24 hour getaway

The roosting area where my six hens sleep (where I lock them up at night) has 4 sq ft per hen. With hanging food & water containers, it's a bit less than that. Outside, they have a 25' x 25' uncovered run fenced in with chicken wire and I usually let them out every day.

We're going for an overnight getaway, and I'm trying to decide whether I should leave them locked inside the roosting area, or alternatively leave their little outside door open so they can go in & out as they want. I'm leaning toward the latter, sacrificing freedom for protection, but if they'd be ok locked up with food & water then I wouldn't have to worry about predators at all.

What do you think?

 

I locked them in. They were just fine, although a little P.O.'d when they heard me approaching after getting back. They had food & water for about five days in there, so it was just a matter of "boredom" for them.