# How essential is an automatic door



## inebriatedonkey (10 mo ago)

Hi all,

We have a coop linked to an enclosed run, so predators can't get in. See picture below.

My questions are:
1) Do we need to close the door to the coop at night? Or can we just leave it open so the chickens can wake up at whatever time suits them? 
2) If we need to close and open the door, what kind of time will the chickens expect it opened? We're in an urban area so don't want the chickens waking all our neighbours wanting to go out 
3) I've had an automatic door recommended - do you think I should fit it before the chickens arrive, or would it be OK to wait and see if they cope with an open door (or with my manual opening?) 

Thanks a lot!

Adam


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Nice run. What kind of wire is that? If chicken wire and you don't have any serious problems with racoons then it might be OK.

How many chickens? They operate on a time schedule just like we do. If your schedule for letting them out is 8 then they will adjust to that time for going out.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

Welcome to the forum! The chickens are mostly controlled by the light and then conditioned habit as Robin said. I have had an electric coop door for quite a few years with an electric eye on the outside of the coop which is adjustable for the amount of light to open and close. Since I haven't had any predator issues, (cross my fingers), in a couple of years, I have had it unplugged and the chickens do as they please. Only the chickens. and one rescue duck that thinks it's a chicken, use the coop. The turkeys and peafowl prefer to roost in the trees.


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## inebriatedonkey (10 mo ago)

Thanks a lot! It's an urban area with foxes around (our raccoon equivalent in the UK). But it's good chicken wire and I think will protect them - it's been used by previous owners with no problems, and looks stable to me. There will be 3 chickens in it 
Adam


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## imnukensc (Dec 5, 2020)

If your run is secure, and it looks like it is, I see no need to close the chickens in the coop at night. My coop and run is similar to yours in that the coop door opens directly into the run. The only time I have ever closed my manual door on the coop is to teach young birds that is their home and place to roost. That typically only takes a few nights before the chickens/pullets go in and out on their own. Otherwise the coop door is never closed. I do have an automatic door on the run to let the chickens out to free range daily and I can set that to open and close at sunrise and sunset or open up to 8 hours after sunrise. I currently have it set to open about 3:30 in the afternoon.


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## Lillith (10 mo ago)

Unless your run is made from hardware cloth, I would close the coop at night. Chicken wire is made to keep chickens in, not predators out, and fox can rip through it if they're determined enough and feel they have enough time under the cover of darkness. You might also want to check if they've buried wire in an apron under the run. Fox seem to more commonly dig beneath runs to access chickens than rip though the wire.

I always opened the door for them about an hour after sunrise and closed it when I noticed they had put themselves to bed, but now I have an auto-door. I don't think an auto-door is necessary, but it's certainly convenient. My chickens didn't seem to care whether the door was opened manually or by the auto door, just as long as it opened.


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