Coop in Wooded Area - Free Range or Build Run? What Would You Do?

[lavalamp775]

We're new to this and everyone here has been so helpful to us. With your help, we've ordered 15 chicks and built a brand new coop in our backyard. It's 8'x8'.

Our chicks are 4 weeks old not and we're getting ready to put them in the coop for the first time. Our backyard is fully fenced and our coop is in a pretty wooded area.

Over the past two weeks, we've noticed two hawks in the area, particularly when we have had the chicks outside in a playpen. Our coop is really secure so I know they will be safe at night, but I wanted your advice on what we should do during the day. Here are some options.

1. Let them free range in the wooded backyard as it is. I've heard planting some more bushes and giving them some natural places to hide might help. Again, we know they will be safe at night, but I suppose they would be at risk to a hawk during the day.

2. Only let them out for an hour or two a day when we're outside or nearby. That would likely keep them cooped up for too long.

3. Enclose the bottom of the coop giving them about 64 square feet of a run. Not enough I know, but we could combine that with an hour or two of full free-ranging.

4. Build a more enclosed run off to the side, giving them a total of 130 square feet of coop. This is definitely the safest option, but I don't want to go overkill if it's not necessary.

So...what would you do in my situation?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

It is better to have and not need than to need and not have. .....I will always have a run so that if/when the need to confine my flock arises I can. For your situation I would build a nice, big run and then range/confine them according to your personal level of comfort regarding potential losses.....some are less tolerant to than than others. I would have N9 qualms leaving my flock out on the area you have, but would do so knowing sooner or later I would lose some birds. If/when a predator moves on the run allows me to pen the birds up long enough to be rid of the predator.

 

[FridayYet]

Looks like a beautiful place! What area are you in?

I'd temporarily enclose the bottom, giving them a safe place to run around while they are little, then build a run as big as you can. You might want it part with a solid roof, and part covered with bird netting. The solid area would give them a dry place in bad weather and a place for your feed and water to be safe from the elements. You can still let them out for free ranging if you like as Ol Grey Mare mentioned.

If the fence in your picture is the one you are talking about, it won't keep many predators away. As an alternative, you could look into electric netting, but that still won't stop hawks.

Good luck on your decision!

 

[slipshift]

We live in a similar area here in the Ozarks. Our chickens free range and we lose about 1 a month. It's been in the 90's the past week so we took our 5 day old chicks out for a "walk" and they seemed so happy. I think free ranging gives them a better quality of life but it is hard to lose one. To keep them as safe as possible you would need to cover the top of their yard with chicken wire and instead of closing the bottom you can bury the chicken wire sides a foot down in the earth to discourage diggers. No chicken pen is 100% secure, we had a black bear run right through, taking down the fence on both sides. The most important protection they have is our dogs. We introduce the dogs to the chicks as soon as they hatch. When we say "let's check the chicks" the dogs run to the brooder, take a look and walk away. At a couple of weeks we let them mingle in the pen and they get along fine. The worst loses we had was when the pen gate was shut, the chickens had no place to flee and the dogs couldn't get in. Good luck on your chicks, I'm sure you will find out what works best for you and them.

Jim

 

[The Lazy L]

So...what would you do in my situation?

I'd build them a secured run too.

 

[Mutt Farm]

Hi! Welcome!

Nice coop. Wish I had beautiful trees and a "wooded" area.

You've gotten great tips, I just stopped in to say Hi! You might want to say a quick hello in https://www.backyardchickens.com/newsearch?search=new+member+introductions
so we can give you a proper welcome!

 

[Teila]

Howdy lavalamp775 and welcome to BYC!

Ol Grey Mare summed it up beautifully I think .. “It is better to have and not need than to need and not have”.

If you can afford the cash and time, I would definitely go with Option 4 if you do not want to take any chances of losing some.

Option 1 has it risks but lots of places for them to run for cover would be beneficial.

I do not have a Hawk problem but do have a neighbourhood dog and cat problem and I use something similar to your Option 3.

My gals run could probably do with being a little bit bigger but they get a supervised free range every afternoon and nearly all day on the weekend … they do love to help me in the garden

 

[texsuze]

Another vote for Option 4--build a sizable, fully enclosed run. Since you are already open to the idea, get started before you lose motivation! Lots of good ideas in the "Coops" section. Don't forget to consider some type of sturdy mesh 'apron' around the bottom edge of the run. With as many chicks as you have coming your way, bigger is never too big.

 

[aart]

Option 4...with an apron and mesh or solid roof.