leaving coops open

[karminski]

how many of you trust that your run is fox proof and leave the coop hatch open in the very hot weather at night ,i am very tempted as i do trust the strength of my run but knowing the way my luck runs thats when i would get a fox attack and mum wont let me anyway as she says she will worry all night but i worry about them being in the coop although they have plenty of air going though .

 

[VALBURNHAM]

I would never leave my house open all night its not worth the risk. My neighbour never locked his up said the run was fox proof he lost them all but one got up to dead chickens everywhere one morning

 

[dinosaw]

I trust my run as being fox proof, but not weasel proof so I always close the pop hole, never seen a Weasel round here but not willing to take the risk. Also having a fox proof run wouldn't have helped me on the odd night I have just completely forgotten to shut the run door.

 

[karminski]

i am rebuilding the large house monday and it will have more vents added but i can control during the bad weather but i was wandering earlier how they must be feeling in this heat as i have had a few go round the past few days with thier mouths open and wings away from thier bodies so that made me wander if they get to hot at night .

 

[tygrysek75]

In my cop all front wall is opened at the moment as inside gets really hot.I will be closing it at midnight(just befoer my bed time)I trust my run foxes are regular visitors in my garden but you never know if any smaller predator find its way inside like rat.The problem is the air is very stagnant at the moment and even with pop ole open and ventylation still no air exchange inside.

 

[Wrigley62]

What about rigging up a small fan? I was looking on youtube the other day at some coops, a lady that lives in Austin, Texas had 2 small fans rigged up for those HOT Texas days and nights. She also had Eucalyptus branches over the screen for a soothing fragrence. It's a thought.

 

[Philcott]

Very reluctantly, now that the weather has become a lot warmer, I do leave my popholes open as well as the main doors of the coop. (sheds) They have a mesh door in the opening. A lot of my pens are just three sided fence panels with mesh fronts and roofs, so a determined fox could get in once he got over all the fences between the outside area and the pens.

It's a worry, but it's either that or coughing and spluttering chickens as myco is rife on this property if the birds are stressed in any way! I just pray that the keeper continues to be as good as he has been in the past! (I live on an estate that leases out shooting in season)

 

[karminski]

thats not a bad idea i could make mini mesh doors i got enough of it laying around thanks for that .

 

[Marigold]

My run is 1/2in galvanised mesh under the floor and over the roof as well as the sides, attached to 3ins square section uprights concreted in 15 ins. It has a good door with strong bolt. I don't think even small predators could get in. I almost never shut the pophole though on Green Frog houses you can half-shut it to make the opening narrower but still high enough for a hen to get through. The pophole faces in to the roofed end with covered sides so theres never a strong wind blowing in to the coop, just steady ventilation.

 

[chrismahon]

I've got the vents fully open but can't risk leaving the pop-holes open as well. Might put a block of wood under the bottom edge and hope that if a fox does try it knocks the wood away so it shuts securely; there is a very good chance of that.

 

[Wrigley62]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=QS9vImpq2lE

This is the video with the cooling fans. It's from the 2012 "Funky Chicken Coop Tour" held in Austin, Texas.

 

[karminski]

i wanted to complete wire my run top sides bottom the whole lot but it would of been to much work for the size of the run anyway if it was a lot smaller it would not be a probelm , think i will try the wire mesh idea but need some more latches etc first .

 

[Stapfam]

My coop is shaded and plenty large enough for the girls. It was also made by me so probably plenty of ventilation aswell. The run has some shade aswell and so far I have not seen any of them suffering.

The New brood of mum and 6 chicks and Noticed yesterday that the chicks are not taking cover under mum. They will rest round her but not underneath. But 7 pm and mum toddled off to bed with her family-all snuggled up underneath and the temp has dropped to 21C.

Plenty of water- no chance of running out and a Shady spot and I think that you cannot do much better for the birds at present.

 

[charliefox]

Hi all it sounds like an episode from it aint arf hot mum maybe we should hire a punkawalah to sit outside pulling a string with a palm frond on the other end to keep em cool .uncle fox

 

[chrismahon]

Mentioned 'It Aint Arf Hot Mum' and a Punkawalah to someone a few weeks ago and she had never heard of either of them! Only 30, so the 'classics' are not her strong point.

Might spray the runs tomorrow before they come out. That will drop the temperature for them a bit.