Once the clocks fall back, dusk arrives before a lot of us are home. That's exactly when the coop needs closing.
1. Lock up every night
UNH Extension calls nighttime lock-up the most important way to protect free-range birds. It's the one habit worth building the rest of the routine around.
2. Know who's hunting
Many predators are most active from dusk to dawn. UMD Extension notes that raccoons, opossums and skunks hunt at night.
3. Move the reminder to sunset
A reminder set for summer's dusk is an hour or more late in November. Reset it to local sunset and adjust it as the days change.
4. Headcount, then latch
Count birds in before you close up, then check that the latch actually catches. A door that looks shut but isn't latched doesn't stop a raccoon.
Save the routine: the pin version is on our Pinterest board Backyard Chickens: Coop Routines.
Sources: University of New Hampshire Extension, "What are the best ways to protect my chickens from predators?" (Feb 26, 2019); University of Maryland Extension, Predator Control for Poultry. Both accessed Oct 26, 2026. Steps 3 and 4 are practical tips.
