3 hrs of Free Range Enough?

To answer your question, no not really ... But it is better than nothing ...

As mentioned already, your coop and run are too small for how many birds you have ...

I don't know what the dimensions of your current run is ... But guessing probably 4'X8' ... If it is, you could buy a 50' roll of 48" 1/2" hardware cloth 19 gauge and four 6' tall "T" posts for about $100 ... Tractor supply has the T-post cheaper than here, so you don't need to pay shipping, but sales tax ... The fencing/hardware cloth is shipped FREE!

If you removed the end fencing of your current run, and added another 12' 6" to it (2 sides and top and bottom*) then put your existing end on the new end ... :)



This would add 50 square feet to your run! And a HUGE benefit for the day you can't let them out, or even if they just get cranky waiting for you ... They spend the MAJORITY of their waking hours in the run ...

My next question is what size are your pullets gonna grow into? (What breeds are they?) are they small like the Polish? Obviously bigger birds, need more space ... How much roosting room do they have (in feet) in the coop? Are the nesting boxes inside the coop? If they are, could you move them outside to an outside wall, so they give more space inside?

Do you really need a rooster? He would be my first choice to re-home ... But I don't know what you have in mind for your chickens ... Do you want to raise your own chicks?

Even with the above enlargement, I still would get rid of at-least one, two would be MUCH better ... If you go down to six pullets/hens, and keep the rooster ... He will have even less hens to "bother all the time" ... Something to think about, as cramped quarters don't give the hens a chance to get away from a hormone crazed rooster!

ETA - * If instead of putting a "bottom" on, you put a "skirt" on the outside 2' out ... This would allow the chickens to actually scratch in the dirt, but you would need to either have a tad bit of extra fencing left over from a different project, or make the run a tad smaller, as you would be missing wire to cover the skirt on the 4' end, and both new corners ...
 
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