldn't sleep otherwise - foxes frightening them, rats, unknown risks . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Potts Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I have a Classic and always close the coop up. I'd feel really bad having rescued them and then not kept them safe. I haven't ever seen a fox in the garden, but we have several round about (neighbours see them strolling down the lane in the early morning) and I have found their paw prints on top of the Classic ... It depends on your set up, but I made it part of the 'watering the plants, closing the greenhouse' end of day type of routine, and then it isn't so bad. As to mornings, they are really lovely and quiet! They never wake me up and although they start rustling when they hear me walk over the patio at half seven each morning, it has never ever been loud or bokking noises. I've read some of the emails on morning noise here and consider myself really flipping fortunate! Mrs P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan08 Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 Closed- I know the go run is supposed to be fox proof but I see them regularly when out with the dog and don't see any compelling reason to leave it open. Hubby opens up about 6.15am, I shut it up when they go to bed at dusk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckmum6 Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I leave my cube open, but my Eglu closed as it has my broody and chicks in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 In a minority here but always close the door even in a secure run. Couldn't sleep otherwise - foxes frightening them, rats, unknown risks . Ditto...our garden is as foxproof as we can make it , but I've still got up to foxy foot-trods on top of my eglu. I lost two girls when they were being chicken sat by a friend of my son... I told him not to bother to close the inside door, but sadly one night he didn't latch the outer door properly either...if I'd insisted on the coop door being closed, I might still have my original girls...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chooks76 Posted May 24, 2011 Author Share Posted May 24, 2011 Hmmm I think I'll keep it closed for now and see how I get on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gongladosh Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I close it - we have local foxes so by closing it I can guarantee they're safe overnight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Open. Except during last winters cold spell when I closed it to keep them warm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnandkymberley Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Morning all! i locked my girls in last night, took a while for lily to get the picture and move out the way before a squashed her in the door! but all in all they werent too noisy, they are out now i can hear lots of squeeking lol, but from now on they will be locked in deffo, i have read stories about fox attacks and how they mutilate the chickens etc i couldnt deal with that so better safe than sorry xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 I always leave my coop door open overnight (run closed). I'd be really grumpy if I'd been awake for over two hours before someone let me out of bed for a cup of tea and breakfast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roobaloo Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Eglu Classic plus run on a concrete base or with a wire floor (secured to the run and under the Eglu)...Open Eglu Classic plus run, as sold...Closed. Sorry Omlet, but it only takes some uneven ground or a rat to start a hole...as already mentioned, they aren't 100% Fox proof, people have lost hens...and I personally couldn't take that risk. I would want it on a dig-proof surface before I left the door open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koo2cat Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 My husband insisted that we leave the cube door open to stop him having to get up so early to let them out. He did it last night for the first time - DISASTER! We were woken at 5:30 am by them all squawking and Bokking. Hubby got up to let them out of the run. They were still making a racket so thought I might shut them up by throwing them a hand full of corn. They were quiet for about 5 mins then bokking started again. I looked out of our bedroom window to discover a massive fox in the garden Well - you can imagine the racket I then made to get rid of it and thankfully it ran off pretty quickly. I put them back in the Cube run for a couple of hours until both them and I had recoverd. It was a very close shave. The girls obviously saw the fox and made the alert call and to think that my husband then let them out! PHEW! We will be keeping our Cube door firmly shut until at least 7am in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 We were woken at 5:30 am by them all squawking and Bokking. Hubby got up to let them out of the run. They were still making a racket so thought I might shut them up by throwing them a hand full of corn. They were quiet for about 5 mins then bokking started again. I looked out of our bedroom window to discover a massive fox in the garden Well - you can imagine the racket I then made to get rid of it and thankfully it ran off pretty quickly. I put them back in the Cube run for a couple of hours until both them and I had recoverd. It was a very close shave. The girls obviously saw the fox and made the alert call and to think that my husband then let them out! PHEW! Very same thing happened to me! Apart from I didn't know it was a fox at 5am so let them out thinking they were just crying to come out. Turns out it must have been a fox, and killed all my neighbours hens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jossy Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Hi. I am now keeping the cube door tight shut.. And a slab of wood lodged tight over the door wedged between the ladder and the run. We have left them out at night ... Run shut.. For the past year and never seen a fox... Then the early hours of last Friday a fox took 3 of the girls and injured one.. She and the others only survived because the neighbour heard it and shone a torch over the fence chasing it away! Never will I leave the door of the cube open again... The injured one is doing well on baytrill and and anti inflammatory. We are all still shaken and have reinforced the run and are picking up 2 White stars at the weekend and some fertilised eggs so hopefully the flock will soon be back to normal I do leave them till about 7 to let them out.. Which is a reasonable time for us and they have all been fine with that. Even the 3 warrens hollidaying with us are happy to be locked in the classic till then Xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 How did the fox get in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
