5 Tips to Vacation-Proof the Chicken Coop
by Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | August 29, 2023
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Maybe you are a modern pioneer who likes to travel (like me). Or you just need your homestead chicken coop to be more self-sufficient. Either way, learning how to vacation-proof the chicken coop can help you save time and keep your flock safe. Vacation-proofing the coop basically means making sure your flock has access to the basic needs of survival. That way they can stay safe and healthy without daily care. Many features of a vacation-proof coop are good to consider when you are first building or buying the homestead coop. However, most of them can also be added on after building or buying the coop too. These 5 tips to vacation-proof the chicken coop will help you feel confident when you have to leave your flock for a night or two!

#1. Automatic Chicken Coop Doors

Automatic chicken doors are a game changer when it comes to keeping your flock safe while you are away. These revolutionary appliances keep your flock safely locked in their coop at night and allow them access to the outdoors during the day without you having to lift a finger.

I use two different automatic chicken coop doors on my coops. One coop has a door that is powdered by a trickle charged battery system. The other coop has a door that is powdered by two AAA batteries that need to be replaced once a year. Both doors use solar to sense daylight.

With automatic coop doors at both of my coops, my flocks can be safely locked in their coops at night. But they still have access to their outdoor enclosures during the day even when I am gone.

Power Systems

Most automatic chicken doors are battery powered and come with the option to be solar-sensored or programmed. Some automatic chicken doors can be hooked up to a simple solar-power system instead of relying on battery power. For battery powered automatic doors, some brands offer the option to hook the door battery up to a trickle charger. The trickle charge will make sure that the battery always stays charged. Others rely on batteries that must be replaced ever so often.

Sensor Systems

Solar-sensored automatic chicken coop doors are rigged up to a small solar sensor. The sensor only senses natural daylight (not artificial lights). The door will open at dawn and close at dusk. For a coop trained flock, the door will close well-after the chickens have gone in to roost but before any crepuscular predators become active.

Another option that some automatic chicken coop doors offer is the function or program the door when to open and close rather than relying on the solar sensor. You can program exactly when you want the door to open in the morning and close in the evening. However, you will have to reset the times periodically to match the changing daylight hours throughout the season. Your flock will probably go to roost later during the summer when the days are longer. You don’t want them to be locked out if the automatic door is still programmed to close early for shorter winter days.

Concerns & Preventions

If this is your first time considering an automatic chicken coop door, then you may have some concerns in regards to the safety of your flock when using an automatic chicken door. Here are some common concerns I hear from folks who are considering their first automatic chicken coop door:

What if my flock gets locked out at night?

The best way to prevent this from happening is to have your flock coop trained and to make sure the door closes well after the last bird goes in to roost. My flocks are coop trained to roost before dusk. The solar-sensored automatic doors close well after the the last bird has entered the coop to roost. Some automatic doors are programmed to close, then open and close one more time in case any birds didn’t make it in.

Will the door close on one of my chickens?

Again, if your flock is coop trained, none of your birds should be in the doorway when the door starts to close. Doors that slide up and down are generally safer since the chicken will feel the pressure from the door coming down and move out of the way. Some automatic chicken doors have a pressure sensor that will sense if an object is in the way when it starts to close.

Will the door stop working if the power goes out?

Most automatic chicken coop doors are battery powered. The only reason why the door may stop working is if the batteries are not charged or the door is misfunctioning.

Are automatic chicken coop doors predator proof?

Most automatic chicken coop doors are predator proof. They are usually made out of sturdy material that can’t be chewed or broken through. They also don’t have handles or latches that predators can use to open the door.

#2. Hardwire | Welded Wire

To keep your flock safe while you are away, they must have a sturdy chicken coop and fenced-in enclosure or run attached to the coop. Your chickens can only be safe while you are gone if their chicken coop and run is predator proof. While automatic chicken doors can help keep predators out at night, the rest of the coop still needs to be predator proof. That includes the chicken coop enclosure or run where your flock can get fresh air and exercise during the day.

One of the best ways to predator proof the chicken coop and run is to use hardwire fencing or welded wire fencing. Traditional chicken wire just doesn’t hold up to determined predators who want a chicken dinner. Hardwire fencing with holes that are less than a 1/4″ is the best option for keeping even small and sneaky predators out. Welded wire fencing with holes no bigger than 2″x3″ is another great option for keeping predators out. However, small predator like weasels, can sneak through openings that big.

Using sturdy, predator-proof fencing on the chicken coop and run will help keep your flock safe when they are both in their coop and enjoying their run during the day.

