Access to outdoor pen 24/7 ?

[weloveourchicks]

We give them access 24/7 however our pen is has a roof w/ shingles, etc. and we didn't use chicken wire we used regular wire that goes 2 feet under ground to prevent anything from digging their way in. We've had it for a year and nothings gotten in yet!

They are up way earlier then I am!

Susan

 

[ChanceRider]

My chickens and ducks (housed together) have access to their run 24/7. The run has hardware wire on the top, sides and fully lining the bottom. The wire is screwed in with hex-head screws and large flat washers. I have at least two swivel hasp latches on all doors and the hinged top, with carabiners through the swivels. Even the run is screwed to the coop rather than nailed.

Where I live in the foothills we have bobcats, mountain lions, skunks, possums, raccoons, etc. I like the fact that my birds can be outside when they want to and don't have to wait for me to let them out. Also, if I happen to be late returning home I don't need to worry about rushing home to lock them up.

Personally, I don't rely on chicken wire to much more than keep chickens in. I didn't even use it to line the bottom of our run, which is buried under about 6" of dirt.

 

[bluie]

I designed my coop and run specifically for this. 1/2" hardware cloth all over. Protection from digging in. The pop door stayed open all winter. I did put plastic over it with slits in it when it was really cold. Everybody is fine.

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

Our chickens have access to their run 24/7, but the run is pretty secure and our dogs are also good about keeping animals out of the backyard. We let them out of their coop/run at around 2-3 in the afternoon every day and they go back in by themselves at night.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=19548

 

[newchickmom]

My flock was getting 24/7 access to their run. A couple of days ago my husband saw a raccoon in our garage though. Now the chickens and cats have to be locked up and night.

 

[Chickenmaven]

They're birds. Mine have a nice sized coop, so I figure they need protection more than "freedom" (a human concept). More to the point, they are not going to hate me or need therapy if I have to lock them in at 5p.m. instead of 6:30 in order to take my kid to 4-H. They are not going to become clinically depressed if I sleep in 'til 8 a.m. on Saturday morning. HOWEVER, I would feel awful if they were attacked...awful and neglegent.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
While I truly do agree with you on the value of protection, I have to point out that there is no way of *knowing* whether they become 'clinically depressed' since there is no DSMIII for chickenology

But they most certainly DO exhibit OTHER signs of being unhappy about confinement, such as picking each other to a bloody mess

And if a person's chickens are at *all* borderline in how happy they are in their coop space, even an extra hour or two of lockup can be all it takes to start a problem that will be difficult or sometimes impossible to stop.

So it is not like it is totally cost-free to just keep them in longer. A person has to decide where they want to be on the tradeoff between the two risks.

FWIW, mine are clearly less relaxed and grumpier with each other (tho certianly not to the point of picking) when they cannot go out in the run, and that's with 15 sq ft per chicken indoors.


Pat

 

[mistylady]

Our run is partially covered - along the edges with very little open in the center. The chickies go in the coop at night. They would be eaten by coons or something out here. They go out at 7:30 am or so and go back in about 6:30 pm or if I have something I need to do they get bribed to come in sooner with some treats.