Can Chickens Stay In Their Coop All Day?

However, there may be times when you need to keep your chickens inside the coop all day, such as when the weather is terrible, you are away for a night or two, or you forget to let them out. Don’t worry, though, as long as your chickens have everything they need inside the coop, they will be fine.

Can Chickens Stay In A Coop All Day? Chickens can stay in their coop all day as long as they have everything they need for the day, including fresh water, food and sunlight. In fact, chickens stay up to three to four days in their coop, provided they have enough of the essentials for that duration of time. Now, you should not do this all the time, but there are some situations that may lead you to need to do it.

In this article, we will take a closer look at why you might need to leave your chickens in the coop all day, what happens if they are left in too long and how to prep the coop if you are going away properly.

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Table Of Contents

• Why Leave Chickens In The Coop All Day
• What Happens If Chickens Are Left Too Long In The Coop
• How To Prepare The Coop When Going Away
• Should You Close Up The Coop Every Night?

Why Leave Chickens In The Coop All Day

Living on the East Coast of Canada, the weather can be all over the place, and our winters are usually quite cold. That being said, whenever you live in the world, there are a few reasons why you may want to leave your chickens in the coop all day.

• Extreme Cold
• Hurricanes
• Heavy snowfall
• Rainstorms
• Predators around the coop

If the weather forecast has a weather warning, take it as a sign to keep your chickens in the coop for the day. Use your own degression and watch your chicken’s behaviour to see if the weather is too much for even them to be outside.

Predators are inevitable when you have chickens. Whether you see them or not, they see your chickens are waiting for the perfect opportunity to attack. We’ve had friends choose to keep their hens inside all day when their field was full of eagles, and most recently, a bobcat has been spotted in our neighbour’s yard, so we may keep our hens in for an extra day to make sure it’s moved past and is not watching our coop/the timing of when we let them out and when they return.

If you are going on vacation, some folks say it is okay to leave your chickens unattended for 3 to 4 days as long as they have enough food and water. While this is true for the most part, you may still want someone to stop in for daily egg collection and check in on them to ensure their food and water are still full and intact.

What Happens If Chickens Are Left Too Long In The Coop

While leaving chickens in their coop for a few days may not seem like a big deal, they do not enjoy being cooped up for long periods of time and can become temperamental if they are left indoors for too long. Some hens may throw temper tantrums and knock over their food or water, and even start fights with the other hens. Fights within the coop can sometimes be harmless, while other times can lead to bloodshed. Chickens are attracted to red, and once they see blood, they will peck at the feathers and skin of the injured bird until it is dead. Unfortunately, it does not matter how long they have lived together or their flock’s bond.

Chickens get bored very easily and are curious creatures. Another issue that could happen if they are stuck in the coop for too long is they could start to peck at their eggs. Even worse is if they break an egg open and taste it. Once a chicken gets a taste for an egg, it is a hard, bad habit to break because they love the taste.

To prevent fights and tantrums among your hens, particularly if you’ll be away for a while, ensure that your coop is spacious enough for all of them to feel comfortable. You might want to include some entertainment options, like mirrors or hanging chicken net bags for vegetables, such as cabbage, to prevent boredom. Additionally, consider adding an extra feeder and waterer as a backup in case one of your hens decides to act out and topple over the food supply.

How To Prepare The Coop When Going Away

If you’re planning to be away for a night or two, here are some steps you can take to prepare your chicken coop and ensure your hens stay happy and comfortable.

• Step 1: Set up an automatic feeder or put in a second feeder as a backup.
• Step 2: Set up an automatic waterer or use a waterer nipple, which can hold quite a bit of water and helps to keep shavings out.
• Step 3: Automate your chicken door using a timer, light sensors or a mobile app to control the door remotely.
• Step 4: Predator-proof your coop. Now, the coop should already be predatory proof, but make sure to close any windows and check for any new holes before going away, as predators can sense when humans are no longer around and will try to make a move on your coop.
• Step 5: Let a neighbour or close friend know you are going away, and check on your hens to ensure they have enough food and water and to collect the eggs. If you are only going away for a few nights, they do not need to come every day.
• Step 6: If you are going away for more than three days, we encourage you to get a hen sitter! Someone to check on your chickens twice a day (once in the morning, once at night) to let them out of their coop and lock it back up, collect eggs and make sure there is always clean water and lots of food. This will keep your hens happy and give you peace of mind.

Should You Close Up The Coop Every Night?

Making sure to close the coop at night serves a dual purpose: it protects your chickens from harsh weather and drafts, as well as potential predators. Safeguarding your flock is crucial, especially since predators tend to strike at night when there is no human presence. Even if you have a run surrounding your coop, it is still advisable to keep your chickens locked up during the evening, as hungry predators can be cunning.

Our neighbours had a few of their hens taken by a bobcat and a raccoon on separate occasions. Although we haven’t seen any bobcats or raccoons, it’s possible they’ve been observing us and our coop to look for a way in. It’s important to secure your coop at night and make sure it’s predator-proof. Fill any holes or fix loose boards, elevate the coop off the ground, and use locks that can’t be easily opened by raccoons, who are known to manipulate simple latches like hook and eye latches.