Predator-Proofing Tips

• Run Fencing– Make sure the chicken coop run is entirely fenced in. Do a quality-control check prior to leaving. Make sure there are no holes or rusted wire in the fencing that could easily be broken.
• Secure Run Structure– Sturdy fencing is of no use if the run structure is not sturdy as well. Make sure the run structure cannot be broken or tipped over.
• Windows– Cover the windows with hardware fencing to keep predators from sneaking through those apetures in the coop.
• Secure Doors– Any doors other than automatic chicken coop doors should have secure, multi-step latches that will confuse even intelligent predators like raccoons.
• Electrical Fencing– To further predator proof the coop, consider using electrical fencing around the exterior of the coop and run. Use hardwire fencing or welded wire fencing for the actual run. Then have a system of electrical fencing around the exterior to deter even the most determined predator.

For more tips on predator-proofing the chicken coop and run, check out this post on How to Predator Proof the Chicken Coop.

#3. Covered Enclosure

A covered and enclosed chicken coop run or enclosure is essential for a vacation-proof chicken coop. Some homesteaders let their flock free-range all day, even when they are way. Others prefer to use the supervised free-range method. In which case, a covered and enclosed chicken coop run will help your flock say healthy and active even when they need to be confined.

The run or enclosure should be attached to the chicken coop. An automatic chicken coop door should give your flock access to their run during the day. The run should be made of sturdy material and completely enclosed with hardwire fencing or welded wire fencing. It should also be covered to provide your flock protection from arial predators and precipitation.

Simple netting or lattice structure covers will not provide sufficient protection from the weather. If you are leaving your flock for an extended period of time, then a covered and weather-proof run is a must. Your flock will stay healthier if they can get outside even during inclement weather. Plus, your flock will prefer to be outside which can help with manure management within the coop.

Both of the runs on my chicken coops are covered with tin roofing.

#4. Large Feeder & Water

We’ve already covered two important bases for your flock’s health and safety while you are gone: protection from predators and shelter from the elements. However, in order to survive, your flock will need access to plenty of food and water while you are away.

First and foremost, make sure you have big enough feeders and waterers for the size of your flock. The exact size of the feeder and waterers will depend on how long you will be leaving your flock without care. If nothing else, ask someone to come over and fill your flock’s feeder and water if you are afraid they will run out while you are gone. Do trial runs a week or two before you leave to see how long your flock’s feed and water will last them without being refilled.

You can also choose to have several feeders and waterers available for your flock. Make sure all the feeders and waterers are full, fresh, and clean before you leave. Using hanging or raised feeder and water systems can help keep the contents cleaner for extended periods of time.

Ideally, have at least the feeder located inside the chicken coop, not in the enclosure or run. Chicken feed can attract predators and pests, so having it located safely inside the chicken coop can prevent predator temptation.

#5. Droppings Boards

Lastly, for the health of your flock and the cleanliness of the coop, you will want to figure out a system of manure management within the coop while you are away. You won’t be able to clean up nightly droppings on a regular basis. Instead, you will need a way to contain those droppings to prevent the coop from getting smelly and filthy. A dirty coop for a night or two won’t cause too much damage. However, if the droppings aren’t managed over time, ammonia fumes may start building up which can cause respiratory irritation. Harmful bacteria and pathogens may start to proliferate that can cause disease.

Installing droppings boards or droppings slings below the roosts will help catch and contain nightly droppings. The boards or slings can then be easily scrapped or dumped out to remove the droppings from the coop.

Litter Choices

You should also make sure the litter inside the coop is absorbent and compostable. Since not all the droppings will be able to be removed while you are gone, the litter should be able to manage manure moisture. This will prevent the coop from becoming smelly and prevent manure from building up. Droppings boards or slings can be used to gather nightly droppings, while absorbent litter should be able to manage droppings from your flock’s daily activity in the coop.

Large flake wood shavings or straw are both good litters to use in a vacation-proof coop. Both of these litters naturally compost with chicken droppings and they are absorbent. Your flock will more than likely sort through the litter on a daily basis which can further mix in the droppings and help prevent manure build-up.

Your homestead flock can still stay safe and healthy even while you are away! These are the essentials for a self-sufficient, self-sustaining chicken coop:

• your flock must have access to plenty of fresh food and water,
• protection from the elements,
• and protection from predators.

With these bases covered, you can feel confident leaving your homestead flock for a night or two without asking someone to care for them while you are gone. A vacation-proof coop makes not only leaving your flock easier, it also makes daily care and coop maintenance simple and hassle-free!

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